Steelcase Leap V2 vs Series 2: Which Steelcase Should You Buy?
Get the Series 2 unless you want a five-position tilt lock or a lumbar firmness dial, two settings the Series 2 spec does not list. It carries the Leap V2’s 400 lb rating and the same 4D arm adjustments for under half the new price.
Leap V2 vs Series 2 Specs
| Spec | Steelcase Leap V2 | Steelcase Series 2 |
|---|---|---|
| New, Amazon | ~$1,400 New Leap V2 on Amazon (~$1,400) |
~$665 Series 2 on Amazon (~$665) |
| Remanufactured | $749 at Crandall Remanufactured Leap V2 at Crandall |
Not on Crandall’s remanufactured list |
| Recline | 5-position tilt lock, tension control | Weight-activated synchro-tilt, upright back lock |
| Lumbar | Height, plus a separate firmness dial | Height, built into the Air LiveBack pattern |
| Seat depth | 15.75 to 18.75 in (third-party figure) | 2.75 in slider; seat pan depth not listed |
| Seat height | 16 to 20.5 in | 16.5 to 21.5 in |
| Seat | 19.25 in wide | High-density foam, flexible edges |
| Back | LiveBack, 18 in wide by 25 in tall | Air LiveBack; mesh or quilted upholstered |
| Arms | 4D on both: height, width, depth and pivot | |
| Weight capacity | 400 lb | 400 lb |
| Warranty, new | Steelcase Limited Lifetime (12-year, 24/7-rated) | Steelcase Limited Lifetime (12-year parts and labor) |
| SeatedLab rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
- A tall desk that doesn’t adjust favors the Series 2. Its seat rises to 21.5 inches, an inch past the Leap’s top setting.
- Shorter sitters can take the Leap’s seat half an inch lower, to 16 inches. Office Logix lists it for people from about 5′0″ to 6′4″.
- If you’re setting the chair up alone, Steelcase says the Series 2 goes together in under two minutes with no tools, and the chair weighs 37.4 pounds.
Holding a Recline Partway
The Leap V2’s tilt lock has five positions, so the back can be locked at points along the recline, and the chair adds tension control to the mix.
On the Series 2, Steelcase lists a weight-activated synchro-tilt with an upright back lock. A lock partway through the recline is not in its spec, and that gap is the main reason to pay for the Leap.
Lumbar: Height on Both, Firmness on the Leap
The Leap V2 pairs a height-adjustable lumbar with a separate firmness dial. On the Series 2 the lumbar adjusts for height and is built into the Air LiveBack’s geometric pattern, and Steelcase lists no firmness control. Either chair lets you put the support where your lower back curves inward, so the dial only earns its cost if you also want to change how firm that support is.
Don’t Line Up the Seat Depth Numbers
Both seats slide forward and back. On the Series 2 you pull a handle up and the seat travels 2 3/4 inches, but Steelcase prints no starting depth, so the two can’t be compared on seat depth. The Leap range in the table is a third-party figure from Furniblog that Steelcase does not publish.
One figure to ignore: the Series 2 dimension sheet gives a depth of 19.25 to 22 inches, and that measures the whole chair from front to back. Whichever chair you buy, sit with your back against the backrest and slide the seat until its front edge stops pressing behind your knees.
Buying the Leap Remanufactured
Crandall sells a remanufactured Leap V2 for a little over half the new Amazon price, which brings it close to what a new Series 2 costs.
Crandall’s own 12-year warranty replaces Steelcase’s. It pays for parts but not the labor to fit them, and it covers only the original owner in the US, so it can’t be passed on if you sell the chair. Returns to Crandall are free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Comparisons
Amia vs Series 2 puts the Series 2 beside a Steelcase whose seat depth range is published. For the Leap on its own, read Is the Leap V2 worth it?