Herman Miller Embody vs Steelcase Leap V2: Which Chair Is Right for You?
The Leap V2 is the better default. The Embody fits a narrower buyer, and the reasons start with your size before they ever get to the backrest.
The two chairs set the back in different ways, a lumbar control on the Leap V2 and BackFit on the Embody, but three measurements come first. Weight can decide it outright, seat depth only at the extremes, and seat height not at all.
Leap V2 for most buyers: a 400 lb rating, a lumbar you set for height and firmness, a recline that locks, and a remanufactured route through Crandall Office.
Embody for buyers under 300 lb who are buying new, want the widest arm spread of the two, and would rather set the back with BackFit than with a lumbar height and firmness control.
The Numbers Side by Side
| Spec | Herman Miller Embody | Steelcase Leap V2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (new) | Configure the Embody at Herman Miller Herman Miller Embody on Amazon (~$2,000) | Remanufactured Leap V2 at Crandall Steelcase Leap V2 on Amazon (~$1,400) |
| Weight rating | 300 lb | 400 lb |
| Seat height | 16 to 20.5 in | 16 to 20.5 in |
| Seat depth | 15 to 18 in, adjustable | 15.75 to 18.75 in, adjustable slider |
| Arm height (from seat) | 6.5 to 11.5 in | 7 to 11 in |
| Arm spread (apart) | 12 to 21 in | 12.75 to 20 in |
| Arm adjustments | Height and width (Fully Adjustable Arms option) | 4D: height, width, depth, pivot |
| Back | BackFit adjustment; central spine with flexible ribs; Pixelated Support | LiveBack; height-adjustable lumbar with a separate firmness dial |
| Recline | Not listed | Natural Glide System; 5-position tilt lock with tension control |
| Warranty (new) | 12 years, through Herman Miller or an authorized reseller | 12 years, 24/7-rated |
| Remanufactured | Not carried by Crandall Office | Yes, at Crandall Office |
Weight Rating Comes First
This is the one measurement with no workaround. The Leap V2 is rated to 400 lb; Herman Miller rates the Embody to 300 lb. If you weigh more than 300 lb, or the chair will be shared with someone who does, the Embody is out and the decision is already made. Well under that line, the rating stops mattering.
Seat Height and Depth
Both chairs share a seat height range of 16 to 20.5 inches, so a desk height that works with one works with the other.
The Embody’s seat depth range sits three quarters of an inch shallower than the Leap V2’s at both ends, and each seat travels about three inches. Long-thighed sitters run out of depth sooner on the Embody, and short-thighed sitters sooner on the Leap V2. Almost everyone in between can ignore it.
Arms: Range Against Directions
With Herman Miller’s Fully Adjustable Arms, the Embody’s pads adjust from 6.5 to 11.5 inches above the seat and from 12 to 21 inches apart, against the Leap V2’s 7 to 11 and 12.75 to 20. That matters at the edges: a narrow frame that wants the pads tucked in, or broad shoulders that need them out of the way.
The Leap V2’s arms are 4D: height, width, depth and pivot. Depth and pivot are not listed for the Embody.
Back Support: A Dial or a Design
On the Leap V2, the lumbar moves up and down, a separate dial sets its firmness, and the recline locks in any of five positions with tension you set yourself. If your lower back wants pressure at one spot, you put it there, and you can move it again next month.
The Embody’s back is set with BackFit, which Herman Miller says “lets you fine-tune the chair specifically to your spine, and then adapts to your movement.” The back is a narrow central spine with flexible ribs, and behind that is what Herman Miller calls Pixelated Support, in both seat and back, which it says “conforms to your micro-movements and eliminates pressure buildup.” Those are Herman Miller’s words, and they’re the whole case for paying more. If you already know where you want lumbar pressure, the Leap V2’s height and firmness controls put it there.
Buying New, and Buying Remanufactured
New, the Embody costs more than the Leap V2 whether it comes from Herman Miller or from Amazon. The 12-year warranty holds only through Herman Miller and its authorized resellers, and ordering direct lets you choose the arm option. On Amazon, confirm the seller is authorized before counting on that warranty.
Crandall Office remanufactures the Leap V2 under its own 12-year warranty and does not remanufacture the Embody, so the Leap V2 is the only one of these two with a dealer-backed second-hand option.
Where to Buy
Frequently Asked Questions
Keep Reading
- Herman Miller Embody Review: BackFit, Pixelated Support and the arm options in detail
- Steelcase Leap V2 Review: LiveBack, the lumbar controls and Natural Glide
- Is the Steelcase Leap V2 Worth It?: the price question on its own
- Steelcase Leap V2 vs Gesture: the Leap against Steelcase’s other flagship
- Herman Miller Aeron Review: the suspension-seat alternative sold in three sizes
- Aeron vs Embody: the Embody against Herman Miller’s own Aeron
- Aeron vs Steelcase Leap V2: the Leap against the Aeron
- Best Office Chairs: the full ranked guide at every price point
- Herman Miller vs Steelcase: the two brands across their full lines