Steelcase Leap V2 vs Gesture: Which Steelcase Chair Should You Buy?
Two Steelcase task chairs with similar seats that differ most in their arms and in how the lumbar adjusts.
Both chairs come from Steelcase, and the sections below compare them control by control. The Leap V2 is the better value: lumbar you can place and firm up, at a lower price new and remanufactured.
Leap V2 for lumbar set by hand for height and firmness and a five-position tilt lock. Gesture for 360-degree arms and lumbar firmness that follows the recline.
Side-by-Side Specs
| Spec | Steelcase Leap V2 | Steelcase Gesture |
|---|---|---|
| Price (New) | ~$1,499 Steelcase Leap V2 on Amazon (~$1,499) |
~$1,510 Steelcase Gesture on Amazon (~$1,510) |
| Price (Remanufactured) | $749 Remanufactured Leap V2 at Crandall |
$799 Remanufactured Gesture at Crandall |
| Armrests | 4D (height, width, depth, pivot); 7 to 11 in high | 360-degree (height, width, depth, pivot) |
| Lumbar | Height-adjustable pad plus a separate firmness dial | Core Equalizer (firmness shifts with recline angle); optional height-adjustable add-on, 4 in range |
| Recline | Natural Glide System, tension control | Synchro-tilt, tension control |
| Recline Stops | 5-position tilt lock | 3-position back stop plus upright lock |
| Seat Height | 16 to 20.5 in | 16 to 21 in |
| Seat Depth | 15.75 to 18.75 in | 15.75 to 18.5 in |
| Seat Width | 19.25 in | 20 in (front of cushion) |
| Weight Capacity | 400 lbs | 400 lbs |
| Warranty (New) | Steelcase Limited Lifetime, 12 years | Lifetime on the frame and structure; 12 years on mechanism, cylinders, foam and casters |
| SeatedLab Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
The Controls You Touch Through a Workday
Arm Pivot Range
On paper the arms adjust along the same four axes: height, width, depth and pivot. No pivot range is listed for the Leap V2’s 4D arms, while the Gesture’s arms turn a full 360 degrees.
Leap V2 arm height runs from 7 to 11 inches above the seat.
Recline Mechanism and Stops
The Leap V2 locks at any of five positions on Steelcase’s Natural Glide System. The Gesture runs a synchro-tilt with three back stops plus an upright lock. Both have tension control, and the Leap V2 gives the finer choice of stops.
Lumbar Controls
Steelcase gave the Leap V2 two lumbar controls: set the pad’s height, then its firmness on a separate dial.
The Gesture handles lumbar differently. Its Core Equalizer changes firmness on its own as the back reclines. Height adjustment comes only with the optional lumbar add-on, which gives 4 inches of travel. On a remanufactured Gesture, check which configuration the listing describes before counting on it.
Seat Height and Width
Both seats slide from 15.75 inches deep, and they start at the same 16-inch height. The Gesture rises half an inch higher and lists 20 inches across the front of the cushion; the Leap V2 lists a 19.25-inch seat width.
New or Remanufactured
Crandall Office remanufactures both chairs, and that is the cheaper way into either one: each costs about half its new Amazon price. Crandall’s 12-year warranty covers parts but not labor, stays with the original owner and applies in the US only. A new chair carries Steelcase’s own Limited Lifetime warranty instead.
The gap between the two chairs stays modest either way. Buy new when Steelcase’s own warranty matters more than the savings; on the Gesture it covers the frame and other structural parts for life.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Keep Reading
- Steelcase Leap V2 Full Review : the lumbar controls and Natural Glide recline in more detail
- Steelcase Gesture Full Review : the 360-degree arms and the headrest decision
- Is the Steelcase Leap V2 Worth It? : cost over the life of the chair
- Is the Steelcase Gesture Worth It? : when the premium pays off
- Herman Miller Aeron vs Steelcase Leap V2 : a mesh seat against the Leap’s adjustable one
- Herman Miller Embody vs Steelcase Leap V2 : the Leap against Herman Miller’s narrow-back chair
- Herman Miller Embody Review : BackFit, Pixelated Support and what they cost
- Best Office Chairs : the top ergonomic chairs at every price point
- Office Chair Buying Guide : what to check before spending four figures on a chair