Is the Steelcase Leap V2 Worth It?
A new Leap V2 on Amazon costs about twice what a remanufactured one from Crandall Office does. Here is what each route buys you, and which buyers the chair suits.
Yes, if you want a lumbar pad you can set for both height and firmness, a seat-depth slider, and a recline you can lock in five positions. The remanufactured Leap V2 from Crandall Office costs roughly half the new Amazon price and carries Crandall’s 12-year warranty.
No, if you want arms that rotate a full 360 degrees (the Steelcase Gesture has them) or a suspension seat with no foam cushion (the current Herman Miller Aeron uses one). Buying new mainly makes sense when you want Steelcase’s own 12-year warranty on a chair nobody has sat in before.
The Price Math
| Option | Upfront Cost | Est. lifespan | Est. cost per year | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remanufactured (Crandall Office) | $749 Remanufactured Leap V2 at Crandall | 10 to 15 years | ~$50 to $75/yr | 12 yr Crandall warranty (parts only; original owner, US only) |
| New (Amazon) | ~$1,499 Steelcase Leap V2 on Amazon (~$1,499) | 12 to 15 years | ~$100 to $125/yr | 12 yr Steelcase Limited Lifetime |
| Seat depth (both) | 15.75 to 18.75 in, adjustable slider (about 3 in of travel) | |||
The lifespan and per-year figures are SeatedLab editorial estimates and do not come from Steelcase or Crandall; the warranty column carries the Steelcase and Crandall terms. Spread over the estimated lifespans, a remanufactured Leap V2 costs a bit more than half as much per year as a new one. Both rows describe the same Leap V2 design, so the gap comes down to price and to whose warranty covers the chair.
Worth It or Not: The Breakdown
Worth it if you…
- Want lumbar support you can move up and down and set for firmness with its own dial
- Need to set seat depth for your leg length
- Recline often and want a 5-position tilt lock with tension control
- Weigh up to 400 lbs, the chair’s rated capacity
- Stand roughly 5’0″ to 6’4″, the fit range listed by Office Logix
- Can buy remanufactured to cut the cost roughly in half
Not worth it if you…
- Want arms that rotate 360 degrees for phone and tablet use
- Prefer an elastomeric suspension seat with no foam cushion
- Rarely recline and would leave the tilt lock and tension control untouched
- Want a slightly wider seat, which the Gesture offers
- Need a capacity above 400 lbs (the Leap Plus is a separate chair)
The Scenarios That Matter Most
You shift positions throughout the day and find most chairs restrictive
The Leap V2 pairs Steelcase’s LiveBack with its Natural Glide System recline, and the tilt locks in five positions with tension you can set. If you move between leaning forward and reclining during the day, you can set the tension to your weight and lock the back where a given task needs it. The arms are 4D, with more depth travel than the earlier Leap V1’s arms.
You have lower back pain and want targeted lumbar support
The Leap V2’s lumbar adjusts for height, and a separate dial sets its firmness. The Steelcase Gesture comes with Core Equalizer lumbar, which changes firmness automatically as you recline; height adjustment on the Gesture is an optional add-on with a 4-inch range. If a clinician has suggested support at a particular spot on your lower back, the Leap V2 gives you both controls as standard equipment. For chairs grouped by pain pattern, see the Best Office Chairs for Back Pain guide. This page is general information and does not replace medical advice.
You are upgrading from a budget or mid-range chair
Within Steelcase’s own range, the Series 2 costs less than half as much new and shares 4D arms, height-adjustable lumbar, and a seat-depth slider with the Leap V2. The Leap V2 adds a separate lumbar firmness dial and a 5-position tilt lock with tension control, where the Series 2 has a weight-activated recline with an upright lock. A remanufactured Leap V2 from Crandall Office lands close to the new Series 2 price, so the comparison deserves a look before you buy either. The Leap V2 vs Series 2 page covers it in full.
You want a mesh suspension seat with no foam cushion
Look at the current Herman Miller Aeron, whose 8Z Pellicle seat is an elastomeric suspension zoned across eight areas with no foam cushion. The Aeron trades away seat-depth adjustment to get it: seat depth is fixed by size (A, B or C), while the Leap V2 uses a slider.
You regularly work across a phone, tablet, and keyboard
Consider the Gesture instead. Steelcase lists the Gesture’s arms as 360-degree, while the Leap V2’s arms are 4D. See the Leap V2 vs Gesture comparison for a full breakdown.
New vs. Remanufactured: Which Should You Buy?
Remanufactured Leap V2 from Crandall
Crandall Office sells remanufactured Leap V2 chairs at roughly half the new Amazon price. Each carries Crandall’s 12-year warranty, which covers parts but not labor, applies only to the original owner in the US, and cannot be transferred. Crandall also offers free returns. Configurations and stock change on Crandall’s own page, so check there for the current options.
New Leap V2
A new Leap V2 carries Steelcase’s 12-year Limited Lifetime warranty, rated for 24/7 use. That coverage, and a chair with no prior owner, are what the higher price buys. If neither matters to you, the remanufactured chair is the same Leap V2 design for roughly half the money.
What You Could Buy Instead
Staying within Steelcase, the Leap V2 vs Series 2 comparison covers the mid-range alternative. For a Herman Miller chair whose tilt adjusts automatically with no tension dial, see Cosm vs Leap V2.
For multi-device workers: Steelcase Gesture
Uses Steelcase’s 3D LiveBack and adds 360-degree arms, with the same 400 lb capacity as the Leap V2. It costs more than the Leap V2 both new and remanufactured, and a headrest is available only factory-installed. Available remanufactured from Crandall Office.
For a suspension seat: Herman Miller Aeron
The current Aeron uses an 8Z Pellicle suspension seat and can be configured with PostureFit SL lumbar, which supports the sacral region. It comes in three sizes with seat depth fixed by size. The older Aeron Classic is sold remanufactured at Crandall for a little more than a remanufactured Leap V2.
For a different back design: Herman Miller Embody
Herman Miller describes the Embody’s Pixelated Support as conforming to your micro-movements, with a BackFit adjustment for the spine. It costs more than a new Leap V2, carries a lower 300 lb capacity, and Crandall does not remanufacture it.
Final Answer: Is the Leap V2 Worth It?
If you want separate lumbar height and firmness controls, a seat-depth slider and a lockable recline: yes. Bought remanufactured from Crandall, it costs roughly half the new price and still carries a 12-year warranty.
For everyone else: it depends. If you want a suspension seat with no foam cushion, look at the Aeron. If you work across several devices, the Gesture’s 360-degree arms are built for that. If you weigh more than 400 lbs, the Leap V2 is outside its rated capacity.
The lowest-cost route is a remanufactured Leap V2 from Crandall. For more detail, see the full Steelcase Leap V2 review, or compare head-to-head: Leap V2 vs Gesture · Aeron vs Leap V2 · Embody vs Leap V2.