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ProtoArc EC100 Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair Review

Umito November 5, 2024

I’m a chronic lazy person and for years I used a horrible, tattered old office chair that was about to be thrown out at my last full-time job. It didn’t help my squatting issues, and after long periods of sitting I found myself with a lot of neck, shoulder, and back cramping.

Ergonomic chairs like the EC100 Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair from ProtoArc are supposed to cure slouching for good and stop us from feeling all that pain. This is largely achieved by supporting your lumbar spine using a dedicated panel that protrudes into your lower back. The EC100 does indeed have this panel, although surprisingly it doesn’t offer manual adjustment.

Overall, I enjoyed using ProtoArc’s EC100 chair for its airy mesh back, super soft and comfortable seat, and adjustability without unnecessary bells and whistles. But I think this could be improved by allowing manual adjustment of the lumbar panel. My review of the ProtoArc EC100 will help you decide if it is one of best budget office chairs you’re buying today or whether it’s worth spending a little more for a model with adjustable lumbar support.

ProtoArc EC100 Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair: Specifications

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Price	$189
Maximum height	42.52-45.67 inches
Maximum load	280 pounds
Maximum tilt	130°
Weight	36 pounds
Material	Mesh, foam, springs
Adjustment points	5
Guarantee	2 years

ProtoArc EC100 Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair: Price and availability

The EC100 Ergonomic Mesh Chair is available to purchase now at The ProtoArc website. It costs $189 and you can even split that cost into payments using Shop Pay at checkout.

ProtoArc offers free shipping, a 30-day return period, and a 2-year warranty.

ProtoArc EC100 Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair: Assembly

Assembling the chair is a simple and straightforward process, and ProtoArc includes the Allen wrench you’ll need to tighten all the bolts. From unboxing to final assembly, the process took about twenty minutes.

The box contains the backrest, the seat, the headrest, the lumbar support, the casters and the armrests, as well as the piston to raise and lower the seat. It also comes with all bolts conveniently labeled. You should be able to put this chair together quickly, even if you’re not very handy with tools.

ProtoArc EC100 Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair: Adjustability

The adjustable armrests and seat of the ProtoArc EC100 office chair

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

The EC100 Ergonomic Mesh Chair offers most of the adjustability you’d expect from an ergonomic office chair. The armrests adjust vertically 3.5 inches, but have no armrest adjustment.

The adjustable headrest of the ProtoArc EC100 office chair

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

The headrest adjusts 2.75 inches up and down and also swivels 60 degrees. This pairs with a 90- to 130-degree adjustable seatback, which also includes adaptive lumbar support. The lumbar cushion does not adjust, but flexes.

Close-up of the height adjustment knob on the ProtoArc EC100 office chair

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

The seat height adjusts up and down about three inches total, which is a bit limited. Nonetheless, ProtoArc claims that this office chair is suitable for users between 5’3″ and 6’5″.

ProtoArc EC100 ergonomic mesh office chair: Design and comfort

The ProtoArc EC100 office chair in front of a desk

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

The EC100 has a S-shaped back design. This shape is meant to follow the natural curves of your back. The seat back is made from a lightweight, breathable mesh material that also conforms perfectly to your body.

Close-up of the seat cushion of the ProtoArc EC100 office chair

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

The bottom of the seat has layers of fabric, foam, and springs. It is very soft and very comfortable, and its saddle shape hugs your body. I found this seat to be among the most comfortable I’ve tested, although heavier users may find themselves sinking deeper into the soft materials than they’d like.

I tested a few chairs with a similar design to the ProtoArc EC100, and found that not all of them had the adjustability I needed to find a comfortable sitting position. This is largely down to a few factors: first, many of these chairs have limited headrest adjustment; and second, these chairs tend to lack adjustment options at the lumbar support panel.

The ProtoArc EC100 office chair pushed into an office

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

On this first point, the EC100 defies all predictions. The headrest works well and I was able to find a useful position that kept me comfortable when I needed to.

A side view of the lumbar support of the ProtoArc EC100 office chair

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

On the second point, I would have liked this lumbar support panel to be adjustable. As it stands, the panel relies on your body weight and pressure to adjust to your position. It’s pretty good, unless you don’t put enough pressure on it. I found myself leaning further back into the seat back mesh because the lumbar support panel was pushed in too far. If I could have adjusted the lumbar panel inward, I think I could have found a more comfortable position.

Therefore, I wanted to be able to adjust the seat back more vertically. ProtoArc says the seat back adjusts to 90 degrees, but because the lumbar support panel stuck out too much for me, I found myself leaning back, probably around 100 or 105 degrees. This put more pressure on my neck and shoulders than I would have liked, and I found the muscles in my thoracic spine engaging more than I would have liked.

If you like to recline every once in a while, the EC100 goes down to 130 degrees. It’s quite relaxing and comfortable. The flexible mesh makes it even nicer. When the seatback is locked at the 90 degree position, there is still some movement in the seatback, which is a little annoying but not a problem.

Close-up of the mesh back of the ProtoArc EC100 office chair

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

As is the case with any mesh chair like this, there are concerns about long-term durability. Will the mesh stretch and wear? At its most favorable, I like the feel of mesh; it’s light and breathable, and fits my back comfortably. But I would be disappointed if this mesh material stretched and lost some of its support over the years. But it’s a concern that’s not exclusive to this chair.

Overall, the ProtoArc EC100 chair seems well built and mostly comfortable as long as you’re not looking for a very upright position like me.

ProtoArc EC100 Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair: Verdict

The EC100 Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair from ProtoArc offers a lot of value at a low price. Its soft seat stands out as one of the most comfortable I have tested. The headrest is adjustable and very useful. The mesh seat back is airy and comfortable.

This chair could be improved with a lumbar support panel that adjusts manually, rather than relying on your body weight.

Overall, as long as you’re not looking for a very upright seating position, the EC100 offers just enough adjustability to be useful, without the bells and whistles of more expensive chairs. And it ticks a lot of the comfort boxes you’d get with more expensive chairs. This is a good ergonomic budget option.

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ProtoArc EC100 Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair Review

Umito

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ProtoArc EC100 Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair Review

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