In this review we are going to take a look at something a little different, that is still definitely an essential item for those who spend any time working or playing in front of a screen – a comfortable chair. We received the red and black version of the Flash Series ergonomic office chair with pillows from EwinRacing.com, which also has a European presence with the domain EwinRacing.eu.

The Flash Series chair is shown in the promotional image above where we see that while it has the typical profile of an ergonomic chair, it is rather sporty looking. What we can not see is that this particular model is made to support up to 330 pounds and will adjust to accomodate users well over six feet tall. Considering this is considered the “Normal” version of the Flash Series chair, and that there is an “XL” offering, EwinRacing clearly has not forgotten about the larger people in the world when developing their products. Before taking a look at the sample provided for review, let’s take a look at some published data on it, as taken from the official product page on the Ewinracing website.

Key Features:

» Chair Type: Gaming/Office Chair
» Foam Type:High Density Intergrated Foaming
» Foam Density: 60kg/m3
» Frame Color: Black
» Frame Construction: Metal
» Adjustable Armrests: 4D
» Mechanism Type: Multi-functional Tilt
» Tilt Lock: Yes
» Tilt Angle Lock: Yes
» Gas Lift Class: 4
» Chair/Seat Back Style: High-back
» Adjustable Back Angle: 85-155 Degree
» Base Type: 5-star Wide Aluminum Base
» Caster Size & Material: 3″ Caster/PU
» Supports up to 150kg / 330lbs.

The Delivery:

The chair was delivered to my front door in a fairly large box. Overall it appeared to survive the cheap unscathed, which is impressive considering the size and that it weighed in at close to seventy pounds!

Packaging and Accessories:

Opening the box we find that all of the components are well padded, and in case you had not figured out yet – some assembly is required!

 

The image above shows that the five star base is placed on top, with plenty of bubble wrap and foam sheeting separating it from the body of the chair underneath. The below left image shows the chair back (with armrests pre-installed) is the next item to be found as we dig our way down, and the below right image shows that below that is the chair base and a cardboard box full of smaller items.

  

Next we see all of the items out of the larger box, almost ready for assembly. First we have to see what is inside that smaller cardboard box.

 

The box of accessories includes pictorial assembly instructions, hinge covers for where the back meets the base, all the necessary bolts (plus Allen wrenches to tighten them), five casters, the gas cylinder, the bracket where the gas cylinder meets the base – and so you feel like you’re working on a Bentley – you get a pair of knit gloves!

   

Assembly:

In this section we will cover the assembly of the chair, but first I want to comment on the quality of the seating surfaces. The base and back are very heavy duty and the first impression given is that they are very well made. The PU leather looks great, the stitching is very well done, and all the foam padding feels great and is very thick. The first step to assembling the EwinRacing Flash Series chair is to bolt the base to the back, which requires the use of the four included Allen head bolts. The two images below show this step, and how it leaves the chair looking a bit unfinished.

  

This unfinished look is only temporary, as there are plastic covers to screw on over the hinges, as shown in the images below. To be honest, these images show this cover on wrong, as the upper piece of plastic should be on the outside of the lower piece, and not tucked in as shown. This step was a little confusing, as the pieces provided didn’t match the pieces shown in the instructions, plus the lower piece of plastic seemed to stick out too far to do it the right way. Never-the-less, I corrected the installation on this step, and both sides were covered, so as to conceal the hinge and assembly hardware. From a distance it looks fine, and the plastic covers function just fine, but in my opinion these pieces don’t meet the same high quality standard the bulk of the chair’s components seem to have. The plastic covers are somewhat flimsy, have a cheap plastic finish, and didn’t fit as cleanly as I would have expected. Not a big deal, but considering how well done the seating surfaces and other areas were executed, I think just a bit more effort on these pieces would have paid off with an even better overall appearance.

  

The next step is to bolt the bracket to the underside of the seat, so that the gas cylinder can be connected and so that you can raise / lower the chair while in use. The four Allen bolts required are already attached to the bottom of the chair, so you remove those, put the bracket in place with the “Front” label facing the front of the chair, and then tighten everything back up.

  

The casters are all then pressed into their holes on the five star base, and the gas cylinder is pressed into the center hole – no tools required.

 

The last step is to press the five star base assembly in to the bottom of the chair. It all goes together very snugly, but having a seat on your new chair will help force all of the press fit components together completely.

   

The full assembled chair looks sharp and very sporty. I think that the Ewin logo embroidered onto three locations on the front of the chair is a bit much, and that the chair would look much nicer if at least two if the three logos were eliminated. The neck and lumbar pillows are the location of two of the chair’s logos and they both come pre-installed, but are merely attached with belts and clips, so they can be removed. Additionally, this belt system allows the pillows to be repositioned while in use, and the tension on the belts helps keep them in place, exactly where you would like them.

 

In Use:

The chair is very comfortable – I have spent hours straight in this chair and have no complaints about how it feels or how adjustable it is. You can raise/lower the total height of the chair with the gas cylinder’s lever, the seat can recline it small increments to an angle that is so laid back you’ll think you might tip over (but I didn’t), the pillows are adjustable, and even the armrests are “4D adjustable” That means they can move up/down, left/right, forward/back, and they can be rotated clockwise/counterclockwise.

The first three adjustments for the armrests are all locked and can only be actuated by depressing a button first. But, the rotation is not locked out and I find that they rotate by accident quite often. For example, using the armrests to get up may make them rotate, and pushing the chair out of the way using the armrest as a handle may make them rotate. The armrests are also not upholstered and have a fairly thin rubbery surface for you to rest on. It is not uncomfortable, but to me the quality does not match the body of the chair. Like the hinge covers, I feel the armrests are executed to a lower standard than the bulk of the chair, and really could be so much nicer.

While I have done well to keep my likeness out of my own reviews for the past 15+ years, I suppose some selfies are useful for reviewing a chair. The main point is that I have 6’2″ tall and about 225 pounds, and while I am not the biggest guy you will meet, there are plenty of places that I just don’t physically fit into – at least not comfortably. I am very comfortable in the EwinRacing Flash Series chair, and it definitely has plenty of room for even larger (taller and wider) users. I can easily find nice positions for the two pillows, and I do like that the armrests can be adjusted in so many planes. As you see me posing below as if I was gaming, know that I have dialed in the chair just to my liking and that I am definitely comfortable.

  

The next two shots are intended to show that if you needed the chair to go higher, it definitely can. I can honestly say it is rare that my feet don’t touch the ground, unless I am sitting on a bar stool – but here my feet are a good two to three inches off the ground with the chair at full height! So, all the people over 6’6″, I’d say the Flash Series chair may be a good choice for you!

  

Eventually, my sidekick got his turn in the chair, and I may not get it back now. At 4 feet and change and just over 50 pounds, he isn’t maxing it out in any way, but he sures does like sitting it all the same! Looking good buddy!

  

Conclusion:
I have never reviewed a chair before, but I have sat in plenty of them, so I would say I am fairly qualified to share my opinion. The EwinRacing Flash Series chair is definitely very comfortable, and overall has a very high build quality. There is plenty of adjustability to it, and the inclusion of both a lumbar and a neck pillow are welcome touches. I also appreciate that it can accommodate such a range of user heights / weights, as I am quite often left with chairs maxed out and still wishing for a little more room! Not with this chair, as it can go so high that my feet are left dangling.

While the quality is high in general, I feel that some components (like the armrests) don’t achieve the same high standard. They are comfortable enough and very functional, but not quite as polished as the seating surfaces and the five star base. My personal opinion is that the Ewin branding on the chair is a bit overdone, as you see their logo embroidered very prominently in three locations on the front of the chair!