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Fully featured with a Premium Feel
by Mr Gareth HarmerAs a new entrant into the gaming furniture market, noblechairs have pulled a bit of a blinder. The Real Leather Epic promises premium comfort, using cold-cut foam for firm support and high-grade components under your bum. But does it really live up to the marketing spiel, and is it worth that hefty price tag? After parking my rear in it for several 10-hour game sessions, I can confirm thats a definite yes.That said, this is a titan of a chair. The shipping box weighed in at a postman-destroying 30 kilos (thats 66lbs), and is big enough to contain an entire internet of cats. If youre going to tackle this thing, have a friend on hand to help lift and shift, and clear a space in your gaming lair to uncrate the parts before you build them. No tools are required, but an Alan key set and Philips screwdriver might come in handy.Starting with the construction, the noblechair Epic is one of the easiest that Ive built. Most of the lower seat was already assembled, and clear instructions were included showing how to finish the job. There was still the usual case of bolting on the tilt and gas cylinder control, and pushing the castors into the foot, but the arms were already in place. That said, the trickiest part was attaching the backrest while stopping the lower half from rolling away, so having a mate on hand is useful for these moments.The actual design of the noblechair Epic shouts of the premium choices. Those 60mm castors are bigger than any other chair Ive built, and contribute to a smoother glide across carpet. Im also a huge fan of metal five-point feet, particularly after demolishing a few cheaper plastic ones over the years. Hooking it up to the seat, the substantial tilt mechanism bolts onto a sturdy steel frame. The result is a chair that feels firm theres no shakes, wiggles or rattles. I also really like that the arms are not attached to the back in any way, as its another weak-point that Ive seen destroy previous chairs.Visually, this is a classy, refined gaming chair that feels designed with care. Little details, like the double-stitched seams or powder-coated metalwork, go beyond that premium look. Designed in Germany, noblechairs describe the Epic as inspired by the luxury car market, and Id have to say it works. Less Formula One, more Mercedes BenzComfort, though, is the big thing, and this is where the noblechair Epic delivers in spades. The cold-cut upholstery foam is firm to start off with, but gives slowly over time to feel incredibly snug and yet supportive. Its also more generously shaped than other racing-style chairs, being less of a bucket that tries to hug you. The diamond stitch pattern actually does help to aerate the arse and stop that sweaty sensation part-way through a heavy gaming session, and thats assisted by the leather used on the seating surfaces. Two booster cushions round off the padding, and although the extra lumbar support didnt matter to me, the neck cushion was a welcome boost.This isnt a perfect chair, though, and theres definitely room for improvement. The plastic shrouding over the back angle adjustment mechanism seemed to detract from that premium feel, as did the arm pillars and rests, which are very firmly padded with some polyurethane rubber. I can understand the choice its a hardwearing surface that will see the most movement and going for something more aesthetically premium would likely be a compromise on durability. On other chairs Ive had, leather armrests are the first to die.In my opinion, though, the noblechair Epic is worth paying the premium for, over and above the baseline price for other gaming chairs, and thats simply because of the components, quality and styling involved. Beyond that, pushing the boat out to go for the Real Leather version is more of a personal choice. The real leather of the seating surface blends well with the PU faux leather used on the back and sides, and adds a further touch of soft luxury that feels worth the extra every time I sit in it.
