Best Office Chairs Europe

Steelcase Leap vs Gesture

A side-by-side reading of the manufacturers' own European data. Where one chair's published spec is better, it is marked; where data is missing, we say so.

Updated By The Best Office Chairs Europe editorial team16 sources

Steelcase Leap and Steelcase Gesture side by side, to scaleSchematic side views at the same scale. Steelcase Leap: seat 415–515 mm. Steelcase Gesture: seat 415–518 mm. Lime band: EN 1335 Type A, 400–520 mm.020040060080010001200515415ALeapSteelcase · seat 415–515 mm518415BGestureSteelcase · seat 415–518 mmSAME SCALE · MM · LIME BAND: EN 1335 TYPE A
Schematic side views at the same scale, from each maker's published seat height, seat depth and overall height. Dashed outlines: highest seat setting.

The short answer

Both chairs are made in Sarrebourg, France, both declare EN 1335-1:2020 and EN 1335-2, and both carry Steelcase’s 12-year mechanism warranty. The published differences are in lumbar adjustment, seat range and price.

On published specifications, the Leap leads on Spec Index; the Gesture leads on seat-height span, highest seat (taller users), lowest official price found.

Side by side

● marks the better published value on rows where "better" is measurable. Blank: not published.
SpecificationSteelcase LeapSteelcase Gesture
Seat height415–515 mm415–518 mm
Seat-height span100 mm103 mm
Lowest seat (shorter users)415 mm415 mm
Highest seat (taller users)515 mm518 mm
EN 1335 Types spannedType B, Type CType B, Type C
Seat depth400–475 mm395–460 mm
Seat depth adjustmentStandardStandard
Max. user weight150 kgnot published
Warranty12 years12 years
EN 1335 declaredYesYes
Third-party EPDNoNo
Made for Europe inSarrebourg, FranceSarrebourg, France
Made inside the EUYesYes
Lowest official price found€1,240 (Germany)€1,169 (Germany)
Spec Index80/10071/100

Fit: which bodies each chair suits

Seat height decides whether your feet reach the floor with your thighs level. The bars show each chair's published range against the four EN 1335-1:2020 Types. Work out your own target with the office chair height calculator.

Seat-height range compared with EN 1335-1:2020 types EN 1335 Type Ax: 400–540 mm; EN 1335 Type A: 400–520 mm; EN 1335 Type B: 420–510 mm; EN 1335 Type C: 430–480 mm; Leap: 415–515 mm; Gesture: 415–518 mm 380420460500540580620660 EN 1335 Type Ax EN 1335 Type A EN 1335 Type B EN 1335 Type C Leap 415–515 Gesture 415–518
Seat height in mm, loaded seat. Grey bars: the range each EN 1335-1:2020 Type must cover. Black bars: the manufacturer’s published range.

Leap: Leap; Leap Plus 395-495 mm (EN 1335-1:2020 measurement)

Gesture: Task chair (EN 1335-1:2020 measurement); draughtsman 580-780 mm

Adjustments

Adjustments
AdjustmentSteelcase LeapSteelcase Gesture
Seat depth adjustmentStandardStandard
Backrest height adjustmentnot publishednot published
Lumbar supportAdjustable in heightOption
Armrests4D (height, width, depth, pivot)4D (height, width, depth, pivot)
Recline tensionManual adjustmentManual adjustment
Recline lockSeveral positionsSeveral positions
Forward seat tiltnot publishednot published
HeadrestOptionOption

Prices in Europe

Official brand-store prices by country, including VAT, for the configuration each store lists. Checked on the dates shown.

Prices by market
MarketLeapGesture
Germany€1,240€1,169
Spain€1,240€1,169
France€1,240€1,169
Netherlands€1,240€1,169
United Kingdom£1,239£1,089

For euro conversions, VAT-free comparisons and every market at once, use the EU price comparator.

Spec Index

Points for what each maker publishes, using the same rules for every chair. A missing figure scores zero, so a low score can mean "not published" rather than "worse".

Spec Index: computed from published specifications only (rules). Not a comfort rating or a test result.
CriterionSteelcase LeapSteelcase Gesture
Adjustability / 402928
Seat-height range vs EN 1335 type A / 2016.717.2
Load and standards disclosure / 15157
Warranty / 101010
Environmental disclosure / 1599
Spec Index / 1008071

More detail

Sources

  1. Steelcase EU - Leap: www.steelcase.com/eu-en/products/office-chairs/leap/
  2. Leap brochure EMEA 09/2026 (PDF): www.steelcase.com/content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/EN-Leap-Brochure-2026.pdf
  3. Leap Product Environmental Profile (origin.build): origin.build/#/material/100349737
  4. Steelcase Global Products Warranty 2026 (PDF): www.steelcase.com/content/uploads/2026/02/2026_SC_GlobalProduct_Warranty-upd-Feb-2026.pdf
  5. Steelcase EU - Gesture: www.steelcase.com/eu-en/products/office-chairs/gesture/
  6. Gesture brochure EMEA 09/2026 (PDF): www.steelcase.com/content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/EN-Gesture-Brochure-2026.pdf
  7. Steelcase Online Store DE (DE): de.steelcase.com/products/leap
  8. Steelcase Online Store FR (FR): fr.steelcase.com/products/leap
  9. Steelcase Online Store NL (NL): nl.steelcase.com/products/leap
  10. Steelcase Online Store ES (ES): es.steelcase.com/products/leap
  11. Steelcase Online Store UK (UK): uk.steelcase.com/products/leap
  12. Steelcase Online Store DE (DE): de.steelcase.com/products/gesture
  13. Steelcase Online Store FR (FR): fr.steelcase.com/products/gesture
  14. Steelcase Online Store NL (NL): nl.steelcase.com/products/gesture
  15. Steelcase Online Store ES (ES): es.steelcase.com/products/gesture
  16. Steelcase Online Store UK (UK): uk.steelcase.com/products/gesture

All sources checked 20 October 2026. Where a manufacturer does not publish a value, we say so rather than estimate it.

Cite this page

Best Office Chairs Europe, “Steelcase Leap vs Gesture”, https://bestofficechairs.eu/compare/leap-vs-gesture/, updated .