HAG Capisco Saddle Chair

Chair Dinkum is the exclusive Australian distributor for the Flokk group, which owns HAG — so Capisco chairs, gas lifts, footrings and warranty support in Australia come through us. See our Flokk Australia page for the group and all eleven brands.

The HAG Capisco was designed by Peter Opsvik in 1984 around the posture of a rider on horseback, and it is still the most genuinely different office chair you can buy. The saddle seat lets you sit facing forwards, sideways, astride or perched high, and switch between those positions without thinking about it.

Who it suits

The Capisco makes most sense if you work over something rather than back from a desk. Dentists, surgeons, dental hygienists, jewellers, musicians and lab technicians tend to take to it immediately, and we have written about why in our guides on the Capisco in healthcare and the Capisco for musicians. It also suits sit stand desk users, because the high gas lift models let you perch at standing height rather than fully standing.

It also comes up constantly with people who simply cannot sit still — who perch on the front edge, sit sideways or get up every twenty minutes. Our piece on the Capisco, movement and ADHD looks at that honestly, including what the research does and does not say, and why this is not an "ADHD chair".

Choosing a model

The 8106 is fully upholstered, the 8010 Puls has a moulded shell, and the 8105 is backless for maximum freedom of movement. The 8106 and the Puls are about $750 apart, and our Capisco 8106 vs Capisco Puls comparison sets every published figure side by side and says exactly what that money buys — the short version is an adjustable backrest, a wider upholstered seat and more seat depth range on the 8106, against wipe-down cleaning and a cleanroom rating on the Puls.

Gas lift height matters: standard lifts suit conventional desk heights, and the 265 mm lift is the one to choose for a sit stand desk. A footring is worth adding on any high lift model. If you want to compare the models on the numbers, our HAG Capisco models and measurements page sets out every published dimension for the 8105, 8106, 8107, 8126 and 8127 side by side.

The Capisco and the Capisco Puls do not share seat heights, and Flokk publishes them on separate factsheets in different units. If you are choosing a Puls, use the Capisco Puls gas lift guide rather than the Capisco one — not a single figure carries across.

If you are buying for a controlled environment, the Puls is the model to look at: the Capisco Puls 8010 and 8020 carry a cleanroom rating to ISO 14644 Class 4 and 5 — approved only with black antistatic vinyl — which qualifies them for laboratory, pharmaceutical, medical device and electronics work where most task chairs cannot be specified at all.

Give it a fortnight

The Capisco takes some getting used to, because it asks you to move rather than settle. Most people find the first few days unusual and then do not want to go back. It carries a 10 year warranty and is available to try in Pyrmont.

Guides and buying advice

Read the gas lift guides before you order. It is the one decision that cannot be corrected later without replacing the cylinder.

• HAG Capisco 8106 vs Capisco Puls: which saddle chair, and what the price gap buys
• The Capisco, movement and ADHD: why a chair built for movement appeals to people who fidget
• HAG Capisco models and measurements: the full specification table
• HAG Capisco buying guide: gas lifts, models, and who it is actually for
• HAG Capisco gas lift guide: 150mm, 200mm or 265mm
• HAG Capisco Puls gas lift guide: seat heights for the 8001, 8002, 8010 and 8020
• The Capisco in dentistry
• The Capisco for musicians
• Why the Capisco is the best chair for sit-to-stand desks
• The Capisco for kids: adjustability, fit and how long it lasts
• HAG Capisco vs Herman Miller Aeron
• Remembering Peter Opsvik, who designed the Capisco

The range and the parts

• Capisco 8106 — fully upholstered seat and back.
• Capisco Puls 8010 and Capisco Puls 8020 — moulded shell, easier to wipe down.
• Capisco footring and replacement gas lifts — worth adding on any high-lift model.
• Saddle chairs in Australia — the wider case for the saddle position.
• The full HAG range and the HAG Tion task chairs.

HAG is part of the Norwegian Flokk group, for which Chair Dinkum is the exclusive Australian distributor, and full terms are set out on our warranty page. You can sit in the range at our Pyrmont showroom by appointment.