A Closer Look

We start with the chair's dimensions.


The chair's color is carbon black, with a distinctive stripe that runs through the sitting base and all the way up the backrest. The upholstery of the sitting area has open cells integrated, but such is not the case with the backrest. The SL5000 is supposed to keep you in a straight position; you will, as such, stay in touch with both parts equally. If the open-cell structure indeed limits sweat and regulates temperature, we would like to have it applied equally to both areas. The S-Line is all about body posture, which has us wonder why Vertagear did not apply the open-cell structure to the backrest as well.


The armrests are 4D, 480 mm (19") long, black, and lightly padded; they are not too soft. These armrests seem to be of good quality. Their height and width is adjustable, and the pads can be rotated, retracted, and adjusted sideways for more subtle width adjustments. Their height from the floor ranges from 645-830 mm (25.4"-32.75").


The backrest seems wide. It is 510 mm (20") wide and 840 mm (44") long. The chair's overall height from the floor ranges from 1305-1405 mm (51.25"-5.25"). From the front, the backrest seems to consist of two parts; a board that protrudes and the side flaps. This is also the first chair we have reviewed so far that does not have an integrated zipper on the rear. It looks as though a zipper exists, but there isn't one.


Pull the board on the backrest and you will easily spot that two different types of foam are used for the filling. The backrest and sitting areas are reinforced with a steel frame and consist of thick, dense foam cushions for a soft feeling.


The sitting area with its 56 cm (22.05 inch) depth and 390 mm (15.4") width also seems to be wide and sturdy. The seat's base height ranges from 475-57.5 mm (18.75"-22.75"). Each of our colleagues is of a different height; the smallest is 1.65 m and the tallest 1.84 m (64.96"- 72.44"). Everyone who tested this chair found the seat's maximum height to be quite low. Our office chair's height maxes out at 820 mm (32.28"), and the SL5000 seat's height maxes out at approximately 550 mm (21.65"), while the armrests sit at around 780 mm (30.70").

The sitting base also consists of two different parts; the sitting base and side flaps. The flaps will keep your legs in a straight position; however, oversized users will perhaps find adopting another sitting position a bit uncomfortable and may find it a bit too tight around their thighs.


After we had assembled the backrest and sitting areas, we noticed a gap between the two. It certainly is not a flaw and actually proves to be quite beneficial. For starters, the lumbar-support pillow's straps glide along easier, and the air that flows through the gap had our body "breathe" as we sat in this chair.


Under the sitting area rests a metal grade class 4 support cylinder that is responsible for all height adjustments. Height adjustments can be carried out via a lever on the right side.


The five-star base is made out of heavy-duty aluminum alloy. Each of its edges bears an engraved "V" (like "V" for Vendetta - couldn't help it) logo. The soft-glide caster wheels are made out of plastic. The base looks sturdy, and the wheels steadily roll along on demand. A thick carpet could prove difficult, but isn't that always the case with such wheels?


This chair weighs 24.7 kg (54 lb) in total, which puts the SL5000 into the heavyweight category as far as chairs are concerned. However, the chair's increased weight surely plays a key role in its increased weight capacity of 150 kg (330 lb), which means big-boned gamers are supported as well.


There's more than one logo to remind us of this chair's brand. The first is at the front, on the headrest; a subtle black-embroidered Vertagear name and logo. The stitching is exquisite.


A black textile tag with an embroidered Vertagear logo has also been put on the seat's right side.


Vertagear's "V" logo has been embroidered on to the rear of the backrest.


The stitching looks nice overall and seems to be thicker than on other gaming chairs we have seen so far. However, whether the stitching is going to last for a while depends on a variety of factors; the thread's material (e.g. cotton, rayon, etc.), composition (how many strands of fiber have been used), and, hence, weight.

Chair Adjustments

Inspecting a chair thoroughly also includes taking a look at its ergonomic features. One of the most important things we usually pay attention to is whether a chair can swivel 360 degrees, and this one can. The two most frequently adjusted variables on this chair are its height and the tilt of the backrest. These variables can be adjusted with levers on the right side of the sitting area.


The angle between the backrest and base is statically adjustable by pulling up this lever. You can choose a point between 80 and 140 degrees.


The height lever is a flat rectangle and of a double function since it controls the free/lock tilt mechanism as well. When the lever is pulled outward, it is set to "free". Pushed in, it is set to "locked". Occasionally, we found the lever not to stay in place due to the spring. Vertagear's "V" logo also adorns this lever.

A user can also adjust the tilt's resistance by using an existing knob beneath the sitting base. We found the default it was set to a bit stiff. The levers are positioned optimally. We did not find a rocking mechanism.


The armrests are 4D, padded, and made out of PU (polyurethane material).