Have you ever sat back in your creaking rocking chair from 1892 and wondered whether you should invest in a flashy gaming chair or a nicely padded office chair? After all, it seems that most manufacturers give you the option of either one or the other. Luckily, I seemed to have found the sweet spot in the Cougar Argo—a chair that I have been able to comfortably use while gaming and that I’m not embarrassed to sit in during my Zoom work calls.

The Cougar Argo combines the best of adjustable gaming chairs and comfortable and stylish office chairs to provide me with the unique experience of being able to use it in any setting. The Argo is built with a stylish orange aluminum frame and a highly breathable mesh cushion that keeps the chair (and the person using it) cool and free of humidity, even when sitting on it for hours at a time.

Prior to using the Argo as my main gaming chair, I primarily gamed with the Cougar Armor Pro. As much as I love that chair, I have to admit that I did not like to use it on camera because it just came across as a loud and distracting gaming chair, with its orange PVC suede-like texture. The Argo on the other hand is almost entirely black mesh and the orange frame and logos are innocuous enough that nobody would look at it as an unprofessional chair. If orange is not your style, you can opt for the Cougar Argo Black where, as the name suggests, the frame is entirely black which should work in any professional or gaming setting.

There are indeed other chairs of this style that combine gaming with ergonomics, but unlike the thick cushioned ErgoChair 2—I feel that the mesh seated Cougar Argo is one of the most comfortable office chairs on the market in its price range of approximately $450-500. It took me some trial and error to get the Argo to the position that I am most comfortable in, but it was relatively easy to do so because the chair is fully adjustable. I was able to increase the height and tilt of the back of the chair, the depth of the mesh seat, and the angle of the headrest and armrests. After making the appropriate adjustments I found that the Argo is a very comfortable reclining home office chair.

To be more specific, the backrest can recline, rock, or lock at angles between 105° and 130°. Further, the mesh seat can adjust forward or back with a range of 2.4” and the armrests can be adjusted any which way. What I enjoy about the adjustable headrest is that it easily clips on to the back of the chair, so it is actually completely optional to use. As a result, if you find that you aren’t using the headrest and don’t necessarily want to show off to the world that you are using a “Cougar” branded chair, you can just take it off to give a more generic office chair vibe. The backrest cushion has the familiar cougar branding on it, but the logo is invisible when you are actually sitting on the chair. I really appreciate this fact because, while I applaud Cougar for manufacturing this chair, I do not always want to express to the world, "HEY LOOK! I'M USING A COUGAR© BRAND ERGONOMIC GAMING CHAIR! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!"

Not everything about this chair is fantastic, however. While the chair itself is lightweight mesh, the aluminum frame is rather heavy, bringing the total weight of the chair up to 55.11 pounds. The wheels that come with the chair do not work really well on carpet and—although I have yet to test this theory—seem like they would scratch hardwood floors. Luckily, the 5 wheels that click in place are standard sized, so they are easy enough to replace with wheels of your choice. Another downside to the Argo is the difficulty in building it. The included instructions provide a diagram of how to put it together, but the diagram is extremely vague, and it took quite a bit of effort (and a second person) to finally assemble it. Fortunately, the chair came with all of the tools necessary to install it, as the two allen wrenches that came with it were the only tools necessary to secure all of the included nuts and bolts. The real struggle was angling the chair in a way where I was able to realistically put all the pieces together without risking the whole thing coming apart in a disaster. Luckily, once everything is properly installed, the build quality of this chair is great and it has a maximum weight capacity of 330 pounds so I don’t feel that it will fall apart on me any time soon.

Cougar Argo Specifications

• Model: Cougar Argo Ergonomic Gaming Chair
• Product Size (WxHxD): 730 x 1370 x 700 mm / 28.75 x 53.94 x 27.56 in
• Seat Height Adjustment: 55 mm / 2.16 in
• Backrest Adjustable: 105º to 130º
• Sliding Seat: 60 mm / 2.36 in
• Armrest: Adjustable Tilt, Height, and Length
• Back Support: Dynamic Lumbar Support
• Headrest: Adjustable Height and Depth Support
• Weight Capacity: 150 kg / 330.7 lb
• Product Net Weight: 25 kg / 55.11 lb

At the end of the day, I am very happy with the style and comfort of this chair. The Cougar Argo may set you back a pretty penny, starting at around $450, but it offers features that rival much more expensive chairs. If you need a chair that you can comfortably use for both work and play; then I highly recommend giving this chair a chance.

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