Just thought I would provide an update on my chair search - in case it may help someone else in the future. I purchased 2 different chairs looking for the right one.
Chair #1
I ordered a "Humanscale Freedom Task Chair" (No headrest) from Madison Seating.
It was an "open box" - which as they state could mean remanufactured, returned, etc.
Mine was definitely a remanufactured - as I suspect all of them probably are.
The chair was not comfortable to me and I suspect some of that may have to do with the remanufacturing process and the seat cushion itself not being of OEM quality.
I decided to return the chair and I had to pay for return shipping using a carrier of my choice (which came to $110) plus a $50 restocking fee.
I was having a very hard time getting the hydraulic cylinder off the chair so I reached out to Madison for help.
Like most places, they are working from home. they are not taking any phone calls so all correspondence is via email.
They told me the chair must be in sellable condition to receive a refund so I was concerned with how I was having trouble getting seat apart.
They instructed me to "Just bang out the cylinder where it meets the base of the chair and use some force. The parts should separate."
Hopefully, they'll agree the chair is resealable and issue a refund.
My takeaway here is: If you decide to purchase from Madison Seating (or anyone really), realize that it's expensive to return the chair should it not be the one for you. Make sure you really understand what the terms are before having a chair shipped to you.
Chair #2:
I ordered an "Ergolab Stealth Chair Pro" from Sweetwater. The chair was a "Demo" so I got a slight discount.
This chair is a very high-quality chair and comes with some nice features like 2 different size hydraulic cylinders and 2 different types of wheels.
However, it just didn't work out for me. I felt pressure points and strains and just couldn't get comfortable.
I don't blame the chair - it might be perfect for someone else - it just wasn't for me.
I decided to return the chair. Sweetwater emailed a FedEx return label, I boxed it up and sent it off.
Sweetwater has always been a joy to work with, in my experiences.
Almost Chair #3:
I received some excellent recommendations (see above) and was seriously considering the "Steelcase Leap". However, I really didn't want to spend that much right now and after my first experience (see Chair #1), I wasn't about to order another refurbished chair.
My final chair:
I really like the design of my current "Office Max" chair with its wood floor-friendly rubber wheels and fold up arms.
However, the hydraulic cylinder keeps sinking and the cushion has lost its support.
Solution: I purchased a new hydraulic cylinder that solved the sinking problem. I just ordered a "Purple Ultimate Seat Cushion" so let's see if that brings back the comfort.
I appreciate all the advice (see above) and I hope this might help someone in the future.