Why is it so hard to get an office chair with normal straight armrests instead of weird droopy armrests?

Question

You know what I mean. Those weird droopy armrests that seem to be universal these days simply do not allow proper relaxation. My last old-style office chair wore out a few years ago, and even though it had its drawbacks, I miss it. I'd removed the original small straight armrests and replaced them with large blocky padded chunks of wood. They were comfortable. This sort of thing can't be done with the new-style armrests, though, at least not without really extensive modifications or outright custom-made replacements.

For that matter, why is it so hard to get an inexpensive office chair that actually supports the head? It seems the only models available that do this are extremely expensive multiple-thousand-dollar "executive" models. I suspect it is a very intentional conspiracy of snobbery amongst office furniture manufacturers intended to extort way excessive profits.

Is it really true that the only way to get a real office chair that has normal armrests and a full back that supports the head is to have it custom-made by a grinning, sympathetic home-based carpenter and welder who used to work in an office and who understands the whole corrupt game quite well?

Answer 1

It might be where they come from.  That droopy look is called a J-arm or "Eurostyle."  

You can look up straight arm office chairs online, but I can't direct you to a specific sight, because I don't know what you are exactly looking for (including price).

Answer 2

Omg! I know! They're all hard and plasticky and they make your elbows hurt for one, and then when you put your arms all the way on them, your wrists hang off