Steelcase Leap V2 vs Gesture — what's the difference, and what's yours worth?
Steelcase makes the two best-selling premium task chairs in the corporate UK. The Leap V2 has been the workhorse since 2006; the Gesture launched in 2013 specifically for tablet-and-laptop posture. Here's what separates them and what each is worth used.
Different chairs for different bodies and habits
The Leap V2's signature is LiveBack — the back contours dynamically as you move, supporting the spine in any posture from upright typing to deep recline. It also has a 'natural glide' system where the seat slides forward as you recline, keeping you near your screen.
The Gesture was designed for the era of touchscreens and laptops — when people started slumping into devices. Its 360-degree adjustable arms (full range, almost shoulder height in any direction) let users handle phones, tablets, and laptops without compromising posture. The seat is shorter and the back lower, optimised for shorter focus sessions.
How to tell them apart at a glance
The Gesture has its iconic 360-degree pivoting arms — they look like a single thick arm joint that rotates dramatically. The Leap V2 has more conventional 4D arms (height, width, depth, pivot) but they don't rotate to the same extreme angles.
The Gesture's seat is shorter and wider; the Leap's is longer and supports taller users. The Gesture's back is shorter; the Leap's extends to mid/upper back support.
Steelcase model numbers: Leap V2 = 462 series. Gesture = 442 series.
Comfort and use case
Leap V2: better for traditional sit-and-type work, taller users, anyone who wants more upper-back support during recline. Heavily favoured by financial and legal sectors where the chair takes 9-10 hours of sitting per day.
Gesture: better for hot-desking, mixed device use (phones, tablets, laptops), shorter users, and offices where people pivot between tasks frequently. Heavily favoured by tech and creative.
UK used buyback values
Leap V2: £100 per chair Grade A.
Gesture: £150 per chair Grade A.
The Gesture's higher resale price comes from two factors. First, demand — the design's 360-degree arms are a unique feature that drives strong secondary demand. Second, lower used supply — Gestures sold in smaller volumes than Leaps, so finding one used is harder. Steelcase Leap V1 (the older, pre-2006 model) is significantly less valuable — typically £40-£60.
What about the Leap WorkLounge or Plus?
The Leap WorkLounge (the deep-recline executive variant) and Leap Plus (heavy-duty 24/7 build, often used in control rooms) are different chairs and have different markets. We buy both — quote individually, normally £130-£180 depending on condition and configuration.
Which should you sell?
If you've got both and are choosing which to keep: keep Gestures for people who use multiple devices. Keep Leap V2s for taller users or anyone who wants stronger upper-back support. Sell the rest. The Gesture's £50 premium reflects real used demand, but Leap V2s clear quickly too.
Sell either with us
Both chairs sell well after refurb. We collect single chairs and full lots, the same UK-wide prices apply, and BACS settles within 3 working days of pickup. Use the homepage calculator for an indicative quote.
Get a quote on yours
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