Focal™ Upright has become one of the most popular and most recognizable brands in the standing furniture market. Their product selection is limited but their chairs are much different from one another in terms of functionality and price. For instance, the Mogo will be sold by most dealers for around $100 but the Locus™ Seat may run you upwards of $700. What is the difference between the two chairs? Is the extra money worth it?
This article will aim to answer those questions. I will go over the different Focal™ standing chair products, sharing with you the differences between one another. I will also offer some suggestions as to why a chair may or may not be a good fit for you. By the end of the review, I hope to have provided you with enough information to have a full understanding of the Focal™ product line so that you can decide whether or not a Focal™ product is right for you.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
– About Focal Upright
– Patents and Trademarks
– Warranty
– Shipping and Assembly
– Mogo Summary and Price
– Pivot Summary and Price
– Mobis Summary and Price
– Mobis II Summary and Price
– Locus Seat Summary and Price
Focal™ Upright Company Profile
The seeds of the Focal™ Upright product line were first planted back in 2000 when Focal™ founder, Martin Keen, was starting KEEN Footwear. KEEN Footwear has since become a huge success. During the development of KEEN Footwear, Martin started to design a chair that would allow him to stay in a posture closer to standing for the majority of the day.
Eventually Martin was able to get his design where he wanted it and in 2012 Focal™ Upright was born. The product line saw immediate success due to unique designs like the Mogo and Locus™ Seat. Larger companies began to take notice. In 2016, Focal™ Upright and Safco Products came to an agreement for Safco to acquire the assets of Focal™ Upright. Safco Products is a leading manufacturer of office furniture products ranging from storage and filing to specialty seating and training furniture.
Focal™ Upright Patents & Trademarks
Focal™ has been able to secure trademarks on Focal™, Locus™ and Mobis®. They also own the design patents for the Locus™ Seat, Mobis® and Mogo. Along with the design patent, they own the utility patent on the Locus™ Seat and have a pending application for the utility patent on the seat cushion for the Mobis® II and Pivot.
The difference between a utility patent and design patent comes down to functionality vs appearance. A utility patent gives you ownership of the way a particular item functions and works. A design patent pertains to the way something looks. Getting the utility patent on the Locus™ Seat was probably not too difficult because it is a unique design. Getting utility patents on the Mobis®, Pivot and Mogo are probably more difficult because there are a lot of competing brands with very similar designs and functionality.
Focal™ Upright Warranty
All of the Focal™ products on this list feature manufacturer’s warranties. It is important to note that you must have your proof of purchase from an authorized dealer to file a warranty claim. Focal™ offers a limited lifetime warranty on the Locus™ Seat, Mobis® I, Mobis® II and Pivot. The seat cushion and piston will be covered for five years.
The Mogo has a one year warranty, covering all of the components. In comparison to the rest of the industry, Focal™ offers a very competitive warranty. The Mogo’s warranty is definitely on the shorter end but with a price tag near $100, it is less expensive than the other chairs in the family.
Shipping & Installation
Focal™ chairs ship within a couple days and arrive a few days later via UPS or FedEx ground. An exception to this rule would be on larger purchases. If you are placing a bulk order, then your order may come via LTL carrier and it may have an extended lead time.
Each product will require some assembly. The Mobis®, Pivot and Mogo will take less than five minutes while the Locus™ Seat will take around 15 minutes. You will not need any additional tools or hardware to complete the installation on any of the Focal™ stools.
Focal™ Standing Stool Models
Mogo Summary- Currently Unavailable (Buy on Amazon)
The Mogo is Focal™’s lowest priced standing chair. Focal™ kept the price lower than the other chairs on this list by using lesser quality parts and a more basic adjustment system. Instead of pneumatic height adjustment, the Mogo has a manually adjusted pin locking system. The Mogo does not have a full base, like the other chairs on this list. It has a rubber ball or plastic pronged attachment that can be screwed into the end of the pole, which acts as the point of stability. The Mogo’s seat is padded with thin EVA foam and the pole is made from anodized aluminum.
Why the Mogo might be a good fit
The most attractive features of the Mogo are its low price and great portability. It weighs less than 3 lbs. and can be disassembled and placed in an included backpack within seconds. This type of portability is only found on the Mogo. This makes it an attractive option for people that are looking for a versatile chair to take with them on the go.
The low price makes the Mogo a nice option for people with smaller budgets or for people that are looking to try a standing chair. The Mogo also has a very large adjustment range, which means that it will fit almost anyone looking for an affordable standing stool.
Why the Mogo might be a bad fit
The lower-end build quality means that the Mogo is not going to have the same durability, comfort or warranty coverage as the other products from Focal™. People that are looking for something above an entry level standing chair will want to look for an alternative product.
While the Mogo is really versatile, the small, thinly padded seat is only comfortable for short stints at a time. People looking to use their standing chair for more than 30-60 minutes at a time will want to look at higher-end options. The last major deterrent will be for people that would prefer a stable standing chair. The Mogo is the least stable standing chair due to the nature of its design.
Pivot Summary – Currently Unavailable (Buy on Amazon)
The Pivot is a large step up in quality over the Mogo, but it features a rugged, industrial design which allows the chair to sell for under $300. The Pivot’s base has concrete inside an Octogrip Overmold grip covering. The base is heavy, and the grips help to keep it more stable. It is designed to wobble in any direction to allow you to move while you work.
The Pivot has pneumatic seat height adjustment that is controlled with a lever under the seat and powered by a steel gas piston. The Pivot features EVA seat foam but it is much thicker than the foam on the Mogo. The seat is also larger and features a contoured shape with a waterfall front. Read our full review of the Focal™ Pivot…
Why the Pivot might be a good fit
The functionality and warranty that you get at a sub $300 price point makes the Pivot a good value in the standing chairs market. It has a large seat height adjustment range that can be done with the push of a lever. This allows users of almost any height to use the Pivot.
It also has good portability because it weighs much less than a normal office chair and has a built-in handle on the seat. It is not something that you can take with you on the go, like the Mogo, but it is very convenient to move around your office or workplace.
The range of movement may be the biggest attraction to the Pivot. Since the movement is produced with a wobble base, there is no restriction to the amount you can move. For people looking for a product with a lot of freedom of movement at an affordable price point, I would recommend considering the Pivot.
Why the Pivot might be a bad fit
The wobble base makes the Pivot an attractive item for some, but it will be a deal breaker for others. Similarly to the Mogo, the Pivot is not going to be a good option for people that would prefer to have a standing chair with good stability at all times. I would recommend the Mobis® II for people that want something similar to the Pivot but with a stable base.
I also do not feel that the Pivot is going to be the best option for people looking to use their standing chair for longer than 60-90 minutes at a time because the seat is a bit stiff and the wobble base takes quite a bit of physical effort to maintain a good posture.
Mobis® Summary
The Mobis® has a little higher price point than the Pivot. It features a different style base and does not have the industrial look that the Pivot does. The base is made from glass-reinforced nylon and features an anti-slip bottom. The base stays in place and provides good stability at all heights.
The movement is produced by a pivoting joint that allows the piston to move in all directions. This produces a good range of movement without having to make the base wobble. The Mobis® features pneumatic seat height adjustment and an EVA foam padded seat. The padding on the Mobis® will be comparable to the padding on the Mogo and thinner than the padding on the Pivot or Mobis® II.
Why this might be a good fit
The Mobis® has a good build quality that is backed by a strong warranty. It also has a good adjustment range and a generous range of motion. The chair has a built-in handle like the Pivot so it also has great portability. This is a nice option for people that may have liked the Mogo or Pivot but would prefer a more stable sitting experience.
Why this might be a bad fit
The biggest reason why the Mobis® may be a bad fit is because of the seat. The seat is very similar to the Mogo, which sells for a third of the price. The Mobis® has about a third the amount of padding as the Pivot or Mobis® II, so it can become uncomfortable after short periods of time. I had a difficult time sitting on the seat for longer than 30-minute intervals. I would highly recommend the Mobis® II over the Mobis® if you prefer more padding.
Mobis® II – $599.99 (Buy on Amazon)
The Mobis® II is the second generation Mobis® model. It is almost identical to the Mobis®. There are two differences between the Mobis® and Mobis® II. The first is the seat height range. The Mobis® has a seat height range of 25” – 35” while the Mobis® II has a range of 28.5” – 37.75”. The second difference between the two models is the seat cushions. The padding on the Mobis® II is about three times as thick as the padding on the Mobis®. The added thickness on the Mobis® II seat changes the handle slightly so that you can’t reach your hand all the way through the seat, but it is still very easy to carry around. Read our full review of the Focal™ Mobis® II…
Why this might be a good fit
I feel that the Mobis® II is one of the most well rounded standing chairs available. It has all of the advantages of the standard Mobis®, without the major downside of the thinly padded seat. The Mobis® II is a great option for people that are interested in the Mobis® but would prefer to have a more comfortable seat. The Mobis® II will also be an attractive option for taller people because it offers a higher seat height adjustment range than the standard Mobis® and most other standing desk stools.
Why this might be a bad fit
I think the biggest deterrent on the Mobis® II is that it is not the best option for people that want to use their standing chair for prolonged hours. The seat is much more comfortable than the Mogo or Mobis®, but it still features a firm sitting experience and specific seat shape. I was able to stay comfortable in the Mobis® II for about 60-90 minutes. If you think you will be using your standing desk chair for longer than 90 minutes at a time, then I would recommend looking into the Locus™ Seat.
Locus™ Seat – $591.82 (Buy on Amazon)
The Locus™ Seat is Focal™’s highest end standing chair and is a big reason for Focal™’s rise in popularity. The seat is similar to the Pivot and Mobis® II but with a tad less padding. The seat does have a small amount of tilt though. It is only five degrees, but it helps quite a bit to stay in a comfortable position when changing your sitting angle.
It comes with pneumatic seat height adjustment which is powered by a gas cylinder found inside an anodized aluminum piston. The piston features a nice powder coat finish. The feature that really sets the Locus™ Seat apart from other standing chairs is that it has a built-in footrest. The footrest is made from 13-layer hard plywood. It features an inclined front edge and has depth adjustment to accommodate many different heights. The footrest has black grip tape and an optional anti-fatigue mat that matches the shape of the whole footrest. Read our full review of the Focal™ Locus™ Seat…
Why this might be a good fit
The Locus™ Seat is best suited for people that are committed to a standing chair and want a high-end product. It has a huge range of motion and also a seat height adjustment range that works for really tall people. The game changing feature on the Locus™ Seat is the footrest. Being able to keep your feet flat, while at an inclined angle, made the Locus™ Seat the most comfortable Focal™ product during my testing. It really helps to take pressure off your feet, shins, ankles and even your lower back. The anti-fatigue is also a nice little bonus. The footrest and anti-fatigue mat allowed me to stay comfortable for an upwards of two hours at a time.
Why this might be a bad fit
The biggest barrier to entry with the Locus™ Seat is the price. Some people will not be willing to spend $500+ dollars on a standing chair. This is especially true if it is going to be used on a limited basis. Another thing to consider is that the Locus™ Seat takes up a lot of space and is not as portable as the other products from Focal™.
The Locus™ Seat is not the best option for people with limited space or for people that need a standing chair for numerous applications. The Locus™ Seat also suffers from the same seat problems as the other Focal™ products. The seat is firm, and the shape is specific. This may be a deterrent for some, but the footrest does help to alleviate pressure, which makes the firm seat comfortable for longer than the other models.
Final Thoughts
I am a fan of the Focal™ Upright product line. I think their product offering is small enough to keep you from being overwhelmed with options, while still providing a good range of standing chairs at several different price points.
If you want to try a standing chair or are looking for something versatile enough to take with you to the office and to a soccer game, then give the Mogo a shot. If you want a standing desk chair that provides good functionality without breaking the bank, then the Pivot and Mobis® are nice options.
And for those of you that want the Cadillac of standing chairs, Focal™ has the Locus™ Seat. These chairs are not perfect and won’t be geared towards everyone’s taste, but I do think they provide good value for people looking for this type of sitting experience. If you are in the market for a new standing stool, then Focal™ Upright is a product line you should be considering.
