H&M Austin Tilt Back Chair - Regular vs High Back - question

Need advice on H&M Tilt Back Austin chair - Regular (2032NB) vs High Back (2038NB)...

We have only been able to test-sit in a standard height Austin chair. It is OK for both of us (5'11" and 5'9"), but based on the size and the location of the chair it would replace, we were leaning toward the High Back version as a better fit. The salesman at the only local store that carries H&M advised against that. He claimed that the gas strut for the Tilt Back mechanism was not designed for the extra weight of the High Back chair and that we would have to replace that strut much more often than if we bought the standard height.

So, is there anybody out there who has owned a High Back Austin Tilt Chair (2038NB) for at least a couple of years that can comment on performance?

Duane - Have you seen any difference in failure rate of the Tilt Back strut between the 2 styles?

Thanks
Nancy

Hilarious! I love the stuff they come up with.

I sell approximately twenty 2038NB High Backs for every 2032NB standard unit. The High Back is - by far - more popular. The strut is a gas pressurized one and runs about $ 120 for the part if needed. I do about one per year on replacements, hardly a heavy frequency request or concern.

Thanks Duane - Having done LOTS of research here before ever looking at anything in person, I knew that you favored - and sold more of - the high back. I don't really know what this sales guy's motivation was - he didn't have inventory of the regular or high back version in any leather I was considering. So whatever I decided would require an order anyway...

I knew you would know if there was any difference - thanks!