They sound like they might be the same thing but they are not. Somewhat confusingly both tilt and recline functions change the backrest angle of the chair.
Should you opt for tilt or recline function when buying your next office chair? In our view, if you are getting a chair with only one of the tilt or recline functions, then you should be looking to go with the tilt function as this is likely to work best ergonomically for most situations.
Recline is the function which allows only the backrest to move back. So the recline function is independent of the seat. In some cases you can find chairs which can almost achieve an almost horizontal position. This can be great if you want to have some relaxation time.
Tilt tension feature allows you to adjust the amount of force which is required to tilt your chair back when you lean back. Tilt mechanisms are generally positioned directly under the seat where you should find a knob which you manually turn to increase or decrease the amount of tension as appropriate. This allows both the seat and the back rest tips backwards relative to the floor. In more sophisticated ergonomic office chairs there is "syncho tilting" where the backrest and the seat recline at different ratios. Generally the ratio is 2:1. So what this means is if the backrest reclines back, say 20 degrees, the seat pan will tilt back 10 degrees. You should also look for the ability to lock the tilt.
Tilt adjustment. The amount of tilt tension is a function of a person’s weight. When setting the tilt tension you are looking for what is known as the "tipping point" which is when the amount of force of your body weight is equal to the force of the chair pushing in the other direction. While tilt tension is a bit of ‘trial and error’ you will know that you have it right, when you are no longer thinking consciously about it.
It is worth taking the time to have a bit of a play with the tilt function to achieve the right amount of resistance for your body. If the tilt function is not giving enough resistance, you may have the undesirable feeling of "falling backwards". Similarly, if the tension is too high you will actually find it difficult to tilt backwards at all. The feeling you are looking for is when you do not feel you are pushing the chair, or that the chair is pushing at you. At this point you will find you are being actively supported through all your movements through the day.
