Eames Lounge Chair: Worth it?  

classic + comfortable
the best of both. definitely worth it if you can afford it. there are sme greats ones for less too however ...

i love the lounge, but-
i have dreamed about being able to own it one day for a long time, but as of recent I have been leaning towards other chairs in lieu of - this topic has been brought up before on the forum - but being 6'2" I'm afraid I don't like the fit of the lounge. Although probably not as durable with its fabric upholstery - at this point I would opt for the saarinen womb chair and ottoman. Maybe I am not sitting in the eames lounge the way that I am "supposed" to, but I just think there are either more comfortable, less expensive, or both - options out there for a boy like me. It is a beautiful chair, and I still dream about it then and again, but I am trying to make the smartest and most practical design decisions based on my knowledge & eperience.

yes. perhaps a womb would...
yes. perhaps a womb would suit you better. never get anything that doesn't work.

Womb Chair
Since you mentioned it, I have also considered buying the womb chair (as opposed to the Eames). Is it REALLY as comfortable as people say? I mean, is the comfort on a level that you wouldn't experience from any other well made, supportive chair?

I would say that the womb...
I would say that the womb and eames are equally comfortable, but in completely different ways. I would try them both (and others) to see what suits your body type/sitting habits best. Being that I am only 5'10 the eames works great for me. another friend of mine has both. the eames sits in the corner looking pretty and he uses the womb day in day out. i know both well and prefer the eames ... basically they are both insanely comfortable but as they say different strokes ...
other lounges i like are the saarinen grasshopper (nice high back, maybe good for taller people) and the bird chair (also a nice high back). These are both comfortable but again in a different way. they tend to be designed for sitting in one position whereas the broad-shouldered womb seems built for slouching and sitting in various positions. the eames is more of a one position chair, but if you aren't too tall for it the position is sooo good you won't want to move anyway.
hope this helps.
remember to try out multiple chairs. don't buy only to sooth your desire for an iconic piece. all of these are nice lounges. buy what works (technically and aesthetically).

consider all things. how will you use it.
I also like the fact that the eames can swivel. this makes it versitile in a living space. if you have a TV is your living room it can face away toward the sofa when not in use. when the TV is on it can turn around easily. this helps to keep every chair from being situated based on the TV. Although I am not opposed to a TV in a living room (many of us are, but i think its a fact of life) i think it is best to make it integrate into the interior naturally .... the tendency is to circle everything around it making it that much more obnoxious.
i also like the way leather ages. i figured with an investment like this it would be nice to have it age gracefully ... but then again i am the type who wants to buy for life. i don't want to redecorate/rebuy every 10-15 years. hence the need for timeless, classic, comfortable furniture.

well put -
i think whitespike makes the crucial point here - go for what you find to be most comfortable and fitting - what might work best for one us does not automatically make it universal. This morning I was at Sam's club and saw a very comfortable looking outdoor chaise lounge. While it was a tacky chair (in my opinion) the curves of it reminded me of alvar aaltos bentwood chaise (the name escapes me). I took a seat and was immediately shocked at how uncomfortable and odd feeling it was. I guess part of my shock was how comfortable it looked(italicize 'looked' in your head). Once you have figured out your price range, durability, and any other features you feel are important, take the ones you have narrowed down and try to sit in all of them to see what they feel like for your body. If you had the good fortune, check out your friend's and see if it gets more/less comfortable over time, how it wears, what they think of it, etc.
It is also true that you should try to make yourself blind to the fact that it may be an icon of design (easier said than done, I know). That fact can become the main motivator and you might not be as happy in the long run.
Also, the chances of finding a perfect lounge (or longue) or chair for that matter is tough. There will still be some compromise I think. For example, while I like the comfort of the womb chair and its weight, I imagine that I might sometimes get the urge to swivel which I would be unable to do (as opposed to an eames lounge which I could). I also might worry about the fabric I choose and how long it might last.
must run to class, good luck!!!

womb all the way
The Womb chair is the most comfortable chair I have ever sat in. The body just "sighs" when it gets into the chair. The arm rests are designed perfectly. Great chair.

some people do find the back...
some people do find the back pillow to be annoying to their middle back. try it first.

I agree. . .
. . . I think that the back pillow on the Womb can take some getting used to, but for me the rest of the chair was comfortable enough to forget about the pillow at my lower back. I feel that the Womb gave me overall full body support. Which is what I like when I lounge.
I am about an average height (6') and I found the Eames Lounge to be a little bit too short. However, I was able to slouch some and slide down a bit (since the ottoman can be slid out) and then I felt like I had full body suppport. I also like the fact that it can swivel.
There is a lot to consider when trying to buy a piece of furniture, as has been mentioned above. For me, I like to see how a piece feels and how it will age. If I am going to spend money, I want the chair to last.
Andy Allen and Whitespike brought up some really good points that I have to agree with.

another problem is that peopl...
another problem is that people don't sit in chairs while trying them out in stores like you would sit in them at home. i think some people that think the eames is too short may change their mind when it is in their own environment. i think people tend to slouch more than they realize. we go and try out the chair and sit so very proper and then we say we don't like it. i have heard that over and over with the corbu comfort series. the back is really low but the chair is wide. i think it is made to slouch in the corner and throw a leg over. but - i can see the complaint. i wouldn't be willing to sit like that in a retail establishment either!

whitespike
that's true - we are probably guilty of a slightly different "subconcious" sitting style when we are at home, especially alone. I sometimes find myself reading on the computer or a book and my eyes are half open with my mouth agape. I get that way before I know it and I look like a total idiot - but it must be the way my face prefers to look for those long reads - silly I know. With that said - it would be nice, to have a lounge chair that is comfortable and maybe helps suggest a position that is healthy for the lower back (as opposed to that slouch which is bad, if i am not mistaken). I am in my early 20's and already injured my back once - and I am clear plast my invincible stage (if i ever had one) and one of the things I think about with most chairs these days is - forget if the chair will last - will my back??
just a thought.
maybe it is just my youthful optimism (not completely cynical yet). A chair that is comfortable, of quality, looks nice to me, and is healthy for my body/ maybe even the enviroment. Something I can grow old with.

I think
I think that the chair is something that you should be able to grow old with (especially if it is expensive). And I have to confess that I do not sit in public like I do in private, but I would like a chair that would help me sit "properly" while letting me relax.
I feel that the le corbusier LC4 lounge chair comes close. I just wish that it had arm support. I know if might look akward, but would help meet my needs.

Also think . . .
I also think that the big inflatable "La Mamma" chair by Gaetano Pesce is comfortable. I just don't have any idea about the durability.
I know Andyallen has sat it in the chair as well and was wondering about his thoughts on the comfort.