ALPS Mountaineering King Kong Tenting Chair Evaluate

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The ALPS Mountaineering King Kong is our high decide on our greatest tenting chairs information. It checks each field we search for in a top quality tenting chair, and it’s been Senior Content material Editor Ian Krammer’s go-to for years. He’s used this mannequin for tenting, roadtrips, festivals, barbecues, festivals, and past.

The King Kong is a beast of a price with premium options at a wonderful value. It has an industry-leading 800-pound weight restrict and excellent sturdiness because of a powder-coated metal body and strengthened joints. Thick quilted polyester material isn’t solely cushioned, however insulated, so it’s an incredible selection on chilly nights. The vast seat and again work for each physique form and dimension, and adjustable armrests give it a personalized really feel. Measuring 19 inches tall, the King Kong is snug for moving into and out of and it comes with 3 giant, helpful pockets and two cupholders. 

Nonetheless, very like King Kong himself, this chair is heavy and hulking. We discover it’s a little bit of a chore to jam right into a full trunk or a small gear room. The carrying case is awkward to make use of, and never our favourite for carrying. We discover the shortage of mesh and thick material make it really feel heat on sizzling, humid summer season days, and the cupholders are too slim for giant containers. However, this mannequin nonetheless takes our high spot. For a really affordable value, the King Kong is comfortable, sensible, and simple to make use of.

Consolation

The King Kong is snug to lounge in for hours at a time. Senior Gear Analyst Ian Krammer loves the quilted polyester seat – it’s cushioned and insulated, excellent for cooler summer season nights and shoulder seasons. It’s additionally the chair we attain for to dam the wind and keep only a bit hotter across the hearth. We discover the seat is pretty agency and doesn’t sag over time, and has loads of lumbar and again help, nevertheless it’s comfortable sufficient for hours of lounging at camp. The armrests alter up and down for a customizable expertise regardless of how tall or brief you’re.

The King Kong is aptly named – it’s so giant that it really works for each physique kind. The seat measures 2+ ft vast and a pair of+ ft deep and 19-inches tall, making it snug for most individuals to take a seat and rise up. This big dimension additionally means plenty of lounging choices – Ian typically sits cross-legged, slouched, and sideways.

However, the King Kong isn’t essentially the most breathable chair. Within the Utah desert the place nights had been nonetheless above 60°F, Ian felt heat and clammy. In comparison with tenting chairs with mesh backs and thinner supplies, it doesn’t supply a lot airflow or cooling impact while you’re already overheated. That mentioned, breathability is a minor subject – the King Kong is among the comfiest chairs we’ve examined.

Sturdiness

In terms of sturdiness, the King Kong leads the pack. Ian’s put this chair by means of the wringer from tough Utah desert automobile tenting journeys, to concert events within the park, to 9+ months in his yard. To this point, our nonstop testing finds the King Kong continues to carry out aesthetically and functionally in addition to the day we received it.

With a jaw-dropping 800-pound weight capability, this chair can deal with the hardest circumstances. ALPS Mountaineering makes use of corrosion-resistant powder-coated metal for the body, and strengthened joints supply long-term power. We discover the polyester material is stain and abrasion-resistant, and robust stitching retains materials from separating or breaking down. The King Kong’s elements are additionally constructed to final, together with strengthened cupholders, vast plastic ft, and robust pockets.

However all this power makes the King Kong heavier and bulkier than most. It’s much less moveable than lighter chairs, which might make it a process to hold for longer distances. Additionally, the quilted material doesn’t have a UV Therapy, though we’ve solely observed minimal fading thus far.

Additionally, the King Kong’s comfortable material dries very slowly after moist climate. Ian left this chair exterior throughout rainstorms and dewy nights and it soaked throughout. The thicker material took between 3 and 4 hours to dry. If there’s rain within the forecast, take into account stashing the chair in your automobile or tent vestibule earlier than it will get moist.

Portability

In case you’re in search of a conveyable chair, the King Kong might miss the mark. At 13 kilos and three+ ft lengthy, it’s one of many heavier and bulkier choices we’ve examined, and it’s a bit difficult to maneuver into tight areas. In case you’re restricted on trunk and space for storing, the King Kong is a bit awkward.Additionally, the King Kong can really feel like overkill on shorter and extra informal outings the place a smaller, lighter chair may be a greater decide. 

The opposite draw back in terms of portability? It’s carrying case. The bag is sturdy, however its slim opening at one finish makes packing the chair a little bit of a wrestle. We admire the case has two nylon straps for sporting like a backpack. This freed our fingers to hold different issues. However, it’s uncomfortable with out padding on the straps, so we don’t suggest sporting it too lengthy. 

Ease of Use

The King Kong is a basic one-step tenting chair design that’s person–pleasant and quick to deploy. It unfolds in ten seconds, with a sturdy body that locks into place for a steady, comfortable sitdown. The adjustable armrests are straightforward to fine-tune and it’s vast design accommodates all kinds of sitting positions. We additionally like that the King Kong is straightforward to get into and out of, largely because of its tall seat top.

In case you’re the sort of camper who doesn’t like getting up, the King Kong has all of the pockets you may want. There’s one big pocket on every armrest large enough for a pill, cellphone, and snacks. There’s a large, shallow mesh pocket on the again of the chair, behind the top, for storing bulkier gadgets like gloves, a hat, or perhaps a jacket. Two cupholders match most mugs and bottles. This mannequin has all of the storage we’d like for a number of hours across the hearth.

However, it’s not excellent. The armrest cup holders are common, however not large enough for big bottles or mugs like a Nalgene. Additionally, the storage pockets are handy, however they may use a divider to maintain smaller gadgets from shifting round. Nonetheless, these aren’t dealbreakers – in terms of a user-friendly chair, the King Kong is hard to beat.

Ought to You Purchase The ALPS Mountaineering King Kong Tenting Chair?

The ALPS Mountaineering King Kong is a good selection if you would like a sturdy, comfortable, and robust tenting chair. With an 800-pound weight restrict, tall top, and vast, quilted polyester seat, it’s tremendous sturdy and accommodates all physique varieties. The adjustable armrests and thick, insulated material are comfortable for hours of lounging. Automobile campers, hunters, and fishers will love the a number of storage pockets. The King Kong’s powder-coated metal body and strengthened joints make it dependable for years of tough use in any circumstances. This mannequin is close to the highest of our tenting chairs listing as a result of it punches means above its class in most metrics – with out the excessive price ticket.

Nonetheless, the King Kong isn’t essentially the most light-weight or moveable. It’s a bit cumbersome to hold over distances, and is commonly overkill for shorter journeys. It takes up a significant quantity of trunk and space for storing, too. The quilted material isn’t very breathable and may really feel heat in sizzling climate, so it’s not the very best for sunny, sweaty summer season outings. Moreover, the armrest cup holders, received’t suit your huge espresso cups or water bottles. Nonetheless, although, this chair is certainly one of our favorites for each tenting journey – and we’re assured you’ll really feel the identical.

What Different Tenting Chairs Ought to You Think about?

Did the ALPS Mountaineering King Kong catch your eye? See how this chair compares to our different high picks on our listing of the very best tenting chairs. And don’t overlook these glorious options:

YETI Trailhead Evaluate: The YETI Trailhead can also be tremendous sturdy and boasts a really excessive weight restrict. It’s a extra breathable, premium possibility that’s not solely comfier, but additionally a lot simpler to hold. The draw back is it’s heavier, bulkier, and much more costly.

Kijaro Twin Lock Evaluate: The Kijaro Twin Lock shares the King Kong’s tall seat top, user-friendly setup, and really affordable value level. It’s additionally lighter and extra supportive, though not as sturdy or snug.

REI Skyward Evaluate: The REI Skyward is a lighter, extra conventional tenting chair, nevertheless it’s equally reasonably priced and simple to arrange. Once you want a easy, reasonably priced possibility with out the load or bulk, this one is an efficient selection.