ALPS Mountaineering King Kong Tenting Chair Evaluation

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The ALPS Mountaineering King Kong is our high decide on our finest tenting chairs information. It checks each field we search for in a high 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 worth. It has an industry-leading 800-pound weight restrict and excellent sturdiness because of a powder-coated metal body and bolstered joints. Thick quilted polyester material is just not solely cushioned, however insulated, so it’s an awesome selection on chilly nights. The vast seat and again work for each physique form and measurement, and adjustable armrests give it a custom-made really feel. Measuring 19 inches tall, the King Kong is comfy for stepping into and out of and it comes with 3 giant, helpful pockets and two cupholders. 

Nevertheless, very similar to 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 dearth of mesh and thick material make it really feel heat on sizzling, humid summer season days, and the cupholders are too slender for giant containers. However, this mannequin nonetheless takes our high spot. For a really cheap worth, the King Kong is comfortable, sensible, and simple to make use of.

Consolation

The King Kong is comfy to lounge in for hours at a time. Senior Gear Analyst Ian Krammer loves the quilted polyester seat – it’s cushioned and insulated, good 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 fireplace. We discover the seat is pretty agency and doesn’t sag over time, and has loads of lumbar and again help, however 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 quick you’re.

The King Kong is aptly named – it’s so giant that it really works for each physique sort. The seat measures 2+ toes vast and a pair of+ toes deep and 19-inches tall, making it comfy for most individuals to sit down and arise. This large measurement additionally means a number of lounging choices – Ian usually sits cross-legged, slouched, and sideways.

However, the King Kong isn’t essentially the most breathable chair. Within the Utah desert the place nights have 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 whenever you’re already overheated. That mentioned, breathability is a minor difficulty – the King Kong is without doubt one of 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 live shows within the park, to 9+ months in his yard. Up to now, our nonstop testing finds the King Kong continues to carry out aesthetically and functionally in addition to the day we acquired it.

With a jaw-dropping 800-pound weight capability, this chair can deal with the hardest situations. ALPS Mountaineering makes use of corrosion-resistant powder-coated metal for the body, and bolstered 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 parts are additionally constructed to final, together with bolstered cupholders, vast plastic toes, and robust pockets.

However all this power makes the King Kong heavier and bulkier than most. It’s much less transportable than lighter chairs, which may make it a job to hold for longer distances. Additionally, the quilted material doesn’t have a UV Remedy, though we’ve solely seen minimal fading up to now.

Additionally, the King Kong’s comfortable material dries very slowly after moist climate. Ian left this chair outdoors throughout rainstorms and dewy nights and it soaked all over. 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 car or tent vestibule earlier than it will get moist.

Portability

Should you’re on the lookout for a transportable chair, the King Kong might miss the mark. At 13 kilos and three+ toes lengthy, it’s one of many heavier and bulkier choices we’ve examined, and it’s a bit tough to maneuver into tight areas. Should 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 could be a greater decide. 

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

Ease of Use

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

Should you’re the sort of camper who doesn’t like getting up, the King Kong has all of the pockets you can want. There’s one large pocket on every armrest sufficiently big for a pill, cellphone, and snacks. There’s a large, shallow mesh pocket on the again of the chair, behind the pinnacle, 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 fireplace.

However, it’s not good. The armrest cup holders are common, however not sufficiently big for giant 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. Nevertheless, these aren’t dealbreakers – relating to 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 in order for you a sturdy, comfortable, and robust tenting chair. With an 800-pound weight restrict, tall peak, 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 bolstered joints make it dependable for years of tough use in any situations. 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.

Nevertheless, the King Kong isn’t essentially the most light-weight or transportable. 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 is just not very breathable and might really feel heat in sizzling climate, so it’s not the perfect for sunny, sweaty summer season outings. Moreover, the armrest cup holders, received’t suit your massive 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 Contemplate?

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

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

Kijaro Twin Lock Evaluation: The Kijaro Twin Lock shares the King Kong’s tall seat peak, user-friendly setup, and really cheap worth level. It’s additionally lighter and extra supportive, though not as sturdy or comfy.

REI Skyward Evaluation: The REI Skyward is a lighter, extra conventional tenting chair, however it’s equally reasonably priced and simple to arrange. If you want a easy, reasonably priced possibility with out the burden or bulk, this one is an effective selection.