ALPS Mountaineering King Kong Tenting Chair Overview

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The ALPS Mountaineering King Kong is our high choose on our finest 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 worth. It has an industry-leading 800-pound weight restrict and excellent sturdiness due to a powder-coated metal body and strengthened joints. Thick quilted polyester cloth will not be solely cushioned, however insulated, so it’s an incredible alternative on chilly nights. The large 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 snug for entering into and out of and it comes with 3 giant, helpful pockets and two cupholders. 

Nonetheless, 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 shortage of mesh and thick cloth make it really feel heat on sizzling, humid summer time days, and the cupholders are too slender for large containers. However, this mannequin nonetheless takes our high spot. For a really cheap worth, the King Kong is comfortable, sensible, and straightforward 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 time 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 assist, however it’s soft sufficient for hours of lounging at camp. The armrests alter up and down for a customizable expertise regardless of how tall or brief you might be.

The King Kong is aptly named – it’s so giant that it really works for each physique kind. The seat measures 2+ toes large and a pair of+ toes deep and 19-inches tall, making it snug for most individuals to take a seat and rise up. This large measurement additionally means a lot 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 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 if you’re already overheated. That mentioned, breathability is a minor subject – the King Kong is among the comfiest chairs we’ve examined.

Sturdiness

With regards to sturdiness, the King Kong leads the pack. Ian’s put this chair via 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 obtained 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 cloth 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 strengthened cupholders, large plastic toes, 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 may make it a job to hold for longer distances. Additionally, the quilted cloth doesn’t have a UV Therapy, though we’ve solely observed minimal fading to this point.

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

Portability

Should you’re in search of a conveyable chair, the King Kong could 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 difficult 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 is likely to be a greater choose. 

The opposite draw back with regards 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 battle. We recognize the case has two nylon straps for carrying like a backpack. This freed our arms to hold different issues. However, it’s uncomfortable with out padding on the straps, so we don’t suggest carrying it too lengthy. 

Ease of Use

The King Kong is a traditional 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 secure, comfortable sitdown. The adjustable armrests are simple to fine-tune and it’s large design accommodates all kinds of sitting positions. We additionally like that the King Kong is simple to get into and out of, largely due to its tall seat top.

Should you’re the form of camper who doesn’t like getting up, the King Kong has all of the pockets you could possibly 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 top, for storing bulkier objects 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 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 objects from shifting round. Nonetheless, these aren’t dealbreakers – with regards 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 superb alternative in order for you a sturdy, comfortable, and robust tenting chair. With an 800-pound weight restrict, tall top, and large, quilted polyester seat, it’s tremendous sturdy and accommodates all physique varieties. The adjustable armrests and thick, insulated cloth 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 approach 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 cloth will not be very breathable and might really feel heat in sizzling climate, so it’s not the perfect for sunny, sweaty summer time outings. Moreover, the armrest cup holders, gained’t suit your massive espresso cups or water bottles. Nonetheless, although, this chair is one in all 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 perfect tenting chairs. And don’t overlook these wonderful options:

YETI Trailhead Overview: The YETI Trailhead can also be tremendous sturdy and boasts a really excessive weight restrict. It’s a extra breathable, premium choice 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 Overview: The Kijaro Twin Lock shares the King Kong’s tall seat top, user-friendly setup, and really cheap worth level. It’s additionally lighter and extra supportive, though not as sturdy or snug.

REI Skyward Overview: The REI Skyward is a lighter, extra conventional tenting chair, however it’s equally reasonably priced and straightforward to arrange. Once you want a easy, reasonably priced choice with out the load or bulk, this one is an effective alternative.