ALPS Mountaineering King Kong Tenting Chair Assessment

Backside Line

The ALPS Mountaineering King Kong is our prime 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 worth with premium options at a superb worth. It has an industry-leading 800-pound weight restrict and excellent sturdiness due to a powder-coated metal body and bolstered joints. Thick quilted polyester material shouldn’t be solely cushioned, however insulated, so it’s a terrific alternative on chilly nights. The broad seat and again work for each physique form and dimension, and adjustable armrests give it a custom-made really feel. Measuring 19 inches tall, the King Kong is snug for moving into and out of and it comes with 3 massive, 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 dearth of mesh and thick material make it really feel heat on scorching, humid summer season days, and the cupholders are too slender for giant containers. However, this mannequin nonetheless takes our prime spot. For a really affordable 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 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 soft sufficient for hours of lounging at camp. The armrests modify up and down for a customizable expertise regardless of how tall or brief you’re.

The King Kong is aptly named – it’s so massive that it really works for each physique kind. The seat measures 2+ ft broad and a couple of+ ft deep and 19-inches tall, making it snug for most individuals to take a seat and arise. This large dimension 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 if you’re already overheated. That mentioned, breathability is a minor subject – the King Kong is among the comfiest chairs we’ve examined.

Sturdiness

In relation to 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. To date, 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 circumstances. ALPS Mountaineering makes use of corrosion-resistant powder-coated metal for the body, and bolstered joints supply long-term energy. 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, broad plastic ft, and robust pockets.

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

Additionally, the King Kong’s soft material dries very slowly after moist climate. Ian left this chair exterior 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, think about stashing the chair in your automobile or tent vestibule earlier than it will get moist.

Portability

In the event you’re on the lookout for 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 tough to maneuver into tight areas. In the event 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 perhaps a greater choose. 

The opposite draw back in terms of 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 respect the case has two nylon straps for sporting 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 advocate sporting it too lengthy. 

Ease of Use

The King Kong is a basic 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 straightforward to fine-tune and it’s broad 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 peak.

In the event 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 excellent. The armrest cup holders are common, however not sufficiently big 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 alternative if you would like a sturdy, comfortable, and robust tenting chair. With an 800-pound weight restrict, tall peak, and broad, quilted polyester seat, it’s tremendous sturdy and accommodates all physique sorts. The adjustable armrests and thick, insulated material are comfortable for hours of lounging. Automotive 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 circumstances. This mannequin is close to the highest of our tenting chairs record 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 material shouldn’t be very breathable and may really feel heat in scorching climate, so it’s not the very best for sunny, sweaty summer season outings. Moreover, the armrest cup holders, gained’t suit your large 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 prime picks on our record of the very best tenting chairs. And don’t overlook these glorious options:

YETI Trailhead Assessment: 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 additionally a lot simpler to hold. The draw back is it’s heavier, bulkier, and much more costly.

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

REI Skyward Assessment: The REI Skyward is a lighter, extra conventional tenting chair, however it’s equally inexpensive and straightforward to arrange. Whenever you want a easy, inexpensive possibility with out the burden or bulk, this one is an effective alternative.