ProView – Crazy Creek Original Chair
“1.) Look good, 2. ) Have fun, 3.) Be safe” as the old river adage goes. Let’s add one more: “be comfy”. I had the chance to test the Crazy Creek Original Chair during a 3-week rock climbing and paragliding trip that spanned Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee. It was everything you would expect from a product that’s been around since 1987 with a few new tweaks.
Crazy Creek Original Chair
Product Name: Crazy Creek Original Chair
Product Description: Crazy Creek Original Chairs are the best you can get. The Original Chair revolutionized outdoor seating comfort over 35 years ago. Ever since, Crazy Creek has been the choice for comfort and durability all over the globe. Ideal for camping, backyard, sporting and school events, concerts and festivals, belaying, gaming, boating, anywhere you need a seat!
Offer price: MSRP: $59.95
-
Quality
(5)
-
Pack Size
(3)
-
Features
(5)
-
Durability
(5)
Summary
The Crazy Creek Original Chair is the standard in lightweight compact camp chairs and has withstood the test of time.
Overall
4.5Pros
- Durable
- Comfortable
- Will last a lifetime
- Great pattern
Cons
- Not great for backpacking
Features
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Adjustable for a wide range of sitting positions
- Protection from wet ground
- 420D coated ripstop nylon
- 600D Coated Polyester on Printed Chairs (Tie-Dye, Army & Coyote)
- High Density closed-cell foam padding for exceptional comfort (won’t absorb water!)
- Sturdy carbon-fiber support-stays
- 250 pound weight capacity
- 16.5″ L x 15.5″ D x 16.5″ H (foam 1/2″) 26 Ounces (1.6lbs)
Durability
The Crazy Creek Original was one of my first “camping chairs” nearly 30 years ago and I still have the first one I used on family camping trips as a kid. The new Original has some nice tweaks over my old seat. It’s lighter thanks to the carbon fiber stays and the coated polyester is tough and won’t absorb water. There are more color options now too — for this test I was able to snag a bright tie-dye that was as fun as it was comfortable.
Value
The Crazy Creek Original retails for $59.95. This is right down the middle price wise and while a good deal might be a bit of a stretch for the broke college student. Luckily you can usually find a used one at most second-hand outdoor stores (my favorite is Feral in Denver). The lifetime warranty and the excellent durability helps with the value. 5 beer cans.
Comfort
I really liked the support the carbon fiber stays provided. The buckles were easy to adjust and the back and leg supports were the right length both for me (5’9”, 190lbs) and Kristen (5’5”, 110lbs). The chair was as comfy on the ground as it was on rocks or logs or in the back of the truck. 5 beer cans.
Pack Size
At 16.5”x16.5”x15.5” and 1.5lbs I won’t be taking this chair on any long backpacking trips. It would be perfect for the casual day hike hang out, river trip, and campfire hangout though. There are smaller and lighter chairs on the market but you’ll pay a price in comfort and with your wallet. 3 beer cans.
Style
Hands down, everyone loved the tie-dye pattern. It made for a really unique chair that everyone wanted to borrow. 5 beer cans.
Durability
My chair from nearly 30 years ago looks as new as the chair I tested in this review. I have no doubts that the current iteration of the Original chair will hold up to the same abuse of river trip shenanigans and desert climbing trips. 5 beer cans.
About the Gear Tester
Justin Grisham
Justin is an emergency medicine physician and a climbing guide. He has a Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM) and has earned the prestigious Diploma in Mountain Medicine (DiMM) from the UIAA. He teaches wilderness medicine and high angle rescue techniques for the US Military and Wilderness Medical Society and guides rock climbing, skiing, and ice climbing in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. Previously he was a climbing ranger with the National Park Service and the Chief Medical Officer and Squad leader with the Salt Lake County Search and Rescue team. He can be found sipping on coffee between pitches of hero ice and on Instagram at @slabsandskittles
