BP-ing Chair gear review: GCI Trail Slin g

“Well folks, the GCI Outdoors Trail Sling is at REI! Woo Hoo!

Here is my preliminary review of the product.

Packed: Comes in a nice carrying case and is about the size of a Nalgene standard bottle. (sorry, I shoulda measured it.)

Assembly: Easy to set up. However there are 10 steps in the instructions! Instructions stress several times to make sure parts are fully extended and the buttons are engaged on the joints. I am thinking this is not only to ensure the chair doesn't unfold while sitting, but also so that parts are not bent or broken.

Getting in and out of the chair: Not too bad. No worse than getting up and down from the ground. The chair is quite stable actually and is advertised as holding up to 275 pounds.

Comfort level: on a scale of 1-10, I'll give it a 6.5. The support bar that runs down the middle of the chair is directly under the sling seat. (indicated as red in the photo) If not sitting just so, the support bar can be felt on the tooshy or the spine.
The support bar that runs across the width of the sling at the top and bottom can also be felt (indicated as blue) The top one, thankfully, is padded, but the bottom one is not.


Again, squirming around in the chair to a comfortable position is possible. I also believe pulling out a fleece or a camp pillow and using it as extra cushioning for the back, can make this chair even more comfortable.

Trail testing to be done at a later date.

Specs:
weight 2lbs 2oz. (ok, I thought it was 1 lb 10 oz. What happened? I'll bring it in and weigh it on our postage machine for you guys.)
alumninum frame, polyureth coated poly fabric, plastic and nylon webbing joints and supports
folded 3x3x15
assembled 25x22x12
seat height 8 inches”

“i looked at it, but I can't justify one whole lb more in my pack (substituting my chair kit and therma rest for a lighter one)

don't like the thought of that bar on my ass either.”

“Well my chair kit weighs a pound on it's own. I need to weigh this puppy myself because I coulda sworn it was supposed to be a pound and 10 ounces.

I really wanted to be off the ground. (If it's raining or really dry and dusty) That's why I've been deliberating over chairs for nearly a year. : ) It's also nice at break times while on the trail to unfold the chair and sit down. But everyone has different needs, yes?”

“The whole bar up the crack thing is throwing me off too... oh yeah... and the extra 2lbs!

*sits on the ground*”

“I agree w/Gem on this - can't justify the extra weight. However, those who do choose this kind of thing as their luxury item tend to appreciate it:
http://community.webshots.com/photo/202192172/202199145WhuShs”

“Thanks for the review, pixie!”

“funny pic!”

“Too many parts, too heavy.
The more parts, the more parts to break, or lose.
last edited: 3/22/05 12:38:23 PM”

“I'll stick with my SlingLight (its the one in the pic from BowlderMan). It only weighs a pound and doesn't have a support bar down the middle. It does have the same problem with the bars at each end, but that's unavoidable. And it takes about 1.5 seconds to set up - including the sitting down on it part. Don't get the headrest.
last edited: 3/22/05 12:45:08 PM”

“"....don't like the thought of that bar on my ass either.”
Gemini
11:58:25 AM
3/22/05

Hoe-Kay, I'll take your word on that!

(one for the Quotes Page)
[ha ha ha ! ! !]”

“Nice review, but I'll pass on getting one.”

“the direct experience:
on a recent camp trip to the virgin islands national park, jerbear ordered two of them for us to try out.
They certainly are light, and very compact but for me, not being all that mechanically inclined, it was a puzzle to set up .
We used them on the beach and that may have been an unintended use, because, you need to place the chair feet on a hard surface.
Both chairs cracked on one of the plastic hubs, maybe during the soft sand experience, because they kept swaying and sinking into the sand and sort of bending out of shape. Altho both of us are "fleshy" folk, we are well under the max. weight it is said to hold.
I tried it back home on ground and you have to really get in a certain position not to feel the back bar.
getting out of the chair is not too much of a problem if you practice yoga and can come out of a squat easily.
I am sending mine back and i think jerbear is asking for a replacement to give it one more try.
I like sitting in lotus at camp and do not mind it so much, so I would rather not have an extra pound or so and a jigsaw puzzle to put together and pack up.
that was my experience with this chair.”

“"fleshy" folk???

LOL, you aren't 'fleshy', just fluffy. ;-)”

“That's why I was excited that REI had the chair. Because if I decide it sucks, I'm taking it back.

And honestly folks you only feel that bar when you sit down, you adjust a little and no bar.”

“And honestly folks you only feel that bar when you sit down,... - pixie


OK, I'll bite....Isn't the point of a chair to sit down on it? ;-) LOL”

“You know what I mean Stovie!

"You only feel the bar as you sit down into the chair. Once in the chair, adjust a little and no bar."

Once in the chair it's pretty comfy.”

“pixies are little folk who traipse lightly about the forest and alight delicately on branches or even chairs.

It is doubtful that the buttocks of faeries or pixies would be creased by such a chair.”

“LOL! Thanks MarkO!”

“Ha! I wasn't losing my mind. It's 30 oz according to GCI Outdoor website
1 lb 14 oz

I'm still going to bring it in and weigh it tho.”

“I prefer the chair below..I find slingback chairs are not good for sitting around fires..ones legs boil and the torso freezes..the one below I don't take summer backpacking but it was great winter canping and nice car camping...I like being able to just pick it up and move..at 3 pounds, it weighs more than my Hennessy!

http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=11912571&storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&langId=-1&addon=720278-683991&ext_cat=REI_RELATED_ITEMS_PRODUCT_PAGE&vcat=REI_SEARCH”

“I love my sling-lite! I like to take it off the pack and sit in it.”

“Apparently so, from that pic I linked!”

“the sling-light I could justify. Could dump my therm-a-rest chair kit and add the sling-light.

I don't see the uncomfortable between your ass cheeks bar on it either.

yupp...something to think about.”

“"pixies are little folk who traipse lightly about the forest and alight delicately on branches or even chairs.
It is doubtful that the buttocks of faeries or pixies would be creased by such a chair.”"

exactly Marko!....I was speaking from more of a hobbit buttock perspective... LOL


snow nymph...i always thought that slinglite you have was pretty nifty.... for a wider range of tushes even.....:)”

“I have one as well, bought mainly because it's light, and small enough to fit through the hatch on the Kayak.....one would think the triangular seat would be uncomfortable, but it isn't, and it's shape and height makes it ideal for bending over to use a cookstove and pot sitting on the ground in front of you.”

“Well after further testing and Rat Packer coming over and trying it out, it's really a pretty uncomfortable chair. I sat in it for an hour or so to watch tv. Being that reclined and having no neck support is a super ouchy. I cannot really sit upright in it, let's say to cook, because then my butt in on that support bar.
But Rat Packer agreed with me. Once in the chair and adjusting position, you can't feel that bar.
Maybe they should make a little platform support thing for the chair kit.
I'm probably taking this chair back and considering the Sling Light.”

“pixie - as I mentioned before, you probably don't need the head rest for the Sling Light, if you get it. I found my head rarely touched it, plus it was an extra item to carry (extra weight too).”

“I haven't forgotten tech.

Hey, what does the Sling Light feel like if you aren't reclining? Is it still comfy? Like let's say you are sitting and cooking.”

“I sit in mine to cook all the time. Instead of my knees pointing forward, I stradle it with my knees facing outward. That forces the lower part of the chair to swing up (the lower bar is on a hinge so it moves as you shift your weight), so I can put my stove right in front of the chair. I sometimes eat that way, too, if my bowl is too hot to pick up.

Its so easy to set up I sometimes take it off my pack for breaks - you pull the hinge open and sit. I can't imagine having to "assemble" it like the GCI chair.”

“Well the GCI chair seemed complicated, but it really wasn't all that difficult to set up. It just totally lost out to me for being pretty uncomfortable.”

“You guys should try sitting in the chair I have..it'll amaze you how comfortable it is..you wouldn't think so, with that triangular seat..
last edited: 3/23/05 6:51:54 PM”

“Looks nice, mataharihiker, but a little too heavy for me for bping. My first attempt at a camp chair was a stool that was about the height of your chair, and I found it was way too high to cook or eat when everything was on the ground.”

“Great review Pixie!

I have thought about purchacing a chair, but cannot bring myself to do it yet. I still like to sit on the ground.”

“matah. Yup, same reasons as tnt. Too heavy and too high. : (
I'm glad it works so well for you tho!”

“I'd NEVER take that chair of mine backpacking! Like I wrote above,
it's great for car camping, winter camping and, I forgot to add, kayak camping..but backpacking, no way..
I agree with you guys, it's too high if your stove is on the ground..
I haven't found any chair light and small enough for that so, I guess my Thermarest seat will have to do..sigh....
last edited: 3/24/05 6:51:36 PM”

“I think this is the same chair Snownymph loves so much.
Good review.”

“Snownymph has the SlingLight. Much better chair than this one. Techntrek has it too.

I'm going to take this thing back and probably buy a Sling Light.”

“Some folks call it a sling blade I call it a Kaiser blade, mmmhmm”

“But, the slinglight is over $100! that's big bucks for a chair..I want one!”

“That's what's holding me back also, mata.

Hey mata, are you a 'for sure' on going to lizs paddle trip in Iowa?”

“as sure as I am with anything..still thinking about flying in?”

“Yep, too dang far to even think of driving. You and sunshine are on my very short list of 'must meets'. ;-)
I'm still a maybe.”

“Ooh, and we'll both probably be there..I like Sunshine..hope she makes it!

I'm still open to picking you up at the airport on our way down..you are up on my list of want-to-meet also..”

“:-)”

“Damn, they jacked the price. When I bought it 3 years ago it was only $80 + $20 for the (unnecessary) headrest. Now its over $100 for the chair alone. Ouch!

Time for me to come out with some competition...titanium frame anyone?”

“I just used the same chair that Mataharihiker uses this past weekend, and I'm completely happy with it...($30)...”

“Well, I like my chair but threw caution to the wind and ordered the sling-light..can anyone say tax refund? LOL..yeah, I know what I said about sling backs and fires but I plan to use on backpacking trips..my quik-seat is way too heavy for that purpose and I'm tired of pulling my Thermarest out of the hammock whenever I want to sit down..plus, it would be nice to have an easily accessable seat when I'm on one of my numerous on-the-trail breathing breaks...I should get it by next week-end..I'll say this..they're really nice when you call to order one..I figured they weren't getting any cheaper and, at 18oz, weighs the same the Thermarest Chair kit..

Let you know what I think when I get it...”

“....my numerous on-the-trail breathing breaks...

That damn thin air gets to me too..... ;-)


Too bad REI doesn't carry these. I would have something to use my 20% off coupon on.
last edited: 3/28/05 9:48:35 AM”

“yeah, no one sells them but the makers..I spent quite awhile online trying to find a deal..no luck..full price..the nice girl on the phone
laughingly told me they called it "the Rolls Royce of chairs" when I whined about the price..
last edited: 3/28/05 10:03:15 AM”

“I saw them for sale in an Adventure 16 store in San Diego, CA. I was flying back from there and I didn't want to risk it getting destroyed by the airline so I didn't buy it.”