GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker Chair

Bottom Line: The [easyazon_link identifier=”B00D4JYR62″ locale=”US” tag=”backyardmov05-20″]GCI Rocker Chair[/easyazon_link]brings serious comfort in a well-constructed, relatively lightweight, compact package.

So those of you who have been reading this blog know I like to camp.  My wife, she likes camping, but hates….HATES…camping chairs.  You know the ones that foldup like umbrellas.  They never bothered me much, but she insists you just can’t get comfortable in them.  So earlier this year I am at the store and I see these GCI Rocker Chairs and I seen an opportunity to get into her good graces.  When I came home and announced I had a surprise for her, I got the usual skeptical glance wondering what I had drug home this time, but the [easyazon_link identifier=”B00D4JYR62″ locale=”US” tag=”backyardmov05-20″]GCI Rocker Chair[/easyazon_link] soon earned her seal of approval and it got to stay!  We have two chairs now and they go everywhere with us.  With the holidays right around the corner, this might be a great gift for the person in your life that spends a lot of time watching backyard movies, camping, tailgating or maybe spending time at the soccer fields.

Design:  The fundamental design is based on a director’s chair, which offers a more rigid bottom and back than the traditional camping chair.  Setup and teardown is as simple as forcing the arms apart to setup and pulling them together to teardown.  So while the chair will not get as compact as traditional folding chair, it lays very flat and stacks well.

The real genius of this chair is that is maintains a lot of contact with the ground, it is hydraulics built into the back that allow you to rock.  The beautiful thing about this design is that you never feel like you are going to tip over or go too far.  This is especially important for a portable chair like this that might be used on a less than level surface.  We use them all the time in a friend’s slightly sloped driveway and I have never felt like I am going to take a tumble.  Even camping around roots, rocks, gravel, etc. I haven’t had any fear I am going to take a tumble.   It does help the rocking motion if you can plant your feet on the ground and kind of push off the ground, but you can also throw your weight back as well.  If you are of shorter stature or really like weight, like a child, rocking in this chair might be more difficult. The only thing my wife says she wishes she could add would be the ability to stay lock yourself into the reclined position.

Construction:  The [easyazon_link identifier=”B00D4JYR62″ locale=”US” tag=”backyardmov05-20″]GCI Rocker[/easyazon_link] is made of metal, plastic, and cloth.  It isn’t going to feel like rock solid like a wooden bench, but I do think the chair is built to last.  We will have to see how the hydraulics hold up, but after 6 months of pretty heavy use, I haven’t noticed any slipping at all in that department.  The fabric is a heavy-duty canvas that I think will hold up well to repeated use.  GCI offers a limited lifetime warranty, so they obviously feel like they have built a durable product.  There are a few nicks from being tossed in the back of the truck, but they look pretty close to new.  We have spilled a few things on the seat and it hasn’t stained, most things wipe right off, which also helps to keep it looking nice.  My wife has had kids climb up into her lap a few times while we were watching movies and I never feared the chair would collapse under their weight, it never even strained.  GCI suggests a 250lb weight limit which is pretty outstanding for a small chair.  Finally, we have done a pretty good job of keeping these out of the weather, mostly because we didn’t want to have wet butts, but I don’t think an occasional sprinkle is going to cause this chair to crumble.

The durable construction does come at the cost of some added weight, each unit weighs ~12lbs, so perfect for car camping and short walks to the ballfield, not so great for hiking.

Features: I struggled to come up with a good name for this category, because it is a chair you know, there isn’t a whole heck of a lot you can add!  The GCI Rocker does feature a cup holder…ooo aaa, but it is nice to keep your drink off the ground and out of your lap.  The cup holder is really only big enough for a standard 12 oz can and it isn’t real rigid, so you won’t want to put anything in it that has a big opening or is very full.  There is also a handle sewn onto one of the arms that allow you to carry the chair.  I have schlepped these chairs all around and I can’t detect any tearing or weakening of the stitching.  Also the chairs does a really good job of staying closed when it is closed, so having just one handle is adequate. Really, the biggest “feature” is it is darn comfortable.  Where in traditional camping chairs you kind of collapse into the confines of the chair, the GCI rocker gives you plenty of support and a gentle rocking motion.

Pros:

Lightweight

Portable

Durable

Stable

Comfortable

 

 

Cons:

More expensive than traditional camping chairs

Heavier than other camp chairs

Not as compact as other camp chairs

Less than ideal cupholder

You can’t stay in the reclined position

Might be difficult rock if you are small

Conclusion: This chair was a total winner at my house!  We of course use them for outdoor movies, but we also take them camping, to the park, get togethers, etc.  Let me tell you they are a hot commodity wherever we go and I usually have to evict a squatter who wanted to give it a try and refuses to willingly give it up.  Definitely give the GCI Rocker a try, I think you will be happy you did.

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