Looking for a camping chair that is not only comfortable but can survive years of outdoor abuse? We think the King Goanna Camping Chair from Oztent might just fit the bill…
Oztent is better known for their quick-set up tents rather than their furniture range. The King Goanna Camping Chair is their ‘middle’ tier camping chair that sits nicely in between the King Kokoda and the Goanna in terms of price and features.
Who it’s for: Car-campers who are looking for a robust and comfortable mid to high range camping chair with plenty of little goodies on it.
What we like: The adjustable lumbar support and overall comfort is great.
What we don’t: The low seat can be tricky to get out of.
Specifications
Here are some quick specifications of the King Goanna Camping Chair from Oztent.
Packed Size = 100cm (l) x 20cm (w) x 20cm (h)
Weight = 6kg
Frame = Steel frame with aluminium feet
Cover = Padded 600D two-tone polyester
Weight rating = 200kg
First Impressions
When this chair rocked up at our doorstep here at Outdoria, the first thing I thought was, “This is a bit bigger than I expected.” This camping chair is one of the larger camping chairs I have had the pleasure of sitting in. The polyester material of the bag and chair feels durable, while the stitching looks like it can handle pretty much anything.
To see how tough this chair really is, I decided to take it to a couple of different places over the week to see how it performed. This included: a local footy match, the beach and a muddy campsite.
The Build Quality
After a week of abuse, I think it’s safe to say that this chair is as durable as it looks. From being tossed around the tray of the Outdoria ute to sand, mud, grass, rain and sunshine, this chair performed admirably through it all.
Seat and Armrests
The seat has remained strong throughout the ordeal. The padding is still comfortable and will spring back into shape after hours of sitting on it. The 600D polyester material has resisted being cut and scratched from sticks and branches grazing against it while being carried.
The armrests remain firm and have not begun to sag like other camping chairs I have owned. The stitching is still tight with no fraying occurring on the arms or seat yet. The straps have been tugged and pulled all week long with no damage occurring to them or the buckle.
Frame
The frame is still as sturdy as the first day I took it out of the bag. The bottom of the legs have a few shallow scratches on them from being tossed around the ute and sitting against rocks around the campsite. These scratches appear to be just on the top clear coat of the metal, which shouldn’t lead to rusting in the future.
Even though we didn’t get close to the maximum weight rating of 200kg, the tubular steel frame has not bent after supporting a variety of weights. The maximum weight we tested up to was a particularly burly 120kg football player, who was impressed that the chair didn’t creak or flex when has sat in it.
Washing
On Sunday night after the King Goanna Chair’s week-long adventure, I decided it was about time to give the throne a wash. On the specifications attached to the chair, Oztent suggests ‘hand wash only with lukewarm water’.
On my first attempt, I was able to get the majority of mud that was caked on the legs off, while the mud on the seat and arms was a bit more stubborn. After letting the mud soak in the water for a bit longer, I tried again. On the second attempt, I was able to get all of it off with a bit of elbow grease making it good as new.
With the 600D polyester being thicker than most other camping chairs, it does take a while to fully dry.
If I hadn’t had a warm place to dry the chair at home and was instead using it at a campsite, it would have likely taken many hours to dry off.
Bag
The carry bag is made from the same polyester material as the chair, making it equally as durable. The zip works well and doesn’t stick, while the carrying handles remain secure with the large cross-stitches on them. The bag can also be folded up and stuffed into to headrest of the chair to provide additional support. By doing this, the bag has also softened up a little bit.
When packed up, the bag is about the same length as a cricket bat and about as wide as the palm of my hand. This means you’ll have to transport is in the boot of your car and will unlikely fit in a hiking pack.
*Much like a new tent, camping chairs never go back into the bag as well as they did the first time.. *
Setting up and packing up
Maybe it’s my technique, but I was never able to put the King Goanna Chair exactly back in how it first was. There is always one bit poking out here or there, unlike the perfect package it came to me in. That’s not to say it didn’t fit in the bag – it still did, every time.
Setting it up is as simple as taking it out of the bag and expanding it out, while packing it up requires pushing the headrest into the seat which you then compress and place into the bag. No fancy locks or latches, just a simple expand and contract mechanism like most other quad fold chairs.
Overall Comfort
The padded seat saw plenty of love over the week, with a variety of bottoms giving it a test. The overall response was positive with many of the testers saying it was ‘one of the comfiest camping chairs that have sat in’. Our largest tester found the larger seat size to be a welcome addition, as he had struggled in the past to find a camping chair that he can comfortably sit in.
Seat height
One of the main draw cards to this chair being so comfortable is the low seat height. It puts you in a slightly leaned back position which makes relaxing all the more easy. That being said, getting out of the low-seated chair was a bit of a hassle for some of our larger testers, with a fair bit of huffing and puffing needed to raise themselves from it.
Adjustable lumbar support
The adjustable lumbar support on the King Goanna Chair proved to be the crowd favourite feature. Some testers loved having a low slumped back they could bury themselves into, while others preferred sitting more upright. It can be easily adjusted through the straps on the back of the seat. It did take a bit of guesswork to get the right position, but after I found it, I just kept it in the same position for the rest of the week.
Adjustable armrests
After playing with the height of the armrests for a while, I found the most comfortable spot for myself was near to the ‘stock’ position. The armrests can be adjusted up and down about 10cm which gives users plenty of room to find the ideal height for them.
If you prefer a chair without armrests you are in for bad news. From my understanding, these cannot be removed but could be lowered to the base of the pole instead.
Headrest
One of the only aspects that got mixed responses was the headrest. Most of the testers found the headrest comfortable with the carry bag rolled into it while others found it too stiff for their liking.
That being said, you don’t have to use the carry bag as the headrest stuffing as we found. Jumpers, towels and even a small travel pillow fitted into the pouch, made the headrest a fair bit softer and more comfortable than using the carry bag. Even if you don’t have anything else to spare, the carry bag still works well and provides a safe, dry place to store it with the chair.
Side pouches
Drink holders and storage are often afterthoughts in a camping chair’s design. Many chairs go for the classic, ‘drink holder in the armrest’, but not the King Goanna. Instead, this chair features not one, but two drink holders (meaning you can drink two beers at once) alongside a handy pouch to hold your mobile phone, multi-tool or hand-held GPS. These pockets are found hanging below the armrests attached to the seat.
Although these are convenient to reach and are placed out of the way of your arms, they are at the perfect head-height for any dog, child or other woodland animals that may want a sip of your drink or look at your phone. So best keep this in mind if you plan on using this chair around any curious creatures. Alongside this, I found that the phone pouches’ velcro did not fully close over my average-sized smartphone, which may lead it falling out if bumped.
Size and Weight
Coming in at 6kg, the Oztent King Goanna Camping Chair is definitely not one of the lightest chairs around, but certainly not the heaviest. Most of the weight is to do with the steel frame and thick polyester material of the seat.
The chair is also on the ‘plus-sized’ end of the scale, which although makes it great for sitting in, when packed up the bag does take up a fair bit of room. Due to this, and the weight, this chair would be unsuitable for hikers or those who will be carrying it long distances by hand. This chair is suited to car campers or those who only need to carry it a short distance from their vehicle.
Price and Warranty
Oztent must be pretty confident in their product, as they offer a 5-year manufacturer warranty with their camping chair. To get this, you will need to ‘register’ you chair with them. If you don’t, you will only be covered by a less-comprehensive statutory warranty.
Price-wise, the Oztent King Goanna Camping Chair is in the mid to high end of camping chairs. However, you get a high-quality product with a massive warranty from a reputable Australian brand.
You can purchase the Oztent King Goanna Camping Chair from Outdoria for $129.95.
King Goanna vs Goanna Camping Chair
The baby brother to King Goanna is the Goanna. The main differences between the two are that the King Goanna has the built-in headrest and better padding on the seat, while the Goanna has no headrest and less padding on the seat. The Goanna also weighs 1kg less and packs up to the same size as the King Goanna Camping Chair. Both feature adjustable lumbar and armrests, and two storage pouches.
King Goanna vs King Kokoda Camping Chair
There are a few differences between the King Kokoda and King Goanna Camping Chair. The King Kokoda features hard aluminium armrests, while King Goanna has soft polyester armrests. The King Goanna also features aluminium feet while King Kokoda has plastic ones instead. The aluminium armrests of the King Kokoda also makes the chair slightly heavier than the King Goanna.
Final Thoughts
All in all, the King Goanna Chair from Oztent is one of the best camping chairs I have ever had the pleasure to sit in. The padding and adjustable lumbar support were our favourite features, with the innovative headrest being a great addition to the chair. Although these features are sure to impress any camper, people with bad backs may relish in the extra support this chair can provide them.
However, there were a few little nitpicks, such as the low seat height and that the phone pouch couldn’t hold my phone, but the overall consensus is that this chair is worth the praise it receives.
This product tested in this review was supplied by the brand. We thank Oztent for the sample provided.
Download the free CamperMate app
So what the hell is CamperMate? We’re basically a bunch of travel addicts who love the outdoors, which is why we’ve created one place where you can book caravan parks, rent campervans, as well as share your experiences and stories. Whether you’re planning your next Australian road trip or camping adventure don’t forget to download our free app before you go, to find everything you need when you’re on the road.
