Coleman Cooler Quad Review
Cons: Not vary durable, difficult to fit in bag, poles feel rickety, "headrest" difficult to use
Manufacturer: Coleman
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Coleman Cooler Quad | |||||
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| Awards |  | | | ||
| Price | $34.76 at Amazon | $50 List Check Price at REI | $35.00 at REI | $40 List | $31 List |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Simple to use, attached cooler storage, inexpensive | Comfortable, portable, well-ventilated, stable, great storage, easy to use, inexpensive | Easy to set up, tall angled back, supportive, high seat height, less expensive | Comfortable, easily portable, not bad to get out of, simple to use, sturdy | Simple and easy to use, reasonably portable, good features, inexpensive |
| Cons | Not vary durable, difficult to fit in bag, poles feel rickety, "headrest" difficult to use | Low back height, slightly lower seat height, cup holder not ideal for thin beverages | Very tall seat, limited pockets, no locking mechanism, less supportive, long when packed | Very close to ground, learning curve to fold up | Slouchy, narrow seat, durability concerns |
| Bottom Line | A slouchy, rickety chair, but inexpensive and with a tiny attached cooler | It's tough to complain about this versatile and portable chair, especially considering the price | A tall chair with a simple set up that's easy to use and less expensive to buy | A nifty, comfortable low-to-the-ground chair that just works | An inexpensive chair that's easy to use and like, with an attached cooler to keep refreshments cold and at hand |
| Rating Categories | Coleman Cooler Quad | REI Co-op Camp X | GCI Outdoor Comfort... | REI Co-op Camp Stow... | Portable |
| Comfort (40%) | |||||
| Portability (25%) | |||||
| Durability (20%) | |||||
| Ease Of Setup (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Coleman Cooler Quad | REI Co-op Camp X | GCI Outdoor Comfort... | REI Co-op Camp Stow... | Portable |
| Weight (pounds) | 8.2 lb | 8.0 lb | 8.3 lb | 6.0 lb | 6.3 lb |
| Weight Capacity (pounds) | 325 lb | 300 lb | 300 lbs | 250 lb | 225 lb |
| Folded Dimensions (inches) | 38" x 8" x 8" | 33" x 7" x 7" | 45" x 7" x 5" | 27" x 9" x 9" | 35" x 8" x 8" |
| Unfolded Dimensions (inches) | 39" x 37" x 23" | 21" x 31" x 31" | 25" x 35" x 37" | 22" x 22" x 24" | 34" x 20" x 36" |
| Seat Height (in middle, in inches) | 14.0" | 11.5" | 15" | 5.0" | 11.5" |
| Features | Built in 4-can cooler, side pocket, mesh cup holder, adjustable armrests | 1 uniquely shaped cup holder, "stowable" armrest pouch, adjustable armrests | Beverage holder, small sleeve pocket | Mesh back and seat center, foam-wrapped armrests | Built in 4-can cooler pouch, mesh up holder, side mesh pocket |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Coleman Cooler Quad is a fairly standard-sized folding sports chair. It comes with an over-the-shoulder carry bag and features a single cup holder, a side pocket, adjustable armrests, and a 4-can mini cooler.
Performance Comparison
Comfort
As far as comfort goes, this chair is a pretty average slouchy seat, upright back combo, like many others we tested. It is slightly thicker, with at least a couple layers of fabric making up the body. The armrests are technically adjustable, though they are only attached through the round discs, making it easy to accidentally push them down with your elbow during a routine readjustment. Coleman advertises this chair as having a headrest, which we think is a bit of a stretch. The back of the chair does go up behind where a head could theoretically be (based on height and posture). However, unless you get that positioning exactly right, that unsupported fabric does very little to hold your head up. And even if you do manage to wiggle into the perfect placement, it's truly just an extension of the regular chair back and not an actual headrest. In all other ways, we think the comfort of this chair is average at best.
Portability
Another area in which the Coleman is about average. It's of average size and shape and weight. It comes with a bag that has a shoulder strap to cart it around. Weighing just over 8 pounds, it's fairly average. The carry bag is rather thin though, letting you feel whatever section of the chair happens to rest upon your back or side. But you probably won't be carrying it terribly far, and it's not awful over short stretches.
Durability
We aren't particularly impressed by the durability of the Coleman Quad. Nothing broke during our testing, but we are left with some serious doubts about this chair's ability to last for years. The poles are quite thin and bendy. We're unsure if, after several seasons of abuse, they might bend or snap as you push your way out of this chair. Despite having a steel frame, it feels rather rickety. This makes it not particularly sturdy or inspiring when it comes to lasting longer than a much cheaper chair. Ours also came with some sloppy seams and ends poking out, which certainly did not look better by the end of our testing period. The carry bag, in particular, is thin and fragile, with seams that look like they're just waiting for the moment to explode open and dump your seat on the ground. Again, nothing broke on this chair during our few months of testing, but we are nevertheless skeptical of its longevity.
Ease of Setup
By far the best thing about this chair is how easy it is to set up. It just folds outwards like an accordion. The cooler is also easy to use, with a handy pull-on top that unzips both sides simultaneously. A small patch of velcro is all that's left between you and your four cold beverages.
However, this chair is tricky to fit back into its bag. The cooler in the armrest sticks out at an odd angle and resists being squeezed back into a sack that's barely large enough to hold it. And if you don't take the time to carefully compress it into the right crevice, it could be the straw that broke the camel's back and spells the end of that flimsy bag.
Features
Beyond the cooler, the Coleman has a single mesh cup holder that's just barely wide enough to squeeze in an iPhone 8+, and a side seat pocket with one large pocket and two smaller mesh pockets to keep you organized.
Value
Though it's one of the least expensive chairs we tested, we're still not sure it's worth it. Lackluster performance and a cooler that's only moderately useful but surprisingly in the way make us feel like there are much better options out there, even if the chair and cooler have to separate.
Conclusion
If you're after a novelty chair with an included cooler, you've found it. But if you want something comfortable enough to watch an all-day soccer tournament and durable enough to bring back every season, we don't think this one is a winner.
— Maggie Brandenburg