GCI Outdoor Comfort Pro Review

The GCI Outdoor Comfort Pro is an accordion-style folding chair that slides into a long carry sack with a single shoulder strap. It features a fine mesh back panel, a single narrow cupholder, and a smartphone pocket.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

For folks searching for a taller chair that's easier to get out of, the Comfort Pro is ready for you. The front edge is about 20 inches high, and the middle of the seat where your bum goes is right around 15 inches off the ground. This above-average height proved to be a favorite among our taller testers, particularly those over 6 feet, as well as many of our senior citizen contributors. Widely spaced arms that flare out from the sides give a comfortable berth around the torso when seated and solid support for getting up by pushing off the fronts of the arms. This chair is more supportive than many other slouchy chairs we tested — though not quite as supportive as the Kijaro Dual Lock The two chairs look extremely similar, but the Comfort Pro lacks the locking mechanism that gives the Kijaro its steadfast seat support.

The Comfort Pro lacks padding, which may cut down on the comfort level, but it comes in handy on a hot day. Its fabric is relatively smooth, and a panel of fine mesh runs the length of the back, right where your spine goes. This extra ventilation, lack of padding, and generally un-slouchy sitting experience all feel nice when summer temperatures hit their peak. While our panel of taller testers loved the throne-like comfort of this oversized chair, shorter users often found it too tall to be comfortable. Those 5' 6" and shorter reported feeling like the edge of the seat was digging into the bottoms of their legs in a rather unpleasant manner. If your height is somewhere in the middle, it's probably worth sitting in one of these before you decide if it's the right chair for you.

Portability

In its long stuff sack, the GCI Comfort Pro weighs just under 8.5 pounds, putting it on the lighter end of average among models we tested. The bag has a single shoulder strap to help you get from your car to the BBQ, but it lacks any adjustability. Though we didn't think this simple design would be an issue at first, the sheer length of this packed-up chair proved to be an additional obstacle that can make it a bit awkward to carry. Because the back poles cross each other from the base of the legs up to the top of the back (unlike more traditional chairs that cross only below the seat), the Comfort Pro is far longer (folded up) than it is tall (set up). When carrying, the unadjustable shoulder strap and long length of this chair combine to make for a doable but clumsy package.

That long folded length may also pose a challenge when packing the Comfort Pro into your vehicle. At 37 inches stowed, we had no issues tossing it in most trunks or backseat for a quick foray to the game or park. But once we started packing a mid-sized hatchback with everything we needed for a weekend of camping with two humans and a big dog, it became a bit more challenging to appropriately Tetris into place. Still, it's not too far from what we'd expect from a chair of this style. Overall, it's on the lighter end of the spectrum and isn't terrible to cart around when you need to.

Quality

The Comfort Pro advertises a weight capacity of 300 pounds, which is pretty normal among camp chairs. It's constructed with ripstop polyester wrapped around steel poles. We test every chair's ability to withstand high weight loads and put them through some rough jumping (which we do not recommend doing) and plopping tests. The Comfort Pro felt pretty solid and stable through all of our testing. Its wide base and crossed-pole design help keep it stable even when you lean out of it to grab something that's almost too far away.

However, this chair does have some odd metal L brackets that join the legs and back supports together. These brackets are simply riveted into both poles, allowing whatever weight is put on the back of the chair to transfer directly to the rivets themselves. In theory, there should never be that much weight on the back of the chair, as your body is resting on the seat instead. We never had any issues with this configuration during our testing. The only other minor complaint we have about the Comfort Pro is that the seams could be more reinforced to better withstand extended outdoor use. They're not bad, just not as thick or augmented as some others we tested.

Ease of Use

It's hard to go wrong with the simple accordion-style folding mechanism of the Comfort Pro. It's easy to set up and features a single mesh cup holder in the right arm that's just the right size for a standard 12-ounce can of soda or beer. But if you're trying to fit a Nalgene or wide tumbler, you're out of luck. It also has a sewn-in pocket that hangs from the inside of the left arm. This pocket is not very versatile, though, as it's just large enough to slide an oversized smartphone into.

We also noticed that the ends of the legs are a bit narrower than many others, which can let this chair sink some into soft ground (like muddy campsites). Their angle helps mitigate this, and fortunately, this chair's height still feels good, even if it does sink a little. When it's time to break down, simply fold the chair and slide it into the end of its drawstring closure carry bag.

Should You Buy the GCI Outdoor Comfort Pro?

With a lot of comfortable attributes and a simple design that's easy to use, this low-price chair is a great value item. It features an angled back with a ventilated mesh panel that adds comfort to its high seat and widely flared arms. The upright design and easy-to-get-out-of seat can better support those with a larger and taller frame. While this chair didn't receive the highest marks, we've certainly paid more for less in our search for the best camping chair.

What Other Camping Chairs Should You Consider?

The GCI Outdoor Comfort Pro is a solid chair at a reasonable price; however, for a bit more, you should consider the Kijaro Dual Lock Folding Chair. The Kijaro features a similar taut design with an upright, supportive backrest to prevent slouching, but it also has a locking mechanism that keeps the frame in place. If money is no object, our top-ranking chair is the ALPS Mountaineering King Kong, and the Yeti Trailhead provides a truly luxurious seat.