Okay, it's obvious; this chair seats two people instead of just one. That's cool! But how does it really stack up to the other chairs? Are you and your chair-sharer going to be comfortable? Are you going to be able to lug around this beastly two-seater? Is it easy to use? Will it even last having two humans lounging instead of just one? We put this chair to all the same tests we used for all our camping chairs to see how it stacked up. Read on to see how it performed in all the important metrics.
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Performance Comparison
From the moment we found out this chair existed, we were eager to check it out for ourselves. As a two-person camping chair, the Kelty automatically stands out from the rest. We were pleasantly surprised to find it just as comfortable if not more than the rest of the camping chairs in this review. A myriad of features - from padded material and lower seat height to a convenient carry case and some excellent features - make the Kelty Low Loveseat a fantastic and unique camping chair. Check out how this chair measures up to the rest of the one-seaters in our review to see if it's the right chair for you.
Comfort
The Kelty Low Loveseat is a pretty comfortable chair to hang out in. The seat, back, and armrests are padded, just like the luxuriously comfortable ALPS Mountaineering King Kong. The armrests are an adjustable height as well - and not like most camping chairs, where you just slide it up or down and rely on the weight of your arm to hold it in place. The Kelty armrests each have a small plastic buckle to hold the armrest exactly where you want it. Each of the two seats of the Kelty are nice and wide - no cramming in this chair or sitting on each others' laps! Though you might look at this chair and think you could fit a third person in the middle (it's a whopping 44 inches wide!), there's a support bar in the middle that would make that spot pretty uncomfortable for all but a small child or possibly your cat. This middle bar also makes laying down in this loveseat not an ideal way to lounge. But if you want to sit next to your beau, this is a great option - and one of the only two-seater camping chairs on the market!
The Kelty is also nice and low to the ground (just 13.5 inches high), which provides a comfortable lounging position and prevents the seat from digging uncomfortably into the backs of your thighs. However, this may be a challenge for certain folks to get in and out of, because it's so close to the ground. If that sounds like you, perhaps consider buying the regular sized Kelty Love Seat - at 19 inches from the ground, it's on par with other foldable camping chairs like the Eureka Curvy High-Back or ALPS Mountaineering King Kong. Between the low height of this chair and durable construction, we also found this chair to be quite stable both on solid ground and in the sand. Overall, we were quite pleased with the comfort of the Kelty Low Loveseat.
Adjustable arm rests make the Kelty more versatile to different comfort desires.
Portability
It's no surprise that this two-person camping chair is the largest of all the camping chairs we reviewed - at 15lbs 8oz, it's not a chair you're going to love carrying a mile from your car! However, as a two-person chair, you'd expect that extra size and weight. Really, compared the rest of the traditional camping chairs, it's not double the weight or size, and yet seats double the people. The next closest chair by weight or size is the 12 pound Eureka Curvy High-Back.
The carry case for this chair makes all the difference when it comes to portability. With a wide, padded, adjustable shoulder strap, and two easy-grab handles on either end, this chair is so simple to carry with you. Whether you're crossing the beach to find the perfect spot, wandering through the park for the perfect picnic area, or up a flight of stairs to your buddy's pad for a game night, the carry case makes it much easier than you'd think. And even if you're heading to an event by yourself, you'll have an extra chair for a friend. The only real downside to carrying this chair is that it's very large and heavy.
While not the smallest packed chair we reviewed (by a long-shot!) the convenience of this carry case helps take the pain away from carting it around.
Durability
The Kelty Low Loveseat is made of thick, sturdy materials. With padded 600D polyester fabric and a thick durable steel frame, this chair is constructed to stand up to plenty of wear and tear. With the second-highest weight capacity in this review of 500 lb (first place goes to the ALPS Mountaineering King Kong with a rocking 800 lb capacity!), our reviewers remarked that plopping heavily into the Kelty actually feels strong and stable. And to boot, it doesn't make your partner bounce like in a hammock!
We were also quite impressed with the cupholders and carry bag; two areas of many camping chairs that tend to fail relatively quickly. The cupholders are made of the same material as the chair but with a mesh bottom. This makes them easy to clean and ready to last the trials of the many objects you might put in them. The carry case too is made of the same padded material as the chair, and using it is simple and straightforward, making it more difficult to wear out. Kelty even advertises that the carry case can be used to carry multiple chairs, or firewood or other gear!
This wide, padded strap is not only comfortable to use, but is also well-constructed so you can cart your Kelty all around.
Ease of Set-Up
The Kelty Low Loveseat boasts one of the easiest camping chair set-ups - simply grab the two sides of the frame and pull them apart. Ta-da!! This takes no thought and hardly any effort. Even getting this chair out of its carry case is so easy - the case unbuckles (just three adjustable plastic buckles) and you lift the feet out of the bottom pocket. That's it!
Taking the Kelty down is just as easy as setting it up. Just grab the sides of the frame and squeeze them together! One of the most convenient set-ups of all the camping chairs we reviewed, it takes less than 30 seconds and is on par with the King Kong and Eureka Curvy High-Back. The carry case is where this chair stands out again. To put the chair back in, there's no squishing or sliding the case on top or asking a friend to help. All you have to do is stick the feet back into the bottom cupped portion of the case and clip the rest of the case back around the chair. Cinch the whole thing tight and you're ready to rock!
How easy is it to put away this loveseat? So easy!
Features
This chair has some excellent features that help it stand out from the crowd. Beyond just being a two-person camping chair (what the what??), it also has three additional features that popped out to us. First, the armrests being adjustable with a plastic buckle (as discussed in the Comfort section) we thought was a pretty nifty feature. Second, the carry case is so easy to use and helpful for other things as well. Kelty themselves advertises the case as a great way to transport firewood, multiple chairs, and other gear. It's padded, aiding in the longevity of the case as well as being a decent pad for ground sitting or an impromptu picnic. The third feature worth noting is the extra large cup holders with a built-in additional divider. This means you could fit your size-of-your-face coffee mug in the armrest, or if you have a regular sized drink (aka beer!), you still have room in the cup holder area to hold other objects like your cell phone, sunscreen or a small snack.
Not just any cup holder, the Kelty has an adaptive cup holder that fits more than just your drink!
Best Applications
The obvious best use for the Kelty Low Loveseat is as a two-person camping chair. However, we loved the shocking portability of this chair aided by the convenient carry case as well as the overall comfort, durability, cool features, and how easy it is to use. Even if you're headed to that bonfire by yourself, this two-person chair will likely be a hit with everyone and probably score you some new friends! And don't forget about Fido - he'd love to sit next to you while you both enjoy the outdoors.
Value
Though a bit on the pricey side, retailing around $100, we still think this is an absolute steal for such a comfortable and durable chair that seats not one but TWO outdoor enthusiasts! We think this is a great bargain and can't think of any reason why you should pay as much for just one chair when you could get two seats for the same price.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, we were thoroughly impressed with this chair. As one of the only two-person camping chairs on the market, we weren't sure how it would stack up when compared to other camping chairs. We were so surprised at how much we liked it! If you're searching for a cozy camping chair for two, or a great way to make some new friends, we think you'll find so many reasons to love the Kelty Low Loveseat.
The Low Loveseat is a unique and comfortable option for BFFs, snugglers, dog-lovers, and folks who like to share!
