Kelty Low Loveseat Review

The Low Loveseat is a padded two-person folding chair that sits fairly low to the ground. The design folds up accordion-style like many standard camping chairs and easily fits into a wrap-around carry bag with a wide strap that also functions as a dog bed for your furry friend. It features insulated cupholders that hold a variety of beverages, along with adjustable armrests. This chair is sure to be a hit on your next camping trip or backyard BBQ.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

The Low Loveseat is one of the most comfortable chairs that we tested. The seat, back, and armrests are padded, which helps insulate you from the cold and provide top-notch luxury in the great outdoors. The armrests are also thoughtfully adjustable — each has a small plastic buckle to hold them in the exact measurement you prefer. Both seats are nice and wide — no cramming in this chair, sitting on each others' laps, or relinquishing personal space.

Though you might look at this chair and think you could fit a third person (it measures a whopping 44 inches wide), a support bar in the middle of the seat and backrest makes that spot pretty uncomfortable for all but a small child or your pet. While we understand that this middle bar supports the overall structure, it also makes lying down on this loveseat uncomfortable. The design is nice and low to the ground (holding your bum just 7 inches from the ground), which provides a comfortable lounging position and prevents the seat from digging uncomfortably into the backs of the thighs. Between the low height of this chair and its durable construction, we found it quite stable both on solid ground and in the sand. That said, the height may be a challenge for certain folks to get in and out of. If that sounds like you, perhaps consider buying the regular-sized Kelty Loveseat — at 19 inches high on the front of the seat, it's on par with other more traditional foldable camping chairs.

Portability

It's no surprise that the Low Loveseat is one of the largest of all the camping chairs we reviewed — at 15.5 pounds, it's not a chair you're going to want to carry a mile from your car. However, as a two-person chair, the extra size and weight are to be expected. Really, compared to the rest of the traditional camping chairs, it's not outrageous — the Loveseat is not double the weight or size of other options, and yet comfortably seats double the people.

The carry case for this chair makes all the difference regarding portability. With a wide, padded, adjustable shoulder strap and two easy-grab handles on either end, this chair is simple to carry. Whether you're crossing the beach to find the perfect spot, wandering through the park for the perfect picnic area, or going up a flight of stairs to your buddy's pad for a game night, the carry case makes carting around the Loveseat easier than you'd think.

Quality

The 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. It also has one of the highest weight capacities in our review (500 pounds), and our reviewers say that plopping heavily into the Kelty actually feels strong and stable — and doesn't make your partner bounce like they are in a hammock. After piling up to six adults onto this sturdy frame, our testing team is happy to report that the structure showed no signs of strain or damage from the heavy load.

We are quite impressed with the cup holders and carry bag, two areas of many camping chairs that tend to fail relatively quickly. The cup holders are made of the same material as the chair but with a mesh bottom, allowing for some extra insulation for your beverage in addition to making them easy to clean. The carry case, too, is made of the same padded material as the chair, and using it is simple. Kelty even advertises that the carry case can be used as a dog bed for your furry friend, as a means to carry multiple chairs, firewood, or other gear.

Our main tester has had the same Loveseat for over three years and reports it still works as well as the day she first got it. The colors of the fabric and poles have faded a bit, and some of the edge reinforcements are finally starting to come apart from UV damage. But considering this chair lives outside nine or ten months out of the year at an elevation that experiences such intense UV rays that home window warranties don't cover her location, we think this is some seriously impressive durability.

Ease of Use

The Low Loveseat boasts one of the easiest camping chair set-ups — simply grab the two sides of the frame and pull them apart. This takes no thought and hardly any effort. Even getting this chair out of its carry case is easy — the case unbuckles (just three adjustable plastic buckles), and you lift the feet out of the bottom pocket. It's one of our favorite camping chair carrying cases, one we actually use instead of leaving it at home. A couple of other features we love are the buckles that allow you to adjust the armrests and the extra-large cup holders with an additional built-in divider.

Packing the Low Loveseat to go is just as easy as setting it up. Just grab the sides of the frame and squeeze them together. It is one of the most convenient setups of all the camping chairs we reviewed, and this process takes less than 30 seconds. To pack everything up, all you have to do is stick the feet back into the cupped bottom 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.

Should You Buy the Kelty Low Loveseat?

At the end of the day, we were thoroughly impressed with this chair. As one of the few two-person camping chairs on the market, we weren't sure how it would stack up when compared to others. And yet, after years of using the Low Loveseat under the harsh sun and even some snow, we still adore 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 this fun and functional seat.

What Other Camping Chairs Should You Consider?

While the Low Loveseat is a great option for a two-person camping chair, we think you might also like the REI Co-op Outward Low Padded if padded seats are what you're after. Also, check out the Alps Mountaineering King Kong] — while not a two-person chair, it boasts a weight limit of up to 800 pounds and has a wide seat that can pretty comfortably fit two smaller love birds. And if seating for two is what you're after but you're interested in a more affordable option, check out the Mountain Summit Gear Loveseat that also received high scores in most of our testing metrics.