The Kijaro Dual Lock Folding Chair is hands-down one of the most favorite models that we tested. A steal at $35, it's also lightweight, comfortable, attractive, has good ventilation, AND is super stable! Whew, no wonder it was a favorite! Another great feature about this chair is its versatility. It is ideal for camping, tailgating, hanging out on the beach, and more.
Performance Comparison
Easy to use and universally comfortable, the Kijaro swept up the Best Buy award and narrowly missed the Editors' Choice Award as well.
Comfort
The two chairs that received a higher comfort score than the Kijaro were the Eureka Curvy High-Back and the ALPS Mountaineering King Kong. Our testers were divided about these candidates. Those who preferred more support thought that the Kijaro was more comfortable. Those who wanted "slouchier," more cushioned models preferred the other chairs. The Kijaro is positioned in an upright but relaxed position that is perfect for closing your eyes and napping or relaxing and reading a book. Testers really appreciated the extra support this chair provided. The taut fabric of the Kijaro, coupled with its spacious and supportive armrests provide comfortable seating all day.
In addition to excellent support, the Kijaro also has a ventilated back mesh panel. This feature made long lounge sessions in the sun comfortable and breezy, which helps prevent your shirt from getting soaked with sweat. However, compared to the luxurious seat of the Eureka, the Kijaro's mesh panel is basic. The Eureka's seat has multiple layers of mesh, which increases the fabric's durability, and the mesh makes up both the back and the seat of the chair.
The Kijaro's cup holders can fit a 12 oz soda can. Here a tester relaxes at camp after a day of rock climbing.
Portability
The Kijaro Dual Lock Folding Chair was one of the most portable traditional style chairs that we tested. What makes it so easy to travel with is its lightweight design and built-in carrying strap. The carrying strap was unique to this model, and we loved it! This design eliminates the step of having to pack the chair in its storage bag for travel. Since these chairs are designed for use in a temporary location, increased portability makes them more user-friendly. With this strap, the Kijaro was solidified as the most convenient traditional chair and the most comfortable model to pack around.
Our Best Buy winner was out-performed in this metric by some of the more portable models, like the ALPS Mountaineering Rendezvous and Big Agnes Helinox Chair One. The Rendezvous costs $45 and also has an upright chair orientation and taut fabric in the back and seat. Additionally, this model only weighs seven pounds and is just under two feet long when collapsed. The biggest practical difference between the Rendezvous and the Kijaro is the seat height: the seat of the Kijaro is 19 inches from the ground, and the Rendezvous is three inches. If you like firm chairs and want one that is packable, consider the Rendezvous. If not, we preferred the seat height and overall comfort of the Kijaro.
The built-in carrying strap eliminated the need to use the chair's storage sack and made disassembly incredibly simple.
Durability
The seat of the Kijaro is constructed with 600 x 300D ripstop polyester and has a weight capacity of 300 lbs. This is reassuring because the taut construction of the seat made some folks question if the fabric was more stressed than in some of the slouchier models. Regardless, there was no noted wear or tear to the materials at the end of the testing process. If it is of concern to you, the yellow material did have an affinity for picking up stains.
Ease of Set-Up
Assembly was no problem with the Kijaro. The only challenge was finding the "lock/unlock" button that must be pressed before setting up the chair. Once you remember to push the button, set-up is over. The chair just needs to be pulled apart in the same way that the other traditional models do.
The overall assembly takes less than 5 seconds. Not bad! When collapsing the Kijaro, the lock button must again be engaged to allow the chair to fold up.
This button must be pressed in order to set-up and take down the Kijaro.
Features
Each armrest has one cup holder, and there is one side storage pouch for keeping a few essentials accessible. Unfortunately, the cup holders are a little small for coffee mugs, but they do fit 12 oz cans. The storage pouch is pretty slim and has room for a cell phone, keys, and a couple of snack bars. This is better than no storage, but testers became accustomed to the luxurious additional features of models like the King Kong, ENO Lounger DL, and Kelty Low Loveseat. Prolonged lounging requires more than just a couple of snacks, and with these competing models, it was nice to have all necessary items accessible and off of the ground.
Best Applications
As already discussed, the Kijaro Dual Lock Folding Chair is incredibly versatile. As a result, we recommend it to those readers who want seating for multiple uses. It is comfortable for activities that involve sitting for a long period, such as a summer concert or hanging out at a fire ring. But it is also portable enough to carry on a 10-15 min walk, such as for a day of fishing or down a boardwalk to the beach.
Testers loved the feel (and the price) of the Kijaro!
Value
For $40, this chair isn't just a good value, it is the best value, which is why we awarded it our Best Buy Award. Testers felt that this chair would last for many years and was good for a large variety of uses. These factors, coupled with its price, resulted in the Kijaro taking home top honors. Several other chairs were within $5 of the Kijaro, but none rivaled its performance. The REI Camp X costs the same, but its low back only provides partial back support. The Onepack Ultralight, for $40, is a hybrid portable model with good support, but our testers had significant concerns about its longevity.
Testers loved the back support and the mega useful carrying strap of our Best Buy winner - the Kijaro chair.
Conclusion
The Kijaro Dual Lock Folding Chair performed nearly as well as our Editors' Choice winner, the ALPS Mountaineering King Kong, yet it cost less than half of the price. It was easy to carry and is recommended for the widest variety of activities. Thanks to its taut seat, this chair has a very supportive feeling. Almost all our testers thought it was comfortable, but some did prefer the more slack and cushioned feeling of the King Kong or the Eureka. Overall, the Kijaro was received with great reviews and is an affordable, reliable, and versatile camping chair option.
