ARB camp chair review

jeeper

Currently without Jeep
Location
So Jo, Ut
I have been wanting to do a review of my new ARB camp chair for some time now... It now has quite a few miles on it, and in not 'new' at all.
I have taken about a million pictures of my chair being used in all kinds of places.. but all you get tonight is a stock photo pulled form the internet :rolleyes:. Lame, I know.

My ARB chair journey started about a year ago. I had a very nice, super comfy, padded double camp chair that the wife and I LOVED. It was nice. However, it was bulky, heavy, hard to find a good level spot to park it on, and was hard to close up. But all that didn't matter because it was COMFORTABLE! Camp chairs are designed to suck. I doubt any chair designer has actually used a camp chair, because they would hang themselves for making something that sucked so bad.
Our double chair looked like this:
double chair.jpg

Enter ARB: We went camping with some good friends last summer. My buddy pulled out his 'ARB' chair, and somewhere inside myself I laughed. Who pays for an 'ARB' badged chair??? That idiot probably paid waaaaaay more than I paid for my comfortable chair, and its still just a crummy camp chair with ARB stitched into it. I made a joke about how much it must have cost, and he just agreed. 'WHAT!!!!!!' I thought. He didn't even disagree with my intentional jab at his reckless spending!
ARB chair:
arb chair.jpg

Fast forward a day or two, both my wife and his wife fell asleep at camp in MY chair (see, it IS comfortable). This left only the ARB for me to sit in.

Fine...

...and then.....

WOWSER!!!!

WHAT A GREAT CHAIR!

WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE??

I couldn't believe that a camp chair could be that comfortable. I had to have one. Cost no longer mattered. Within a short time, I had picked up my own ARB chair. You can get them from many places. I picked mine up at Cruiser Outfitters. Their service was great, and I felt better about buying local.

Nearly a year later, I have been incredibly happy with the chair. I find that I take it anywhere I can. They are times that I know where I am going will have chairs or benches available, but I choose to take the ARB instead. I don't typically sit around, so when I do, it's going to be worth while, and the ARB is worth while.

The quality of the chair has been great. The chair is made with full aluminum arm rest, has plenty of seat room, and allows for a relaxed sit without tweaking the back or having that annoying edge that always cuts off the blood circulation in your thighs. The chair has a full sized pocket on the back. There is a drink holder and a covered pouch on the right side. The chair has locking tabs on the back to hold it in a firm open position, and to hold it firmly in a closed position when folded. It has held up to many people at one time. It has held up to some LARGE people sitting in it. It has ventured deep in to the outdoors in the bed of my truck or trailer. It has become a part of my family.

If I could complain about any part of the chair, it would be the carry bag. The bag is made of a thin nylon material. It does not hold up well to the bouncing and sliding in the truck. The bag will be easily worn through at any part being rubbed between the chair and surface of the truck bed/trailer. Once this was learned, we have been able to pack the chair in a way to protect the bag. We have talked about having my wife sew a better bag to keep it in.

The last time I used it I noticed the slides inside the arm rest to fold it up were a bit sticky. I had a hard time closing it tonight also. I will spay some dry lube in the sliders to see if it will free it up a bit.

I encourage you to take the opportunity to sit in an ARB camp chair when you can, but be prepared to shell out some coin afterwards because there is no going back. The cost may be a bit higher than a typical chair, but a typical chair only makes it a season or two before it falls apart and needs to be replaced. The ARB will be here for years to come, and you will actually enjoy your sitting experience.

-Brian
 

I Lean

Mbryson's hairdresser
Vendor
Location
Utah
I agree 100% with everything you said--but I will add that one downside to these chairs is that they are fairly bulky when folded up...probably take up twice the space that a "normal" camp chair does.
 

TRD270

Emptying Pockets Again
Supporting Member
Location
SaSaSandy
Love my ARB camp chair, i've had mine for about 3 years now still going strong. Super comfy, and yes the bag does kinda suck mine has some tears in it, as previously mentioned I just to pack it more carefully now. They do get a bit sticky after they've been out in the dirt a few times and become a bit difficult to open, but I still wouldn't trade it for any other chair. It may cost 3x as much as a cheapy, but my el cheap'o chairs only seem to last about a year so its already paid for itself.
 

jeeper

Currently without Jeep
Location
So Jo, Ut
I agree 100% with everything you said--but I will add that one downside to these chairs is that they are fairly bulky when folded up...probably take up twice the space that a "normal" camp chair does.

This is true, but coming from our last chair that was 8x's the size, the ARB seems reasonable. I haven't had a regular chair in years, so size was never a concern for me.
 

DewYota

Registered User
Location
Lehi, UT
i have a set of these, i do agree they can be comfy, but at times i opt for the smaller chairs. i find it a lot of work to get these chairs open. Im a smaller guy, and my wife wont even try to open it. So if have a hormone disorder and are under weight like me this chair might not be for you. I probably dont have a hormone disorder but i love quoting hot rod.
 

jeeper

Currently without Jeep
Location
So Jo, Ut
I finally got a picture worth using in this review..
Our spot in the swell, with a great view.

IMG_5007[1].jpg

I went to my brothers house this evening, and he has picked up and ARB, but in black and red..
IMG_5135[1].JPG
 

jeeper

Currently without Jeep
Location
So Jo, Ut
Holy smokes, I am going on 6 years with the same chair!? Crazy good reliability.
On our last trip I had a casualty. One if the screws had worked itself out, and the chair corner is no longer supported. I looked everywhere for the part, but couldn’t find it.
Does anyone know if I can buy just this plastic nub piece?
BE15D2B4-A94D-47C5-9F6B-D79E8E404C64.jpeg

I’ve current just got a screw driver stuck down the hole.
 

Tonkaman

Well-Known Member
Location
West Jordan
Holy smokes, I am going on 6 years with the same chair!? Crazy good reliability.
On our last trip I had a casualty. One if the screws had worked itself out, and the chair corner is no longer supported. I looked everywhere for the part, but couldn’t find it.
Does anyone know if I can buy just this plastic nub piece?
View attachment 129884

I’ve current just got a screw driver stuck down the hole.
Dude! You stole my chair, didn’t you?

I literally pulled my chair out a couple of hours ago to find it missing that very same part! Come clean Brian, you swapped me chairs the other night didn’t you?
 

jeeper

Currently without Jeep
Location
So Jo, Ut
Dude! You stole my chair, didn’t you?

I literally pulled my chair out a couple of hours ago to find it missing that very same part! Come clean Brian, you swapped me chairs the other night didn’t you?

You thought I was there to 'help'. Sucker.
 
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