Owner Review by Eric Joshusa Jones

Crazy Creek Chair LongBack (Owner Review)

April 16, 2006
Name: Eric Jones
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 9" / 1.75 m
Weight: 155 lb / 70 kg
Email address: jones.shaggy@gmail.com
City, State, Country:Waldorf, MD USA

Backpacking Background:

I've been backpacking for five years now, mostly with my Boy Scout troop. I go on a lot of weekend trips typically on the AT or in Shenandoah National Park. I've done several weeklong trips including one in New Mexico Maine and Washington. I don't have much in terms of gear yet, just the basics, but I'm definitely trying make the move towards lightweight gear

Product Information:

Manufacturer: Crazy Creek Products
Year of Manufacture: 2003
URL: www.crazycreek.com
Listed Weight: 29 oz / 816 gr
Actual Weight: about 29 oz / 816 gr
Dimensions: 37 in x 17.5 in / 92 x 44 cm (unfolded)

Product Description:

The chair is made from a half-inch (12 mm) layer of closed-cell foam padding covered in 420D coated ripstop nylon. There are rods running up the sides of the chair to help maintain its shape. Two buckle straps on either side of the chair easily adjust to form anything from a "V" to an "L" shape. The chair also includes two hook and loop fastener straps to keep the chair shut and two handles at either end of the chair, that meet when collapsed, for carrying. On the chair's back, is also a mesh pocket and water bottle holder.

Test Conditions:

I have taking this chair on essentially all my backpacking trips in the last two years. Mostly overnight AT trips or similar terrain in Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland, but it also came with me on a weeklong canoeing/hiking trip in Maine. I also use the chair on regular camping trips and even around the house. Its been in elevations from sea level up to 5,000 feet (1,524 meters). It has been in temperatures down to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (-12 degrees celsius) all the way up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees celsius). And its been in pretty much everything from snow to rain and rock to dirt but mainly just dirt, I don't particularly like to sit out in the rain or snow if I don't have to.

Field Experience:

Before owning a Crazy Creek I had a cheaper knockoff version. It looked similar to the original Crazy Creek but I found it to be rather uncomfortable because the support rods dug into my back. After a couple uses I traded it to my friend for some waterproof pants and forked over the extra money to get a Crazy Creek. I fell in love right away. I don't know if it was the difference in brand or the long back design but I found it amazingly comfortable. I have been carrying it ever since. It is a little extra weight to carry but it doubles as my sleeping pad so it's not too bad. It is built very solidly. I've had the chair for a little over two years and in that time it has seen plenty of abuse. I tend to pull it from my pack and throw it on the ground, drag it all around the campsite, from the fire to the stove to the tent. It definitely shows signs of use but there aren't any tears, broken seams, or signs of it giving out. The only thing is the bottom of the chair has become discolored from being used in the dirt.

The chair is simple to use, It folds open and it sits much like a regular chair but with no legs. There are adjustable straps on the sides to change the angle made by the chair. The tricky part is fitting it into a pack. This took me a little while to figure out, but I found the best way is, once the chair is all folded up, fold it in half again long-ways, so it is roughly the size of a rolled up foam pad. Then I slip it under the straps of my pack, like I would a sleeping pad. This left a permanent crease in the center of my chair, however this doesn't affect the comfort of the chair.

As mentioned above I also use the chair as a sleeping pad. This works out pretty well; it is just a little shorter than a 3/4-length pad. Since this is the LongBack chair it stretches a little further then the original Crazy Creek. On me it reaches from my neck to about mid-thigh. I must admit the foam is pretty stiff though, and not as comfortable as other foam pads or especially an air mattress.

I find the Crazy Creek very useful. It's so nice to have a comfortable chair to sit down in after a long day of hiking instead of looking for a log or rock to sit on. The friends I hike with get jealous of my chair and often try to steal it when I'm not in it. The LongBack chair is nice because I think it's a little more comfortable and serves for a slightly longer sleeping pad. When sitting in the chair the back reaches to just below my shoulders providing great support, and if I slouch a little bit I can rest my head on the back of the chair. The long back is also 4 inches (10 cm) longer and weighs 3 oz (85 grams) more than the original Crazy Creek. I never found a need for the back mesh pocket, it just seems to mysteriously collect the trash of my hiking buddies.

Summary:

Pros
comfortable
compact

Cons
a little heavy
makes a stiff sleeping pad

Overall I really like my Crazy Creek, it is very convenient and comfortable but if I'm going for light weight I leave it behind.

Read more reviews of Crazy Creek gear
Read more gear reviews by Eric Joshusa Jones

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