The CORE Equipment Tension Chair with Carry Bag is a folding and collapsible steel camping chair with armrests and with a bonus cup holder and a phone holder.
Key features & benefits
- Carry bag included.
- Cup holder.
- Phone holder.
- Large chair.
- Light padding on the back and the seat.
- Superior support.
What is in the name
With the word tension, they want to say that this is not a saggy camp chair. On the contrary, the chair offers a great support and breathability due to its mesh area on the back. But you also have a right amount of padding in the seat and in the shoulder area for comfort without much bulk.
This is one of those chairs that fold like an umbrella from all four directions and it remains a bit long in one dimension only. Setting it up is easy and this is done in seconds. There is no assembly here, this is all one piece which you open in one move.
Who is it for
Capacity-wise, the chair supports the weight of up to 300 lb (136 kg), so this should be good enough for most of the users.
Weight-wise, you will realize from the comparison table below that with 9.6 lb (4.35 kg) this is a reasonably lightweight chair for such a type.
Size-wise, the dimensions of this chair are great (W x D x H) 37 x 25 x 37 inches (94 x 64 x 94 cm), and the seat size is (W x D) 22.5 x 16.5 inches (57 x 42 cm). So the back is quite high and you have a good back support, but this is not a chair with a headrest; if you need one of those, please check my text about the chairs with headrests.
Note that the seat here is at 19 inches (48 cm) above the ground, so it is moderately high and you have the armrests to help you get in and out of the chair.
The packed size is also quite typical, it fits easily into its carry bag which is of the dimensions (L x D) 39 x 6.1 inches (99 x 15.5 cm). So you need a car for transportation. As you see from the picture, you have a strap to carry it short distances over the shoulder.
Materials & construction
This is a steel construction so the mentioned weight is quite normal. You have tubes with 14.5 mm, 16 mm, and 19 mm in the diameter. The feet are such that the chair is best suited for a hard surface, it will sink if you use it on a soft terrain or on a sand. The sling is 600D polyester with a light padding, and a nylon mesh.
The chair comes with several bonuses and those include the carry bag, the oversized cup holder, the unique phone holder, and the armrests, you can see them in the pictures below.
My rating
This is a very affordable chair and you will realize this from the links. There is a limited number of customers’ reports on Amazon and so far the chair has scored an incredible 5.0/5 average rate.
Now, my rate is a bit different, but I use several criteria and I use them consistently for all the chairs in the site. So it is best to compare chairs side by side (you will see some below) rather than focusing on the absolute value of the rating.
My rating breakdown of the CORE Equipment Tension Chair:
Product Name: CORE Equipment Tension Chair
Product Description: The CORE Equipment Tension Chair with Carry Bag is a folding and collapsible steel camping chair with armrests and with a bonus cup holder and a phone holder.
Brand: Core
-
Weight - 6.5/10
6.5/10
-
Dimensions - 9.1/10
9.1/10
-
Packed size - 6.5/10
6.5/10
-
Capacity - 7.5/10
7.5/10
-
Comfort - 9.5/10
9.5/10
-
Craftsmanship - 9.3/10
9.3/10
Summary
My overall rating is well-deserved:
Pros
- Very easy to use.
- Very good price.
- Carry bag included.
- Great size.
- Quality construction.
Cons
- A bit long when packed.
User Review
( votes)Specifications
- Type: folding & collapsible chair.
- Weight: 9.6 lb (4.35 kg).
- Capacity: 300 lb (136 kg).
- Dimensions (W x D x H): 37 x 25 x 37 in (94 x 64 x 94 cm).
- Seat size (W x D): 22.5 x 16.5 in (57 x 42 cm).
- Seat height: 19 in (48 cm).
- Packed size (L x D): 39 x 6.1 in (99 x 15.5 cm).
- Frame: steel.
CORE Equipment Tension Chair vs Competitors
As mentioned above, it may be useful to compare this chair with some other models built in the same style. So I give two of them from the top brands. As you see, it is in between the two regarding the weight, dimensions, and the packed size, but the capacity is a bit lower. Please follow the links in the table to check the updated prices.
Weight,
lb (kg)
Dimensions
(W x D x H), in (cm)
Packed size,
in (cm)
Capacity,
lb (kg)
Frame
CORE Tension Chair
9.6
(4.35)
37 x 25 x 37
(94 x 64 x 94)
39 x 6.1 x 6.1
(99 x 16 x 16)
300 (136)
steel
Kamp-Rite Padded Chair
9
(4.08)
35 x 22 x 38
(89 x 56 x 96)
39 x 9 x 8
(99 x 23 x 20)
350 (159)
steel
ALPS Mountaineering King Kong
12.5
(5.7)
38 x 20 x 38
(96 x 51 x 96)
41 x 7 x 7
(104 x 18 x 18)
800 (363)
steel
Final thoughts
In summary, this CORE Equipment Tension Chair is nicely built with lots of mesh and very suitable for camping in warm areas. The packed size is standard for this type and transporting it in the car should not be an issue. The CORE is a reliable brand and this is a quality chair, I can fully recommend it.
I have included it in my list of folding camping chairs. Note that there is yet another chair from the same brand here in the site, the CORE Equipment Folding Padded Hard Arm Chair, with the solid armrests, just to know. If you want something with the best lumbar support, check this STRONGBACK Elite Chair and also the STRONGBACK Guru Folding Camp Chair with lumbar support.
Check on Amazon
Check at Walmart
If you need more options, just search in the category Camping Chairs here in the site, there are all possible models reviewed in detail, so you will find something for you.
Thank you for reading and please use the comment box below if you have any questions or comments.