Front Runner Expander chair review

THE CAMP chair has always been an awkward shape to stow in a fourbie; some fold up better than others, but in most cases you’re left with an object that’s either too long or too wide to pack easily into the limited space available.

Enter Front Runner’s Expander camp chair. The chair’s strong construction can hold a hefty 115kg, with a base that sits 430mm from the dirt and a reasonable width of 500mm. Plus, it weighs in at just four kilograms. What’s more impressive is that it collapses to 1/16 of its original size, making it an ideal option for space-challenged interiors, roof racks, camper trailers or caravan boots.

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Set-up is relatively easy: slide the chair out of its (optional) carry bag, release the Velcro straps and place it vertically on the ground with one foot on the base bars, then pull up gently to raise the frame to its normal height.

Take hold of the two wings on either side of the chair frame and move them out and up in a smooth arc, so they are now positioned at the top of the chair. Hold the chair’s frame (below the wings) and spread them sideways to open the chair to full width. The material attached between the wings now forms the backrest of the chair, which can be easily folded backward into position.

Yes, it all sounds very confusing, but after a few runs you’ll be whipping the chairs up and down as fast as you can pop open a deck chair.

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Due to its compact size the chair can live in the fourbie, so it’s also a winner as a BYO chair to a barbecue, outdoor concert or a day at the beach.

As a driver of a compact two-door 4WD, I could easily fit two camp chairs neatly in the footwell behind the driver’s seat and recover the space normally allocated in the cargo area. The Expander is also comfortable … unless you happen to be super-sized yourself (more than 115kg), in which case you’ll want to choose a larger chair to ensure your camping comfort.

RATED
Available from: www.frontrunneroutfitters.com
RRP: $125
We Say: Easy set-up; comfortable; clever design.