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Where to buy GCI Outdoor Waterside Sunshade Beach Chair:
Amazon.com
The GCI Outdoor Waterside SunShade Backpack Beach Chair is a sturdy, high quality, and more or less portable beach chair, best suited for those who prefer to bring the comforts of home with them into the wild, and don’t mind a little extra hassle to get it there – glampers, this one’s for you.
With just about every feature in the book, these comfortable beach chairs are equipped with a stash bag, cup holders, a headrest, and an adjustable sun shade, providing you luxury just short of feeding you grapes or fanning you with a palm.
In addition to the laundry list of thoughtful features, the GCI Beach Chair exudes quality in its construction, and displays a clear durability for the elements, heavy-duty weight bearing, or general wear and tear. We can’t find a frayed seam on the entire product, and the material seems to be durable and fairly weather-resistant. There was clear attention to detail in the production of this product.
Ringing in around $60, these chairs are on the high end of the mid-level price range. While it requires a bit more investment, we think the GCI Outdoor Waterside SunShade Backpack Beach Chair provides a value that justifies the cost.
Let’s Outoria to some of the specs…
Things we like:
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Cup holders -
Reclining back and adjustable headrest
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Built-in sun shade
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Drawstring storage on the back of the seat
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Built-in backpack straps make for hands free transport
Things we don't like:
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Low seat may not be suitable for seniors or those with mobility issues -
Some find the backpack straps to be awkward, uncomfortable and bulky
-
A few reviews claimed material is prone to tearing and back may not support larger weights
Where to buy GCI Outdoor Waterside Sunshade Beach Chair:
Amazon.com
Rating
- Outoria Score: 4.7/5
- Quality: 4.6/5
- Comfort: 4.8/5
- Performance: 4.7/5
- Price/Quality: 4.6/5
- Best for: Beach, lake, park, hiking, music festivals
- Material: Powder-coated steel/aluminum hybrid frame and Polyurethane-Backed Polyester Fabric Mesh
- Size: 26 x 24.2 x 30.9 inches open, 4.3 x 24.2 x 28.1 in folded
- Weight: 10.2 lb
- Supports: 250 lb
- Other: built-in sunshade, cup holder, backpack straps, head pillow, storage pocket
Features To Boot!
The GCI Outdoor Waterside SunShade Backpack Beach Chair is basically the everything-in-one beach chair. Need a headrest? You got one. Foldable convenience? How about some backpack straps, too. Stash bag? Present. Cup holders? Yup. Shade? Built right in.
The designers thought of everything. Features like the built-in sunshade, cup holder, backpack straps, head pillow, storage pocket all make for a comfortable day at the beach.
Where the GCI Beach Chair excels in comfort, it falls a bit short in the category of convenience. To its credit, the chair does fold down rather flat and has backpack straps, but it is still quite heavy and bulky which makes it a bit of a chore to lug to and from the beach. All in all we love this product, but it certainly wouldn’t be our first pick for convenience despite its thoughtful features.
GCI Outdoor Sunshade Beach Chair Material
The GCI SunShade Beach chair uses a mix of materials varying in durability and quality. The chair’s aluminum and steel frame is built to be durable and sturdy, ensuring reliable support. The powder-coated finish also aids in combating corrosion, including rust that comes with time spent by the seaside.
The ventilated polyurethane-backed polyester fabric mesh backrest promotes airflow, providing a refreshing sitting experience. However, a few customer reviews have mentioned that the material is prone to tearing, but you can easily extend the life of this material by protecting the chair from unnecessary sun exposure when not in use.
GCI Outdoor Sunshade Beach Chair Size & Weight
The GCI SunShade Beach Chair offers portability as well as reliable stability for most beachgoers while weighing only 9.7 pounds. When open, the chair measures 26 x 24.2 x 30.9 inches, providing ample seating space, and then compactly measures in at 4.3 x 24.2 x 28.1 inches when folded, making for convenient transport as well as storage.
While we find this seat to be the perfect size for the average beachgoer, we should note that the seat height of 11 inches is pretty low to the ground, so this chair may not be the best option for seniors or folks with limited mobility.
Beach Chair Performance
The GCI SunShade Beach Chair’s powder-coated steel and aluminum frame feels sturdy and strong. However, the sturdy construction does make the chair heavy to carry for some. If you need a lighter chair, try the Cascade Mountain Tech Low Profile Camp Chair or the RIO BEACH 4-Position Beach Chair.
The GCI SunShade Beach chair delivers notable performance with its various practical features. The adjustable and collapsible folding sunshade provides sun protection while seated, but can also be adjusted to use while walking with the chair strapped onto your back – practically eliminating the need for a beach umbrella altogether.
With the GCI SunShade Beach Chair, you can really tailor the chair to your needs with the reclining back and adjustable headrest. The chair can recline to four different settings, allowing for optimal comfort and relaxation on your next beach day. While we did not have any issues there are some reviewers who complained the back would not stay in position and broke.
GCI Outdoor Sunshade Beach Chair Value
The GCI Outdoor Waterside SunShade Backpack Beach Chair rings in at about $80, which sits in a high price range for beach chairs. Even with all of the included features it does feel a bit expensive. For people who don’t find it too heavy, and don’t mind the low sitting position, all the extra amenities in this chair may be worth it .
For example, the sunshade provides much needed UV protection and eliminates the need for an umbrella, and ultimately saves consumers money on supplementary beach gear. Same goes for the stash bag, the headrest, the cup holders – these are all products that are included in this single purchase.
GCI Outdoor Sunshade Beach Chair Verdict
The GCI Outdoor Waterside SunShade Backpack Beach Chair is a good choice for an all in one, waterside experience. Everything you need is close by, whether it’s a cold beer in your cup holder or the sunblock in your stash bag. The GCI Beach Chair has all the bells and whistles, and is perfect for those who are accustomed to comforts. However, if you’re looking for something lightweight and portable, all that razzle dazzle might just weigh you down.
Things we like:
-
Cup holders
-
Reclining back and adjustable headrest
-
Built-in sun shade
-
Drawstring storage on the back of the seat
-
Built-in backpack straps make for hands free transport
Things we don't like:
-
Low seat may not be suitable for seniors or those with mobility issues
-
Some find the backpack straps to be awkward, uncomfortable and bulky
-
A few reviews claimed material is prone to tearing and back may not support larger weights
Frequently asked questions
For optimal performance near the water, it’s best to find a beach chair made with weather-resistant materials that can withstand wet conditions. Seating, breathability, size and weight capacity are all factors to consider before pulling the trigger to make a purchase. We also recommend paying attention to the chair’s durability, ease of maintenance, convenience, and any bonus features such as cup holders or built-in shade to ensure it fully accommodates your needs. For the full rundown on buying a beach chair, check out our buying guide.
Most, if not all, camping chairs are perfectly suitable for the beach. While they may sit a little higher, these chairs will do the job to keep you supported and off the sand at the beach. That being said, you may want to be mindful of the legs, as thinner camping chair legs are prone to sinking in the sand. This isn’t a deal breaker as far as we’re concerned, but some much prefer to have a proper beach chair for the sandy shores.
The main difference between a lawn chair and a beach chair is the design and intended use. A lawn chair is typically larger, sturdier, and better suited for use on more solid surfaces. It often has a high backrest and a heavier, sturdy frame not meant for moving around. In contrast, a beach chair is built to be lighter weight, portable, and still performs well on sandy or uneven surfaces. It usually has a lower backrest, is easier to fold and carry, and may include features like sand-resistant fabric or built-in umbrellas.
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