Gear Review: Kermit Touring Chair

By: Steven Peltier

We all know that being comfortable can make or break a road trip. While many campsites are equipped with picnic tables, there's no substitute for a nice place to plop yourself down after a few hundred miles on the road. The challenge, however, always revolves around size and packaging. Typically, you either pack a small folding stool (and fool yourself into believing you have a proper chair) or you go without. Nearly every variety of folding chair is either built only for children or simply too large to strap to the bike. Luckily there is one truly spectacular solution - the Kermit Touring Chair. This baby is incredibly well made, more comfortable than any cheap quad chair, and collapses into an extremely small and packable carrying bag.

The manufacturer (www.kermitchair.com) describes the Kermit as "a light weight chair with the comfort and beauty not found in other portable chairs. It packs in a bag to a length of 22" and 4"x6" in diameter. The chair is made from hardwoods and aluminum, and all hardware is stainless steel. All wood is double dipped in marine grade polyurethane. The finish is thicker than a spray and protects the chair for a lifetime. The cloth is 1000 denier nylon and is cut with heat to prevent raveling." What this basically adds up to is one durable piece of portable furniture. When I first assembled the chair and plopped my my butt into it, the first thing that ran through my mind is that this is a piece of gear that I can actually foresee handing off to one of my kids who will be able to enjoy it for many more years to come. I don't yet foresee myself actually settling down and having kids any time soon, but that is neither here nor there. I'm sure the chair will be around to see the day. (uh...just kidding mom and dad)

Taking a closer look, there are a few things to point out:

	22" x 4" x 6" is definitely a manageable package. Here is the carrying bag next to my helmet for scale.
	If we compare this to two other options that folks lug around, you begin to appreciate the size. On the left is your typical cheapo quad chair, and on the right a folded triangle stool/nut buster. I'll show this comparison again, with the chairs assembled so you'll be able to appreciate packaging vs. size vs. function.
	If we lay out all of the pieces, you can see that the chair packs into 5 basic pieces: The central chair with canvas seat and back supports, a set of 2 leg braces, a curved back brace, and a curved seat brace.
	Here is a view of the central chair without its bracing.
	One of the best things about this system is that assembly requires NO TOOLS and literally only takes 30 seconds. Here is a shot showing how to attach the leg braces. Essentially, you simply slide the end of each wooden brace into a milled slot on each leg, and lock it into place by hooking the attached aluminum strap over a small metal post.
	In this view you can see both leg braces (front and rear) attached, giving the chair its basic form.
	The curved back and seat braces then attach, solidifying the structure. Here is shot showing how to attach these braces. Each brace has a steel pin at each end. Attach the braces by first inserting a pin into the holes located in the wood frame at one corner of the seat and back.
	Then slot the pin at the opposite end of the brace into the channel milled into the wood frame on the opposing side of the chair. You access this channel by simply lifting up on the aluminum guard, as shown here.
	This guard then locks the pin into the channel, holding the brace secure.
	That's all it takes and the chair is ready to go. What you will notice immediately is the stability of the overall structure. The oak frame is quite rigid and the combined strength provided by the bracing keeps the canvas taut and the chair free of squeaks or any wobbly motion.
	Another view of the assembled chair with my helmet for scale. One thing to notice is the ample width of the chair. At least for my medium frame, this really enhances the comfort as there are no pinch points on the sides. I never feel like the wood frame is digging into my sides.
	As promised, here you see the Kermit next to a standard quad and a three post wedgie maker. Again, the width of the chair is evident here and plays a big role in its comfort. For a collapsed package not much larger than the folding triangle torture stool, you get arms, you get quality, and you get a seating geometry that is slightly reclined. This geometry means you will feel supported in the chair, as opposed to crammed into it (with quad chairs I always feel like I'm crammed into the steel structure of the chair).
	And for taking all of these pictures, I get to treat myself to a nice cold Fat Tire. Comfy chair!

So there you have it...another one of my all time favorite pieces of gear. So I can easily guess your first question....how much? Well, that's the catch. The Kermit doesn't come cheap at $119, but unlike other contraptions this isn't a disposable piece of gear. Its quality is matched by its comfort, and I think comfort is worth stretching for. If you really want be extravagant, the Kermit Chair Co. also offers leg extensions and a cup holder as options you can purchase. I just like telling people at camp..."get out of my chair"...ahhh just like home.

Published: Jun 10, 2007

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