RIO Beach Folding Beach Chair
Summary
Price At Time Of Writing | £111.84
Our Overall Rating | 85 out of 100
Pros - Lightweight, well constructed and good looking
Cons - Shallow seat and no headrest
Overall - A nicely portable option if looks are important
Technical Specifications
Open Size - 78.23cm x 62.86cm x 74.93cm
Weight - 3.18 kg
Load Capacity - 113kg
Materials - Aluminium frame, polyester seat
Our Analysis & Ratings
We enjoyed relaxing in the RIO BEACH Folding Beach Chair, probably the best looking of the bunch we tested. The wooden arms lend a touch of luxury and refinement to the chair, perfect for sipping cocktails by the seaside. The chair features an innovative system that allows the back position to be adjusted by moving the armrests, which was a win, and was easy to carry to and from the water.
Construction and Design - RIO is known as a manufacturer of high-quality beach products, and its folding beach chair is a great example of that. The aluminium frame is treated with a rust-free coating, essential when the chair's going to be around corrosive salt water, and the finish is smooth and attractive. We liked how the chair recline was able to be adjusted by lifting the armrests without the danger of pinch points.
Setup/ Packdown - Folding the chair is a simple matter of pushing the armrests towards the backrest, and unfolding the reverse - can't go wrong. We found the folding mechanism relatively smooth and straightforward.
Portability - At 3.18kg, the chair is towards the lighter end of the products we reviewed, and we appreciated the carry strap underneath the chair - it was out of the way while using the chair, but once folded became obvious and made it easy to sling the chair over our shoulders for the walk back to the car. In some ways it wasn't as good as a full backpack carry, but the single strap did mean that there was no chance of discomfort from backpack straps not being the proper distance apart.
Comfort - The RIO Folding Beach Chair is a five position chair, meaning that it can be set upright or at various levels of recline. While we love the flexibility, we found this to be one of the least comfortable chairs we tested as the seat was relatively shallow and there was no headrest provided, which would have made reclining more comfortable.
Durability - The 300 denier waterproof polyester that makes up the seat itself is nice and light for beach conditions, but we're concerned that with long use it could start to sag or rip - it's a tradeoff here between weight, temperature appropriateness and durability, and we would've liked to see a fraction more durability.
Summary - There was a lot to like about the RIO Folding Beach Chair. We really enjoyed how easy it was to get to and from the beach, and its innovative armrest recliner adjustment. We would've loved to see slightly more solid fabric used for the seat (although this would have compromised on weight) and we found it slightly uncomfortable when reclining. But if you're after a fashionable, well-made and easily portable beach chair this is a great option.
