WHAT TO LOOK FOR…
Short stay and mobile fishing seems more popular then ever and the tackle manufacturers have responded by bringing out all manner of rover style and lightweight carp chairs. There are a number of styles ranging from £20 upwards, and the right chair for you depends on what style of fishing you enjoy and the type of venue you visit. Obviously the more features the chair has and the larger and more comfortable it is, the heavier the seat is going to be. So it’s a trade-off between ease of transport and standard of comfort when you arrive at your chosen peg. In this test we are looking at chairs from 11 manufacturers ranging from an RRP of £19.99 up to £99.99. Key features we’ve taken into account in our test include looking at the leg system and whether the legs are adjustable and feature mudfeet. We’ve also noted the weight of the chairs, whether they include carry straps/pockets etc and whether the backrest is adjustable. The seats were tested both on a sloping bank and on a flat bank.
What to look for?
• How much does it weigh?
• Are the seats padded?
• Is the backrest adjustable?
• Are the legs adjustable for uneven terrain? How far do they extend?
• Do the legs have mudfeet?
Korum Accessory Chair
RRP: £59.99
Adjustable seat: Yes
Adjustable legs:
Mudfeet: Yes
Extras: Detachable padded shoulder strap and side tray.
Weight: 14lb 4oz
Ease of transport rating: (9)
tcf comfort rating: (8)
tcf Verdict
tcf says; Very comfortable if you like a firm seat. By far the most versatile in terms of leg adjustment – the legs adjust as on a match box. Backrest adjustable to suit and easily locked in place. At the back of the backrest there’s a 13in long pocket at the base, which holds the carry strap. Get good ease of transport marks only because of adjustable carry strap.
Daiwa Mission Chair
RRP: £19.99
Adjustable seat: No
Adjustable legs: Front legs only
Mudfeet: No
Extras: None
Weight: 8lb 2oz
Ease of transport rating: (8)
tcf comfort rating: (6)
tcf Verdict
tcf says: There are four height settings for the front legs (none for the back) which pop into place. Not that the legs can come right out and extend by four inches. Seat slightly padded front and back. Because back legs are short, was easily levelled on a slope. Easily tucker under your armpit for carriage. Comfortable if you like firm seats. Back position good on the flat, could be further back on a slope.
BEST VALUE
Daiwa Adjustable Mission Chair
RRP: £34.99
Adjustable seat: Yes
Adjustable legs: Yes
Mudfeet: Yes
Extras: None
Weight: 12lb 2oz
Ease of transport rating: (7)
tcf comfort rating: (7.5)
tcf Verdict
tcf says: Plenty of padding and ideal if you like quite a firm seat. Legs adjust by 5.5 inches. Has ‘wings’ which wrap around the angler when seated. The idea is that they pad the frame but in our view they are not necessary. Back is adjustable to suit and easily locked in place. Okay to transport if help by with the top of chair under your armpit and your hand under the bottom back leg support. Good for the money.
Wychwood Rover Chair
RRP: £24.99
Adjustable seat: No
Adjustable legs: No
Mudfeet: No
Extras: None
Weight: 6lb 11oz
Ease of transport rating: (7)
tcf comfort rating: (5)
tcf Verdict
tcf says: Not adjustable but very stable. On a sloping back the backrest felt a bit upright but wasn’t uncomfortable. On a flat bank it leans well back. Seat and backrest lightly padded. Can be tucked under your armpit for carriage as long as you don’t have short arms.
Carp Kinetics Platinum Chair
RRP: £99.99
Adjustable seat: Yes
Adjustable legs: Yes (spring-lock)
Mudfeet: Yes
Extras: Supplied with free detachable storage bag and carry bag.
Weight: 10lb 9oz
Ease of transport rating: (7)
tcf comfort rating: (7)
tcf Verdict
tcf says: Padded seat and back rest make this a very comfortable seat for those who like to have a softish chair. Legs extend by five inches and lock in place but longish back legs made it a little difficult to level on a sloping bank. Very high back means you can rest your head back. Features detachable ‘bits’ pocket, which can be placed either side of the seat. Comes with carry bag but can also be carried under armpit as long as top of backrest is under your arm. Expensive.
Theseus Carp Comfort Zone Chair 2
RRP: £60
Adjustable seat: No
Adjustable legs: Yes (spring-lock)
Mudfeet: Yes
Extras: None
Weight: 8lb 8oz
Ease of transport rating: (6)
tcf comfort rating: (5)
tcf Verdict
tcf says: Padded back and seat but we felt that on a slope the backrest was a little too upright for comfort. Legs extend eight inches so it can be easily levelled on a slope. This chair is best carried with the top of the backrest under your armpit and supported in your hand by holding the seat webbing.
JRC Terry Hearn Roamer
RRP: £49.99
Adjustable seat: No
Adjustable legs: Yes (spring-lock)
Mudfeet: Yes
Extras: None
Weight: 7lb
Ease of transport rating: (8)
tcf comfort rating: (6)
tcf Verdict
tcf says: Very light with a decent amount of padding on seat and backrest. We felt the top of the backrest was a bit too low. The backrest felt a bit too upright on a sloping bank but was fine on a flat surface – odd for a rover chair. Legs adjust by 4.5 inches. Very easy to carry.
Fox Adjusta Level Chair
RRP: £39.99
Adjustable seat: No
Adjustable legs: Yes (four position fixed)
Mudfeet: No
Extras: None
Weight: 7lb 6oz
Ease of transport rating: (8)
tcf comfort rating: (7)
tcf Verdict
tcf says: Good padding on seat and very comfortable. Four fixed setting allow you to cope with various degrees of slope. Top of seat high enough to not dig into your back. Angle of back support about right. Good chair. If carried under armpit with back of backrest towards you, very easy to transport.
Leeda XL Carp Chair
RRP: £19.99
Adjustable seat: No
Adjustable legs: No
Mudfeet: No
Extras: None
Weight: 6lb 14oz
Ease of transport rating: (8)
tcf comfort rating: (5.5)
tcf Verdict
tcf says: Very low to the ground and no padding. Comfortable enough given the price and very lightweight, although top of the backrest a bit low and digs into your back. You could certainly fish from this chair no problem. If carried under armpit with back of backrest towards you, very easy to transport.
Chub Hi-lite Chair
RRP: £39.99
Adjustable seat: No
Adjustable legs: Yes (spring-lock)
Mudfeet: Yes
Extras: Velcro straps to lock seat
Weight: 8lb 4oz
Ease of transport rating: (7)
tcf comfort rating: (6.5)
tcf Verdict
tcf says: Another one for the angler who prefers a firm chair to a soft one. Good backrest position on sloping bank. Shoulders cit nicely inside the chair and comfortable at the top of the back. Light padding on backrest and seat. Legs adjust by nine inches (the most) so good for sloping terrain. Velcro fastening useful for keeping compact during transport. Should be carried with back of backrest under armpit.
Pelzer Guest Chair
RRP: £29.99
Adjustable seat: No
Adjustable legs: Yes (spring-lock)
Mudfeet: Yes
Extras: None
Weight: 10lb 8oz
Ease of transport rating:
tcf comfort rating: (6)
tcf Verdict
tcf says: We much prefer the push button leg adjustment on this chair compared to the spring lock version on most of the others. But the legs only adjust by four inches, so the chair would not be great on steeply sloping riverbank. The chair is not padded bi the backrest is. The position of the backrest was a little far back on a sloping bank in our view. A bit heavy too. Carry with back of backrest under armpit.
Terry Hearn Stealth Relaxa Recliner
RRP: £54.99
Adjustable seat: Yes
Adjustable legs: Yes (spring-lock)
Mudfeet: Yes
Extras: This one comes with arms
Weight: 11lb 2oz
Ease of transport rating: (7.5)
tcf comfort rating: (7)
tcf Verdict
tcf says: The only chair with arm rests and they fold neatly into the chair for carriage. The backrest is easily adjusted and locked in place. Seat and backrest both padded and overall very comfortable. Legs adjust by 7.5 inches. Carry with back of backrest under armpit.
MOST INNOVATIVE
Shimano Tribal XT Carp Seat
RRP: £39.99
Adjustable seat: Yes (by straps)
Adjustable legs: N/A
Mudfeet: N/A
Extras: Comes with three pockets and a shoulder strap.
Weight: 2lb 11oz
Ease of transport rating: 10
tcf comfort rating: 6.5
tcf Verdict
tcf says: What a great product! Of course you are flush to the ground but the seat takes on the contours and thanks to adjustable side straps you are able to lean back and relax. Foam pads easily removed for drying. Weighs hardly anything, includes a shoulder strap and two large pockets an absolutely ideal for the riving angler.
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Conclusion
We have to say we don’t like the spring locking mechanism for the leg adjustment on a lot of the chairs we tested. We find them quite cumbersome and fiddly. The Peltzer chair had a push-button release and friction break, which was is much better in our view. But like several of the chairs, the leg adjustment was too short to cope with very uneven terrains often encountered on riverbanks. As for comfort, it depends on what sort of chair you like. Gareth prefers the softer chairs such as the Carp Kinetics one. Steve much prefers a firmer chair, like the Korum or the Daiwa Mission Chair. Of the chairs without adjustable legs, all of those tested would be at home on rivers, as all are angled with a sloping bank in mind. The Korum Accessory Chair has by far the best and most versatile leg adjustment system and also comes with a carry strap and a small side tray. In terms of a chair for the all round angler likely to fish many different type of venue, this easily comes out on top.
