Outdoors & Fitness · Head-to-head
Kelty Lowdown Chair vs GCI Outdoor Comfort Quad Chair
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Camping Chairs: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Kelty publishes the most complete set of numbers here, and they agree with each other. The GCI weighs about the same and sits far higher, which is the real reason to choose it.
Kelty Lowdown Chair
Buy itThe most completely documented chair in the group, and its published numbers agree with each other.
- Publishes seat height, back height, capacity, weight, packed size, frame material and fabric, which no other chair here does.
- 400 pound capacity is the highest stated figure in the comparison and is stated once, in one place.
- 12 inch seat height puts you at fire level and below anyone's sightline at a show, which is the entire design intent.
- 7.38 pounds and a roll-tote carry bag, so it is no harder to move than the GCI.
- A 12 inch seat is genuinely hard to get out of if you have knee or hip trouble, and that is not a preference thing.
- Packed length of 32.5 inches is long, so it takes boot space rather than tucking behind a seat.
- 600D polyester is durable but warmer against the back than a mesh panel on a hot day.
GCI Outdoor Comfort Quad Chair
Buy itFull dimensions, a tall seat and a mesh back, undercut by a capacity figure that appears twice at two values.
- Publishes complete open and folded dimensions, which tells you whether it fits the boot before you buy.
- 20.7 inch seat height is the tallest here, so standing up takes no effort and it works at a camp table.
- Breathable mesh back panel is the right call in heat, where a solid fabric back gets clammy.
- 7.7 pounds with a carry bag, plus a beverage holder and an integrated phone pocket.
- The product page states a 250 pound weight capacity in its spec block and a 300 pound capacity in its feature section, for the same chair.
- Capacity is the one figure here with a safety consequence, so a disagreement about it is worse than an omission.
- A tall seat puts you above the fire and in front of people behind you, which is the trade for easy standing.
Side by side
The 9 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Kelty Lowdown Chair Our pick | GCI Outdoor Comfort Quad Chair | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Fire circles, festivals and anyone who wants the numbers to be knowable before buying. | Camp tables, sports sidelines and anyone who finds low chairs hard to get out of. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
| Seat height | 12 in / 30 cm | 20.7 in |
| Weight capacity | 400 lb / 181 kg | 250 lb in specs, 300 lb in features |
| Chair weight | 7.38 lb / 3.35 kg | 7.7 lb / 3.5 kg |
| Packed size | 32.5 x 8 x 8 in | 7.1 x 5.5 x 44.1 in folded |
| Frame | Steel | Steel |
| Seat fabric | 600D polyester | Mesh back panel |
| Recline | Slightly reclined, fixed | Fixed, tall angled back |
| Drink holder | Insulated, built in | Beverage holder plus phone pocket |
| Specs that contradict each other | None in the spec block | One, weight capacity |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Kelty Lowdown Chair if
fire circles, festivals and anyone who wants the numbers to be knowable before buying.
Know before buying: a 12 inch seat is genuinely hard to get out of if you have knee or hip trouble, and that is not a preference thing.
Pick the GCI Outdoor Comfort Quad Chair if
camp tables, sports sidelines and anyone who finds low chairs hard to get out of.
Know before buying: the product page states a 250 pound weight capacity in its spec block and a 300 pound capacity in its feature section, for the same chair.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Kelty Lowdown Chair - The most completely documented chair in the group, and its published numbers agree with each other. Choose the GCI Outdoor Comfort Quad Chair instead if camp tables, sports sidelines and anyone who finds low chairs hard to get out of.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Camping Chairs: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).