Folding Lounge Chair

You use a folding lounge chair on the lawn, patio, outdoor and indoor. Use it for camping and going to the beach even.

You can almost use it like a zero gravity chair because you can recline and tilt into a comfortable position.

What is the difference between a zero gravity chair and a folding lounge chair? Well, their reclining mechanism is not the same. Zero gravity chair allows you to tilt behind on a single pivot point until your head really reaches below your heart level. This is not the case with a folding lounge chair. It works by flexing its backrest, seat and leg rest (the entire chair) so your back and legs can be more horizontal to the ground. However, you may not fully experience the zero gravity position this way.

In addition, you can fold the lounge chair too. You cannot fold a zero gravity chair!

A folding lounge chair is not to be confused with a folding lawn chair. They are drastically different in size, shape and functionalities although they can be folded.

Benefits and Features

You can still enjoy a reclined position. It is an alternative to the much more expensive zero gravity chair.

It is portable. You can bring it to anywhere you want! It is a folding lounge chair, remember? You can fold it into one piece and carry it away. This makes it very easy to transport the chair to anywhere you want. For example, you could place it in your car trunk and drive away.

It is also much cheaper. The price difference is huge. In most cases, you will find them to be costing below $100, while a zero gravity chair could cost over $1000!

Compared to other chairs, they are still rather comfortable to sit on because of the special flexing recline feature that are not found in other chairs. It does help people with back pains nonetheless. Your back will be flat against the chair.

They are rather long with proper leg rests.

Disadvantages

If the sitting surface is made from solely cloth fabric, you risk tearing it with prolonged use.

Its comfort level cannot be compared to the zero gravity chair's (much more comfortable due to legs above heart level in the zero gravity position).

How to Buy

Make sure it comes with a head (pillow for your neck) and arm rest. These 2 factors are very crucial for feeling comfortable.

If you are a big sized person, look for the ones that are wider. Otherwise, you will cramp yourself sitting on it because it is too narrow. How to know whether it is wide enough for you? Sit on it and see if there is at least 1 to 2 inches of space on your left and right side. If it is, the lounger is wide enough for you.

Shorter people might have some hard time sitting on it. They could even find some difficulties adjusting the arm rests to tilt the chair.

Material wise, make sure the chair frame is always made from stainless steel. Why is this? Stainless steel do not rust. It is very strong and can last long, making it very durable over the years. But it is light enough for you to carry. Normal steel material on the other hand can rust, making it brittle when it gets rusty.

You have to find out the weight limit. It has a folding mechanism that is vulnerable to heavy weights (bigger people). However, most folding lounge chairs can support up to 200 to 300 lbs of weight.

Some models have their seat supported by cloth, acting like a "hammock chair". You might prefer this if you like soft surfaces to sit on, sitting purely on cloth. If you prefer this cloth support type, you also have the option of choosing a mesh texture seat. This way, your back part of your body can breathe better due to better air ventilation and circulation.

Some other models have their sitting surface made from steel (base) with the cloth on top, giving you a hard surface to sit on. This type is noticeably heavier than the previously described "hammock chair" type.

Accessories

If you insist on keeping your folding lounge chair outside, you could cover it with a weather wrap. It is a water resistant cloth that protects your chair. You can also use it during a sudden rain pour.

Get a footrest (or footstool, Ottoman) for extra comfort. You can rest your feet when you are not reclined.

How to Use

You should always keep it inside whenever you can. Although the folding lounge chair is used outside (patio, lawn) most of the time, you should keep it indoors to prevent deterioration problems (sun and rust). Some grommets can also rust! Besides, you can easily prevent theft this way.

When you are reclining, do it slowly. If you rush it, you are actually putting extra stress on the folding mechanism.

Best of all, you can fall asleep easily when you are sitting on it, making it a good afternoon nap chair. A folding lounge chair is also great for reading books too.