ALPS Mountaineering King Kong Camping Chair Review

Bottom Line

The ALPS Mountaineering King Kong remains our top camping chair because it combines exceptional durability, broad comfort, huge storage capacity, and an 800-pound weight limit without drifting into luxury-chair pricing. CleverHiker has used this chair for years across car camping trips, road trips, festivals, concerts, barbecues, backyard hangs, and other frontcountry use, and that long-term track record is a major reason it still leads our rankings.

Its strengths are easy to understand once you sit in it. The wide, firm seat supports a range of sitting positions, the tall 19-inch seat is easy to get into and out of, adjustable armrests improve fit, and the quilted polyester adds warmth on cool evenings. Three large storage areas keep camp essentials close, and the powder-coated steel frame feels substantially more confidence-inspiring than the lighter frames on budget chairs.

The tradeoff is size. At 13 pounds and more than 3 feet long when packed, the King Kong takes up meaningful trunk and storage space, and the carry case is awkward for longer walks. The thick fabric also runs warm in hot weather and dries slowly when saturated. If you want a chair to carry far, the Kijaro Dual Lock or REI Campwell makes more sense; if you want maximum frontcountry comfort, durability, and capacity for the money, the King Kong is still the chair we would pick first.

How We Tested

CleverHiker’s experience with the King Kong is unusually long for this category. Our team has used it repeatedly for camping, outdoor events, backyard lounging, and extended frontcountry use, including rough desert conditions, wet weather, and long periods left outside. That gives us useful evidence not only about first-impression comfort, but also about how the fabric, frame, joints, storage, and carrying case age over time.

We evaluate camping chairs across comfort, durability, portability, and ease of use, then compare those results with the rest of the current ranked field. For the King Kong, long-session sitting comfort, seat accessibility, drying behavior, packed size, carry comfort, storage usefulness, setup, and repeated folding were all part of the evaluation. We also distinguish CleverHiker-measured weight from listed capacity and seat-height specifications when discussing objective data.

Comfort

Long sitting sessions are where the King Kong’s broad, supportive shape pays off. The quilted polyester has enough cushioning to soften the seat without collapsing into the deep hammock-like sag that can tire the lower back, and the tall back leaves room to settle into several positions instead of locking the body into one angle. In our long-term use, that combination has worked for upright sitting, shifting sideways, and even sitting cross-legged around camp.

The dimensions are a major part of that appeal. The seat is more than 2 feet wide and deep, while the 19-inch height makes getting up noticeably easier than it is from low models such as the ENO Lounger DL or Helinox Chair Zero L. Adjustable armrests help different body sizes find a workable position, and the roomy platform is especially welcome during long campfire sessions when small fit annoyances become more noticeable.

Warm weather exposes the main comfort compromise. On Utah desert evenings above 60°F, our testing found the insulated fabric warmer and clammier than mesh-backed chairs. The REI Campwell and YETI Trailhead move more air when ventilation matters, whereas the King Kong’s thicker material feels cozier when temperatures fall. That seasonal tradeoff keeps it just below perfect, but for traditional-chair comfort its comfort performance is still among the strongest in the category.

Comfort Score: 4.8 / 5.0

Durability

Years of rough use, not a showroom impression, are what support the King Kong’s durability rating. CleverHiker has taken this chair on desert trips, used it at outdoor events, folded and transported it repeatedly, and left it exposed through long stretches of backyard use. The frame and fabric have continued to feel solid without developing the looseness or structural fatigue we commonly see in cheaper chairs.

Its construction leaves plenty of margin. A powder-coated steel frame resists corrosion, reinforced joints handle repeated loading, and the heavy polyester fabric tolerates normal abrasion and staining. The listed 800-pound capacity is by far the highest in the current ranked field, well above the 250- to 320-pound capacities on many alternatives. Wide feet, strong stitching, reinforced storage pockets, and substantial cup-holder construction all feel matched to the same heavy-duty design rather than added as fragile accessories.

Weather creates more maintenance than mechanical wear. After a full soaking, the quilted material can take roughly 3 to 4 hours to dry, so we prefer to keep it covered when rain is likely. Long-term sun exposure can also fade the fabric, although our chair has shown only limited change.

 The YETI Trailhead is the closest competitor for outright toughness, but the King Kong combines greater capacity with a much lower price. For frequent car campers who are hard on furniture, that record earns top marks.

Durability Score: 5.0 / 5.0

Portability

A short carry from the vehicle is fine; a long walk is where the King Kong stops making sense. The chair weighs 13 pounds and remains more than 3 feet long when folded, so it occupies meaningful trunk space and is awkward in crowded storage areas. We have no issue moving it from a garage to a vehicle or from a parking spot to a nearby campsite, but the same package becomes cumbersome when distance or tight packing starts to matter.

The included case solves containment better than comfort. Its narrow end-loading opening can make repacking slower than expected when the thick fabric does not compress cleanly, and the two backpack-style straps are unpadded. Wearing the bag frees both hands, but those straps become uncomfortable over distance and do not change the amount of bulk on your back.

Other chairs separate quickly once portability becomes the priority. The Kijaro Dual Lock saves several pounds while keeping a tall, supportive seat, and the REI Campwell trims more weight and bulk for casual outings. The Helinox Chair One High-Back and Chair Zero L belong to an entirely different carry class because their pole frames break down small.

 The King Kong’s portability result is acceptable only because its comfort, storage, and durability are so strong at camp. If you routinely carry a chair a mile or more, choose something else.

Portability Score: 4.2 / 5.0

Ease of Use

Storage and one-motion setup make the King Kong unusually convenient once it reaches camp. Pull the classic folding frame open and it is ready within seconds; there are no poles, hubs, locks, or fabric corners to tension. The 19-inch seat also makes entry and exit straightforward for many users, especially compared with low scoop-style chairs that require more effort to stand from.

The built-in organization is even more useful during a long sit. Large armrest pockets can hold phones, snacks, books, and small electronics, while the broad rear mesh pocket has room for layers or other soft gear. Two cup holders keep drinks close, and the adjustable armrests are easy to reposition. That combination lets the chair function almost like a small camp station rather than just a seat.

A few details keep it from being flawless. Oversized bottles and mugs do not fit the narrow cup holders particularly well, and the large storage pockets would be easier to use with internal dividers so small items did not settle at the bottom. Getting the chair back into its case also takes more effort than collapsing the frame.

 Those frustrations are minor beside how little setup the chair requires, particularly compared with multi-piece options such as the NEMO Stargaze or Helinox models. That result reflects a chair that is extremely easy to live with after the short carry is over.

Ease of Use Score: 4.8 / 5.0

Should You Buy The ALPS Mountaineering King Kong?

Buy the King Kong if you want one dependable frontcountry chair that prioritizes comfort, durability, storage, and high capacity over low weight. It is especially well suited to car campers, anglers, hunters, tailgaters, festival-goers, and anyone who spends long stretches sitting outside and wants a chair that feels substantial rather than disposable. The wide seat and tall height are also a good match for shoppers who dislike low or narrow bucket seats.

Skip it if you routinely carry your chair a long way, have very limited trunk space, or camp mainly in hot conditions where ventilation matters more than insulation. The Kijaro Dual Lock is lighter and more upright, while the REI Campwell is cheaper, airier, and easier to transport. If your priority is premium mesh comfort and you do not mind spending much more, the YETI Trailhead is another strong durability-first alternative.

For most frontcountry camping, though, the King Kong’s weaknesses are easy to accept because the chair gives back so much in long-term value. Its overall ranking reflects that unusually complete package.

What Other Camping Chairs Should You Consider?

Did the ALPS Mountaineering King Kong catch your eye? See how this chair compares to our other top picks on our list of the best camping chairs. And don’t overlook these excellent alternatives:

Kijaro Dual Lock Review: The Kijaro is the better choice if you want a tall, supportive seat but do not need the King Kong’s extreme capacity or bulk. It is lighter, firmer, and easier to move, though the seat is narrower and the overall build is not as heavy-duty.

REI Campwell Review: Choose the Campwell when budget, airflow, and simpler transport matter more than maximum durability. Its 15-inch seat and mesh construction work well for warm-weather camping and a broader range of smaller users.

YETI Trailhead Review: The Trailhead is the premium alternative for shoppers who value excellent comfort, breathable mesh, and long-term construction. It costs dramatically more and still weighs a lot, but its carrying case and hot-weather comfort are better refined.