Crazy Creek Original Chair Review

Name: Crazy Creek Original Chair
Brand: Crazy Creek

This is a time-tested favorite that we think is a solid choice but that also has room to improve

Crazy Creek Original Chair Review — Credit: Crazy Creek

Price: $60 List

Manufacturer: Crazy Creek

By Elizabeth Paashaus ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ May 7, 2020

OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#17 of 17

Comfort - 35% 3.0
Size and Weight - 30% 4.0
Stability - 20% 4.0
Ease of Use - 15% 9.0

RELATED: Best Backpacking Chair of 2024

$60 at REI

$60 at Amazon

Our Verdict

Much of the way that “Kleenex” has replaced the word for “tissue,” so has Crazy Creek dominated the camp chair industry. The Original Chair is a baseline model for the taco-style chairs of this review, receiving average scores in every category. The dense foam and heavy-duty fabric protect well from rocks and moisture. In the end, it is more expensive than some of the other chairs in its class, but it's an indestructible classic that performs its job well. A model like this is a good choice when you are looking for a chair that can last for years and stand up to the most destructive environments like scooching around on rough granite or sharing your chair with children.

REASONS TO BUY

Durable

Fairly comfortable

Easy to use

REASONS TO AVOID

Bulky

Compare to Similar Products

(change comparison)

	This Product Crazy Creek Original Chair	Therm-a-Rest Z Seat	NEMO Chipper	Moon Lence Backpacking Chair	REI Co-op Trail Stool
Awards		Best Choice for Minimalists		Best Bang for the Buck
Price	$59.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers	Check Price at REI Compare at 3 sellers	Check Price at Backcountry	$35 List $31.98 at Amazon	$25 List $24.95 at REI
Overall Score	44	69	67	59	56
Star Rating	1 2 3 4 5	1 2 3 4 5	1 2 3 4 5	1 2 3 4 5	1 2 3 4 5
Bottom Line	This chair could be more comfortable but is a solid choice with decades of experience	No excuse not to pack this ultralight, durable, and versatile foam seat	This ultralight twist on a classic egg crate sit pad is made from recycled bits of other camping products	This inexpensive chair has a deep bucket seat and side pockets to keep outdoor accessories within reach	This super simple chair is an inexpensive option when all you need is to keep yourself off of the ground
Rating Categories	Crazy Creek Origina...	Therm-a-Rest Z Seat	NEMO Chipper	Moon Lence Backpack...	REI Co-op Trail Stool
Comfort (35%)	3.0	2.0	2.0	6.0	4.0
Size and Weight (30%)	4.0	10.0	10.0	5.0	8.0
Stability (20%)	4.0	10.0	8.0	7.0	3.0
Ease of Use (15%)	9.0	8.0	9.0	6.0	8.0
Specs	Crazy Creek Origina...	Therm-a-Rest Z Seat	NEMO Chipper	Moon Lence Backpack...	REI Co-op Trail Stool
Main Material	Ripstop nylon and foam	Cross-linked polyethylene	Reclaimed, remolded polyethylene foam	900D Oxford	Ripstop polyester
Measured Weight	24 oz	2 oz	3.3 oz	36 oz	17 oz
Legs?	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Packed Size	16 x 16.5 x 1.5 in	13 x 2.5 x 2.5 in	12.5 x 4 x 2.5 in	14 x 6 x 5 in	4 x 4 x 22 in
Seat Height (butt to ground)	0 in	0.5 in	0 in	8 in	15 in
Seat Width (at edge)	16 in	16 in	17 in	21 in	12 in
Base Size (width x depth)	16 x 16.5 in	16 x 13	12.8 x 16.5 in	15 x 15 in	12 x 12 in
Features	Folds flat	Clip loop	100% reclaimed foam remnants, ultralight, egg carton mould	Storage pocket, carry bag	None

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Our Analysis and Test Results

While there are more comfortable chairs in our review, the Crazy Creek Original is moderately comfortable and performs well for a taco-style chair. Plus, it comes in a whole host of fun designs and colors, making it a fine choice for an inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to transport backpacking chair.

Performance Comparison

crazy creek original chair - crazy creek created a solid camp chair back in the 80s and hasn't... — Crazy Creek created a solid camp chair back in the 80s and hasn't had a reason to change it much since!
Credit: Elizabeth Paashaus

Comfort

The Original Chair scores slightly below average in this metric when compared with all backpacking chairs in our review. That said, among the taco-style models we tested, we found this one to rank a little higher than average in comfort. We were initially turned off by the stiffness, but after testing, we found it to be more supportive than models with more pliable foam.

The Original Chair has a 16-inch back height, which hit us below the shoulder blades. It doesn't dig into the armpits, but there's still pressure against the ribs at the top of the rigid support pieces. They are well padded, so it is more of a pressure sensation than a poking one. This squeezing is common to all foam chairs we tried, but some are more painful than others. If we had a “rib-squeezing” metric, this model would rank average among similar models.

crazy creek original chair - the dense foam paired with a mid-height back makes the original... — The dense foam paired with a mid-height back makes the Original Chair decently comfortable among similar models. Higher backs offer more comfort while thinner foams offer less.
Credit: Elizabeth Paashaus

Size and Weight

Weighing in at 24 ounces on our scale, the Original Crazy Creek is one of the lighter models we tested, in line with the other taco-style chairs. Although the weight is low, this chair is too stiff to roll, so it has to be strapped to the back of your pack in its full square format. That makes it easy to remove and grab a seat on quick breaks, but it's a bit annoying having a large piece of foam flopping around on your pack, potentially getting snagged in dense brush.

crazy creek original chair - this small velcro strap keeps the chair closed when not in use... — This small velcro strap keeps the chair closed when not in use, making it easier to pack in your trunk or store under your bed.
Credit: Elizabeth Paashaus

Stability

The taco-style chairs are overall much more stable than their tent-style counterparts due to their proximity to the ground and the body tension-required to use them. The harder you lean back into a taco-style chair like the Original Chair, the more it will support you. We found little to no difference between the stability of this chair and any other taco-style chair we tested. As we mention elsewhere, most of the stability comes from the balance of the user in getting in and out of a ground chair.

crazy creek original chair - enjoying the view in mammoth lakes, california. left: crazy creek... — Enjoying the view in Mammoth Lakes, California. Left: Crazy Creek Original Chair; right: Kelty Camp Chair.
Credit: Lauren DeLaunay

Ease of Use

This chair's straps are easy to reach and adjust, which is crucial with a design that requires you to find the perfect reclining angle each time you sit down. We find ourselves making frequent adjustments when sitting in taco-style chairs, so being able to easily reach and maneuver the straps is a requirement.

The Original Chairhas Velcro straps to keep it closed, but we couldn't exactly figure out why. This might be a nice feature if you want to strap your seat to the outside of your backpack or when you are putting it in and out of your rooftop box.

crazy creek original chair - easy to adjust straps are designed to tighten by pulling down rather... — Easy to adjust straps are designed to tighten by pulling down rather than up. We found this direction of pull to be significantly easier to adjust.
Credit: Elizabeth Paashaus

Value

The Original Chair is more expensive than some of the other taco-style chairs in our review, though still less expensive than any of the tent-style models. While you can get a less expensive foam chair that ranks similarly, we still think the time-tested durability of the Crazy Creek Original make it worth the extra cost.

Conclusion

Overall, we find the Original Chair to be a solid choice compared to its competitors. It offers decent comfort among the foam chairs — better comfort can be found in most of the tent-style models, but its durability is unmatched. We recommend this chair for anyone looking for something that can be put through the wringer and keep on performing year after year.