Is a $175 chair worth it?

I’ve spent enough summers at the Jersey Shore to know that most beach chairs have a surprisingly short life expectancy. The cloth stretches. The hinges become sticky. The frame gets rusted. And no matter how light and comfortable it seems in the store, it is almost Always It’s a pain to get to and from the beach.

As a beach lover, I have become irrationally selective about my seating arrangements. Maybe that’s why my expectations were so low when I was given the chance to test Shibumi’s beach chair along with the brand famous wind driven shadow. In fact, I almost passed. The last thing I wanted was another bulky chair cluttering my garage before inevitably joining the graveyard of rusted gear that accumulates after years of coastal living. Plus, how much can a beach chair really vary?

Turns out, completely different. After a year of testing, I am now a Shibumi Chair evangelist.

Shibumi Chair

Pros
+ Exceptionally comfortable suspended seat design
+ Four tilt positions that adjust easily
+ Lightweight with comfortable padded backpack straps
+ Durable construction that stands up to salt and sand
+ Thoughtful extras including phone sleeve and cup holder

Shortcoming
– Expensive than most beach chairs
– Some users may find seat height (12″) low

what’s that for:Frequent beach goers are willing to pay more for comfort, durability and thoughtful design.

A backpack chair you’ll actually want to take with you

The first thing that surprised me about the Shibumi Chair was how easy it is to transport. At eight pounds, it’s definitely not the lightest beach chair on the market (this difference goes). helinox beach chairwhich weighs just over 3.5 pounds when assembled, but does not have the ability to bend like other popular models). He said, this feels It is quite lightweight due to the padded neoprene backpack straps. Unlike the stiff webbing straps found on most other chairs I’ve tested, these stretch and move with your shoulders rather than digging into them. And since they’re adjustable, they don’t pull the frame awkwardly too close to your body like other backpack chairs, so you can move around without feeling like you’re tied down.

But that’s just a short walk from the shoreline – the Shibumi Chair is incredibly comfortable once you’ve settled into the sand, too.

Smooth reclining that stands up to salt, sand and more

Shibumi Chair’s Its main feature is its suspended mesh seat design, which promises support without pressure points. As someone who suffers from chronic back pain due to scoliosis, I was skeptical. Most beach chairs eventually reveal some unforgiving support bars that put pressure into your lower back or shoulder blades, but the Shibumi somehow avoids this altogether. Whether I’m reading, watching the waves, or chatting with friends for hours, I never find myself constantly changing positions in an attempt to be comfortable. I can spend an entire afternoon in it without my back complaining – that’s rare for me.

The four recline positions also deserve credit. Lots of beach chairs offer multiple settings, but after a season or two, the mechanism inevitably becomes sticky or difficult to adjust. That is not the case here. Despite spending most of the last year out on the Jersey Shore, my chair’s recline setting still runs as smoothly as it did the first day. no rust. No sticking. No unbalanced settings. Frankly, it’s a miracle.

Down to earth, high on price

A few caveats: At 12 inches off the ground, I assumed it would be awkward to get in and out of the chair (I’m 5-foot-9, so there’s that). down there). But I have found it absolutely comfortable. It sits low enough to feel like a proper seat without requiring a deep squat every time you stand up. That said, anyone visiting a long beach or with mobility concerns may want to look into Long Chair Version of ShibumiWhich is 17 inches above the ground.

And then there is the price. At $175, the price of the chair Enough Higher than most beach chairs. For occasional beachgoers who make only a few trips to the coast each summer, this number is much higher. But after more than a year of testing, I think the value has become pretty clear for beachgoers like me. Instead of replacing a cheap chair every few seasons, you’re buying something that’s designed to last (and won’t get into trouble when you’re trying to pack up for the day.)

So, should you really buy the Shibumi Chair?

Would I spend $175 of my own money on a beach chair? Before testing the Shibumi Chair, absolutely not. But after using it for a year, carrying it around, and sitting in it for countless days at the beach, the answer is yes. It has survived conditions that have destroyed other chairs I’ve owned, and I really enjoy using it. In fact, my mom—who notoriously complains that it’s “impossible” to lock down every beach chair and makes my siblings and I do it for her when we pack for the day—and I fight over who gets to use it when we go to the beach together. This is the highest compliment a chair can receive.