The Foldable Gaming Chair looks at first glance like a jazzed-up camping chair. In fairness, while camping chairs can be comfortable enough in the right setting, I wouldn't want to sit in one for hours on end while I play my favorite games. Oftentimes, their frames poke and prod into you, there isn't nearly enough padding, and they're handily beaten by any homely alternative as a choice for a living room seat.
But a jazzed-up camping chair this is not. The Foldable Gaming Chair comes from The Foldable Gaming Chair Company, a small start-up based in Canada that claims it's made this seat with love, and that's so apparent as soon as you sit down in one. This has clearly been made by someone who loves their gaming time and wants a chair that will enhance it.
What's more, it's enveloped by practicality at every turn. Many of us share a gaming space with our significant others, our parents, or even our kids, so having something that can fit, fold away, and move wherever it needs to is a godsend. At the same time, you don't want to have to compromise completely on comfort and useful features for gaming.
At $180, The Foldable Gaming Chair is more affordable than a lot of the best console gaming chairs on the market.
Design and features
As you'll see from images, The Foldable Gaming Chair (from here dubbed TFGC) certainly takes on the anatomy of a camping chair. There's a frame made of D16/13mm steel tubes, and when it unfolds there are four legs that support up to 350lbs. The material and cushioning of the chair then act as a cradle within that frame and allows you to sink into it.
The material used is water-resistant 600D polyester that has multiple soft pads embedded inside, including ones for lumbar support. Dimensions (HxWxD) of the chair are 28x38.5x22.5-inches, and the chair itself weighs in at a very portable 6.2kgs. The backrest alone is 20.5-inches high, and 22-inches wide. This is perhaps one of the few downsides of the build - it may be a tad narrow for folks with broader shoulders or who are slightly heavier set. I still think it'd be plenty comfy, but there's a reason a lot of the best gaming chair manufacturers have released XL models of their most popular seats. When TFGC is folded away and stored in the carrying bag you get with your purchase, it stands upright at 39-inches.
When it's unfolded, you have access to a surprising number of features. In your left armrest sits a beverage holder that can hold cans, bottles, or perhaps a narrow tumbler. In front of that, and on the end of the armrest, is an ingenious stem wine glass holder. What more could gaming parents want? I'm not a big wine drinker myself, but this little hook made for a handy wee cable management device when I used my Razer Blackshark V2 wired headset, or when my DualSense Edge needed to be charged up mid-use (which happens far too often).
On the right-hand armrest, there's a nifty little pocket for whatever you want to store. There's room for a controller, a TV remote, and perhaps even some snacks if you'd like. Although the angle of the chair means this pocket has a tendency to tilt forward, it's a really useful little accessory.
Perhaps the feature I love most is the headset hook at the end of the right-hand armrest. This unfolds if you want to make use of it, but it means if you have to get up momentarily, there's a neat way to store your headset. It also gives TFGC a bit more gaming spirit.
Performance
I'm not quite sure what's in the padding of TFGC, but there's some serious wizardry going on. I have no idea how it's so comfortable, but it really is. I feel I have to justify that because I'm sure there are plenty of you reading that see the images and think "how can this be any more than a regular wiry camping chair?"
There's a real depth to TFGC - you sink into it like you do the Corsair TC100 Relaxed, which I still use for all desk-related work and play. In the same way as that chair, the comfort you're engulfed in isn't to the detriment of posture support. The padding of TFGC makes me feel supported and promotes comfort in healthy positions for prolonged periods of time.
I used TFGC for multiple gaming sessions in the evenings after work, and not once did I ever really feel I was missing out on the comfort of my couch or a less foldable chair. Playing HUNT: Showdown, I managed to get a hunter to level 50 in one sitting when using this Canadian bit of genius. Elsewhere, I had a great session playing Chivalry II with my friends. All the while, using its various features to really set up camp for a free afternoon. One thing I loved was the process of getting the chair out and set up. It created a sense of novelty that made that time a little more "for me" than it would have normally.
On that note, there was no annoying assembly like with other gaming chairs. Folding and unfolding this seat takes around a minute either way, and it's a pretty easy process anyone could do.
In another session, I played Outer Wilds, and the way the chair supported me in a comfortable position for such a long time meant hours melted away without me having to change position. How often does that happen with even the most luxurious couches? The only time I really averted my attention from my intense space exploration was to take some sips of my drink, which was easily within reach without the risk of spills from it sitting on the floor, like it would be if I was on the couch. TFGC is just a fantastic way to enjoy a gaming session.
Being a remote-working product reviewer, it can often feel like the rooms of my flat are surplus to storage requirements for boxes and various bits of gaming memorabilia, and storing these things between reviews is a constant game of Tetris. What I love about The Foldable Gaming Chair is that it stores so, so easily. It can fit in a hall cupboard, wardrobe, or in a corner with no bother at all. It saved me some storage headaches, and I'm sure it could help out gamers with limited floor space in the same way.
Should you buy The Foldable Gaming Chair?
Let's be honest. The console gaming chair market often leaves a lot to be desired. Rockers are comfortable enough, but they're hulking great masses that are hard to move, and nigh-on impossible to store. On the other hand, there's a bean bag option like the i-eX Elite Gaming Chair, but this doesn't give you the sort of support or stability a proper build would. So what's the only alternative? Shell out for a frequently overpriced desk chair that's not actually very comfortable if you just want to lounge in front of one of the best gaming TVs?
The Foldable Gaming Chair is a perfect middle ground for all of the conundrums above, and it has some features that should make Secretlab a bit envious.
If you're a parent, or you share a gaming space with other people you live with, TFGC means you don't need to compromise on the gaming hardware you love. It's a practical chair that's reasonably priced within the market and even has lumbar support.
I can thoroughly recommend The Foldable Gaming Chair. Annoyingly, it's only available in the US and Canada at the moment. My plea to American readers would be to buy up as many as you can so this Canadian start-up can distribute elsewhere in the near future.
How we tested The Foldable Gaming Chair
I tested out The Foldable Gaming Chair over a period of a month through sporadic gaming sessions in the evenings after work. I played games like HUNT: Showdown, Outer Wilds, Chivalry II, and Redfall in lengthy sessions without feeling an ounce of discomfort.
I tested the various accessories and features of the chair by hanging headsets from them, storing my phone and TV remotes in the pockets, and used the wine glass holder for cable management. I also tried using the chair at my desk, but it was a bit too small to work in. I stored the chair in my hall cupboard when not in use, and it fit very easily.
A big thank you to Francios at The Foldable Gaming Chair Company for shipping me a review sample despite them not being available in the UK. If you'd like to read a bit more about how we test the latest gaming chairs, desks, and miscellaneous furniture at GamesRadar, have a gander at our Hardware Policy.
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