Rating

Durability: 7

Comfort: 1

Portability: 10

Features: 3

Setup/Packdown: 7

OVERALL: 5.6

An innovative option if weight is important.

This chair rolls up and has no legs. That's right - no legs. It's so lightweight that it's the perfect option for trekking, but also great for beach outings where you have ten kids, five dogs and a million beach toys in tow. Being super lightweight it's a no-frills option, but if you need some back support, or padding while you take a nap, and weight's your key concern, the Forclaz 500 Desert Adjustable Trekking Chair is your boy.

Comparison

Rank: #7

Open Size: Compact

Packed Size: Smallest

Weight: Extremely lightweight

Capacity: High

Pros: Rolls up, surprisingly comfortable, super light.

Cons: Limited ability to recline, sits right on the ground so some people may find it hard to get up from - and isn’t water resistant.

Verdict: A comfortable and compact chair where weight is an issue, but not suitable for everyone's beach chair needs.

Skip ahead to First Impressions, Transportability, Sitting, or the Final Verdict, or check out how the Forclaz 500 Desert Adjustable Trekking Chair compares to others in our list of the Top Ten Beach Chairs.

Specs:

Open Size: approx 50 x 50 x 58cm

Packed Size: 12 x 12 x 58cm

Weight: 0.55kg

Capacity: N/A

Approx Price: $35

It’s clear from the outset that the Forclaz 500 chair is really well-made - the materials are durable and the construction strong. The handle on the top of the chair back shows no sign that it would come apart from the chair easily, and the hard plastic buckles on the adjustment straps down the sides of the chair is tough.

The feel of the fabric is smooth and promises a comfortable surface, while the padding the seat provides, though thin, is adequately firm.

The most striking feature of all of course is how light the chair is in the absence of a metal frame - it rolls up and buckles easily.

Something we need to point out is that the fabric is not water-resistant, which seems like a missed opportunity. We didn’t have a chance to test the chair on wet ground but have concerns that if you were on damp ground for a long period of time - at a sports ground, for instance - the moisture could seep through.

With its ultra light weight, the Forclaz 500 chair should be extremely portable - but there’s a slight downside. In the effort to shave off as much weight as possible, there’s no space for any carry straps except for the small handle at the top of the seat back. While this is fine for strapping to the outside of a hiking pack, which is its intended use, it means hands-free carrying to beach or picnic isn’t an option.

While thin when rolled up, it’s also very long - 23”/58cm. Don’t think you’ll get away with shoving this in a small day pack or a beach bag - you’ll either have to carry it with a hand or under your arm, or throw it into a cart if you have one.

Keep in mind - this chair has no external rigid frame.

It makes an attempt at rigidity with some inbuilt framing, but realistically, the entire chair rolls up, so it’s got to be very foldable. With that said, we were surprised by how comfortable we found this chair to sit on - the side straps that the entire mechanics of the chair hinge on did their job, the angle of placement just right to provide optimum support for your back.

The makers of the chair advise that it’s able to recline - this is true, to an extent. You can release the side straps so the angle of the chair back goes lower and lower, and eventually lie the chair flat to make a very thin mattress - but at those more open angles, the chair feels less and less stable.

We were really impressed by the level of comfort offered by the Forclaz 500 chair, a chair with no legs or rigid external frame. It’s definitely not going to suit all uses, and if you’d prefer to relax at the beach with all the bells and whistles then look elsewhere - but if you need something ultralight and very durable then this is the one for you.

Looking for a more conventional beach chair? Check out our list of the Top Ten Beach Chairs of 2024.

Water & Outdoors reviews are written by our staff writers, who combined have over fifty years of experience on the water and outdoors. We may earn commissions if you choose to buy through a link you’ve clicked on our website, however this does not influence our reviews. For more information, please see our Editorial Policies.