PRODUCT REVIEWS
Fishing Chairs

Sunward Industries Angler's Chair
reviewed by Jeremy Henricks

When Sunward Industries set out to create the ultimate angler's chair, they built one of the sturdiest and most durable chairs available. It won't make you a better angler or help you catch more fish, but it does have some features that aim to make you more comfortable while fishing, such as:

• Under-the-seat storage
• Large shade and rain umbrella
• Fishing rod holder
• Adjustable front legs

Made of thick steel tubing, the chair will hold up to years of abuse from travel between your vehicle and your favorite fishing hole. On the downside, the chair is a little heavy compared to other chairs available. Then again, we're not aware of any other chair made specifically for anglers.

The chair features plenty of under-the-seat storage, which is a huge plus. I can recall many times when I've had to carry more than my share of fishing tackle and other gear. We were able to pack a small tackle box, fishing vest, camera, and snacks in the storage compartment. Just be sure to leave room for the included attachments.

Sitting in the chair is pretty comfortable due to the gradual backwards slope, similar to a lounge chair. In addition, each front leg is independently adjustable to change the height of the chair. This is more for comfort than for uneven ground, as the back legs are not adjustable. For additional comfort, the front crossbar is padded to prevent fatigue at the knees.

The chair's fabric is fairly thick, and should resist fading, stretching, and tears for many years. Each end of the fabric is secured with screws, which shouldn't be an issue unless you sit down with force. However, it would be nice to see the ends of the fabric wrap around the frame completely, then secured with heavy stitching. This would probably hold longer and look much cleaner.

The chair also features a fishing rod holder that attaches to the base of the chair so you won't have to bury your pole in the ground or locate a stick to prop it up with. The base of the holder is made from PVC pipe and heavy duty fittings, and the holder itself is readily accessible from the seat without having to reach over too far to grab the pole. This makes it handy when fish strike.

The umbrella holder rests on the opposite side of the chair, and is also made from PVC pipe and heavy duty fittings. On loose soil or sand, you can push the pointed end of the umbrella into the ground to keep it stable, but we had problems keeping the umbrella from falling over in packed dirt or gravel since we couldn't push the tip into the ground.

Afraid to get your gear wet during inclement weather? The umbrella itself is large in diameter, which is good considering it covers the entire chair and the ground to the side. This is perfect for keeping your gear dry or to prevent a sunburn. As you cast, just be mindful of the umbrella overhead.

The Bottom Line

• Under-the-seat storage, good for fishing tackle and gear, food, and more.
• Large, removable umbrella. Good for rainy days or getting out of the blaring sun.
• Seating material is thick so it won't easily stretch or tear.
• Easily accessible fishing rod holder.
• Adjustable front legs.
• Carrying handle.
• Padded front crossbar.

• Heavy, weighing in at 21 lbs.
• Fabric attached with screws instead of heavy stitching.
• Umbrella does not stay standing in certain conditions like packed gravel or dirt.
• Not as compact as other chairs (non-angling).
• Carrying handle could be slightly larger to accommodate larger hands.

Overall, the chair is most suited to anglers who plan to fish in one location for an extended period of time, such as shore or bank fishing. It's perfect for short trips from the car to the water. Because of the weight, you wouldn't want to travel long distances with the chair. If you're already carrying lots of fishing tackle and other gear, you may want to consider making two trips, even with the storage compartment under the seat.

The basic principal of the chair is good. However, because of the weight and other factors, this chair did not score as well as it could have.

Editor's Comments

During our review, we found that there were some minor problems with the PVC fittings that were included with the chair. For example, some of the fittings were not cemented together when they arrived. This caused the fittings to fall apart if we moved the chair slightly. While we were able to cement them ourselves with standard PVC cement, we feel that the fittings should come fully assembled. We also noted some improperly drilled holes which did not affect the chair's performance, but did slightly affect its aesthetics. Hopefully these issues will be addressed pre-production.

More Information

After the review was published, the manufacturer of the Angler's Chair addressed many of the issues that we brought up. However, we have yet to review the final product, so our initial review still stands. Learn more about this product at the Sunward Industries Web site.

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