Most of us have used a version of those aluminum folding lawn chairs with the webbed, woven strap fabric. Often the strapping is disintegrating, coming apart, and with loose nylon fibers falling away from the seat or back of the chair. It’s such a common thing that you have to wonder if there is quality in a folding aluminum lawn chair that will allow folks to use these folding chairs for longer than a single summer.

The good news is: Yes! There are quality and durable folding lawn chairs available from reputable dealers that will provide years of use and comfort. The key to buying something more than just a “throwaway” chair is to examine the construction, the materials and the retailer involved in the purchase.

Construction and materials
The ability of the chair to support its occupant depends on the metal frame used to build the chair. Most choices usually involve lightweight, heavy duty hollow aluminum or steel tubing. The weight the chair itself will support tells a lot about the strength of the frame. One new shopping option today is the Earth Evolution 2010 Folding Lawn Chair available at Amazon. For about sixty dollars, the chair is advertised as a re-design of the classic lawn chair. The heart of the new approach seems to be the use of a reinforced anodized aluminum frame that uses thick, extra-wide 1 ½ inch poles. The look is distinctive, but I’m not sure Amazon or the Earth manufacturer can substantiate the claim that it is “bullet proof.” Reviews do indicate, however, that folks are finding the new design to be much better than the throw-away webbing experience of the past.

Retailers and Manufacturers
Many small businesses and regional manufacturers can produce folding web lawn chairs. And the quality of those chairs can vary widely, often with no public record of durability or integrity in the manufacturing history. So optimally consumers will to know both the retailer’s reputation for customer support and the manufacturer’s reputation for quality and dependability.

Photo by daniel spils

Some of the more recognized names in the construction of a folding aluminum lawn chair include Lafuma, Crazy Creek, WearEver, MacSports, Ergo and Coleman. The strength of the chairs produced by these manufacturers, as well as the styles and features, will vary across brand names, so check specifications for weight capacity, construction materials and any additional strengthening or reinforcing design carefully.

The retailer actually marketing the chairs is often different from the manufacturer, so again, the reputation for customer and product support needs to be solid before you purchase a chair you want to last over a period of time. Be sure you are familiar with retailers’ return policies and the methods they use to take care of products that are defective in some way.

The good news is that you can readily find aluminum or steel folding lawn chairs that will outlast the summer wear and tear. Be sure to research your choices, and the pay-off will be comfortable, convenient seating for years to come.

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