Caravan Sports Infinity Zero Gravity Review

Right off the bat, we knew we were getting into a special kind of camping chair - it's the only one in our review that reclines! This automatically classifies it as a chair for special interests rather than any other old camping chair. That being said, nobody wants to pay money for a chair that isn't comfortable and able to last long enough to enjoy! We went ahead and put it through all the same tests as the rest of the camping chairs we reviewed to see how it compared. Read on to find out if the Caravan Sports Infinity Zero Gravity should be your next camping chair purchase!

Performance Comparison

While the Caravan didn't top our charts, it does have some merits that might be what you're looking for. See what we thought of its comfort, portability, durability, and ease of set-up to help figure out if this chair has a place in your life.

Comfort

The Caravan Sports Infinity Zero Gravity isn't a bad seat, depending on what you're looking for from your camping chair. If you're trying to replace your La-Z-Boy while spending time outside, this chair will give you that satisfying reclined position typical of zero gravity chairs. The seat is attached to the frame by bungee cord, providing a little more give to your relaxation, and an adjustable (or removable) headrest/lumbar support bar helps you to customize your experience. The seat and back material is also a breathable mesh, making naps in the sun that much more enticing.

However, the Caravan is rather designed for average to below average height people. Testers around 5'11" and taller had a hard time being comfortable when this chair was reclined, as their feet went beyond the footrest bar. That meant that they either had to recline with their knees bent to rest their feet on the bar or try to find a comfortable way to have a metal bar dig into their Achilles while trying to relax. Caravan does sell an 'oversized' version of the chair, but it is only wider, not taller. Additionally, the armrests on this chair are made of a hard, unforgiving plastic and are quite thin. We also felt as though the stability of this chair was a bit dicey. There was a lot of extraneous wiggle room in it, in any reclined or upright position, even with the locking mechanisms engaged. Overall we gave this chair a 6 out of 10 for comfort.

Portability

Weighing in at 18 lbs 11 oz, the Caravan was the heaviest chair we tested - even heavier than the two-seater Kelty Low Loveseat! It also doesn't fold down to a convenient size for carrying. While it folds very thin, it doesn't compress in width or depth, so it's still quite large.

To add to the challenge of portability, there is no feature that allows for easy carrying of the Caravan, making it difficult to figure out how or where to grab. It also lacks any latch to hold it closed, meaning that if you grab it in the wrong spot, it will attempt to open while you're carrying it! Overall we gave this chair a 3 out of 10 for portability.

Durability

Our reviewers did not feel this was a very durable chair. The bungees all the way around the edges seem like an obvious fail point, and Caravan doesn't offer any replacement option like some other zero gravity chair manufacturers. The locking mechanisms also seemed to have a tenuous hold at best, and a sharp rock or jerk in this chair could easily change the position of recline even with the locks fully engaged.

With a weight rating of only 300 lbs, the Caravan came in at about the average for chairs we tested. However, there was a lot of wiggle room involved in sitting in this chair, making our testers feel a bit uncomfortable. While our reviewers didn't cause this chair to break during durability testing, many other consumer reports complain about the short lifespan of several different components of the Caravan. Overall, we gave this chair a 4 out of 10 for durability.

Ease of Set-Up

Since the Caravan doesn't compress, setting it up is as easy as pulling two sides of the frame apart, much like a traditional metal folding chair. That being said, we found the biggest struggle with setting this chair up was that when fully upright, the foot bar of the Caravan is a bit long, making it difficult to get the legs fully extended. Several times we thought we had it set up correctly, and when we sat in it, the legs settled in several more inches, giving us a brief moment of panic that the whole chair was giving away.

Just like a traditional folding chair, the Caravan folds right up. As long as you have it fully upright, folding this chair up is a cinch. There are no tricks, but if you're looking for a handle or clasp to keep it folded or carry it with you, you'll be sorely disappointed. Overall we gave this chair a 9 out of 10 for ease of set-up.

Features

Just the fact that this camping chair reclines is a great feature! It gives this chair some uses that many of the other camping chairs in this review can't boast. The Caravan also comes with an adjustable headrest that you can move all the way down for lumbar support or remove if you'd rather not have it.

Best Applications

This chair is best used to recline in - and maybe nap! We feel it's a great chair for a deck or some other space where it won't have to be moved around much since it's not very portable. If you're looking for a chair in which you can recline and nap, this is your best bet. But if you're looking for something you can move around and take with you to outdoor concerts, soccer games or the beach, you might be better served with a more portable chair like the REI Camp Stowaway Low or ALPS Mountaineering King Kong.

Value

Considering how much you can spend on other models of zero gravity chairs, we feel that the Caravan Sports Infinity Zero Gravity is a decent value for what you get. Often found online for much less than it's MSRP, this chair allows you to recline at your leisure. If you're looking for something you can count on to last for years to come or that you can cart around easily, this might not be the right chair for you. All things considered, we feel that the price tag on this chair isn't a convincing reason not to give it a try if you're in the market for a zero gravity chair.

Conclusion

While this chair might not be the right fit for every camping or outdoor expedition you undertake, if what you're looking to do is recline, this chair is right up your alley. With a relatively low price tag and a simple design, the Caravan is a straightforward solution to your outdoor reclining proclivities.