Reviews You Can Rely On

Eureka Curvy High-Back Review

This runner-up is an excellent choice of camp furniture that satisfies on many levels
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eureka curvy high-back camping chair review
Credit: Eureka
Price:  $80 List
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Manufacturer:   Eureka!
By Laura Lingeman ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Sep 28, 2015
78
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Comfort - 40% 9.0
  • Portability - 25% 5.0
  • Durability - 20% 8.0
  • Ease of Set-Up - 15% 9.0

Our Verdict

Eureka has discontinued this chair as of 2019.
REASONS TO BUY
Comfortable
Supportive
Good ventilation
Easy to assemble
Durable
REASONS TO AVOID
Poor armrests
Bulky
Poor cup holders
The Eureka Curvy High-Back is a super comfortable camping chair. It's breathable, easy to assemble, supportive, and attractive. Unfortunately, testers felt that any decent camping chair should have more useful and comfortable armrests and, ideally, a very accessible cup holder. And the Eureka does not possess these features. It's also very large, which means that it's less portable. All around, we think this chair does an excellent job of bringing "home-like comfort to the outdoor experience" as the Eureka website proclaims and we strongly recommend it as a possible candidate for your outdoor needs.

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Eureka Curvy High Back chair offers undisputed comfort and durability. It was one of our favorite chairs that we tested, ranking near the top of this review. However, we felt it falls short in a few areas, including its disappointing armrests and lack of a readily accessible cup holder. Its otherwise sound construction and completely supportive back won the vote of many testers and we highly recommend it for any outdoor use where its weight and bulk don't matter.

Performance Comparison


eureka curvy high-back camping chair review - all our testers found the eureka to be extremely comfortable!
All our testers found the Eureka to be extremely comfortable!
Credit: Laura Lingeman

Comfort


The Eureka received a nearly perfect score in comfort. It has a wide, plush seat and it is well-ventilated and supportive along the entire spine and neck. It is reclined enough that you could easily find yourself drifting off to nap in its sofa-like build, but still upright enough to read or eat without craning your neck forward. Unfortunately, the armrests of the Eureka weren't as exquisitely designed as the seat. Most taller testers were able to sit upright and rest their elbows on the "arm bars," as they are more appropriately called, but for the shorter testers, their elbows hovered an inch or two above. Not too relaxing. This feature is arguably more inconvenient than uncomfortable, but regardless, it kept the Eureka from earning top honors.

eureka curvy high-back camping chair review - one of our favorite chairs to lounge in, this one offers a great...
One of our favorite chairs to lounge in, this one offers a great headrest.
Credit: Devin Chance

Portability


Aha, the only metric that the Eureka did not excel in. The extra tall back of this chair significantly affected its portability. It weighs 12 lbs and is noticeably bulky to carry around. The ALPS Mountaineering Rendezvous is another model that is very comfortable and supportive like the Eureka, but is much more portable. If you are big on having supreme support but need a chair that carries and packs well, consider this as another possibility.

Durability


The construction of this chair is excellent. All of the seams are reinforced and even the mesh material in the back of the chair feels quite durable compared to some of the portable models like the Moon Lence. The Eureka has an average weight capacity for traditional models of 300 lbs.

Ease of Set-Up


From the very first attempt testers could set this chair up in a matter of seconds. Simply pull apart two of the support bars and voila! Doesn't get any easier than that.

eureka curvy high-back camping chair review - this chair narrowly missed receiving our editors' choice award. it...
This chair narrowly missed receiving our Editors' Choice Award. It is incredibly comfortable, supportive, and easy to use.
Credit: Laura Lingeman

Features


The only added feature of this chair is a storage pouch that hangs down from the seat of the chair. Despite its inconvenient location, it can hold more items than the pouches on all of the other models we tested. It is also very durable. It can also hold bottles of almost any size, leaving you nearly unlimited in your beverage choices.

eureka curvy high-back camping chair review - despite being slightly out of reach, the super durable storage pouch...
Despite being slightly out of reach, the super durable storage pouch on the Eureka could hold a TON of odds and ends.
Credit: Laura Lingeman

Best Applications


Honestly, more than one tester wanted to use this chair around their home kitchen table. If that doesn't sound good to you, then at least consider it for car camping, fishing, tailgating, hanging out at the beach, or watching a kids soccer game. It will keep you comfortable all day, just don't plan on carrying it very far.

eureka curvy high-back camping chair review - eureka curvy chair is a great option for the beach thanks to its...
Eureka Curvy chair is a great option for the beach thanks to its mesh back and seat.
Credit: Devin Chance

Value


The Eureka costs $80 retail which is about the average price among the chairs we tested. It isn't a bargain, but we think that it was such a good performer that it is worth paying a little extra. With this model, a few extra bucks really does get you more. More comfort, more durability, and a chair that is good for a variety of uses.

Conclusion


The only group of people who are likely to complain about the Eureka are whoever is sitting behind its tall back at your kid's soccer game. It has a luxurious feel and is supportive of the entire spine. It doesn't have standard camping chair armrests or cup holders, but it still offers some storage. This model is a bit pricey but is worth the extra bucks as it will last you and your family a long time.

Laura Lingeman