Yeti is an impressive company, based on a simple ethos: “Build the cooler (i.e., product) you’d use every day if it existed.” They certainly made their name constructing extremely robust coolers that endure full-tilt adventure travel, but they have also extended their product line to include soft coolers, drinkware, bags, and now chairs.
Pulling the Hondo from the box, I immediately noticed its heft—an impressive 17 pounds on our shop scale and designed to take the weight and girth of a 500-pound human. It is often the packaging that says the most about a product, and in the case of the Yeti Hondo, the package was the size of a coffee table and built to protect a chair that doesn’t need any form of protection. In every dimension, this is the biggest camp chair we have ever tested, and it proved supremely comfortable for me with my 6’1” frame; its 16-inch seat height will leave feet dangling for anyone under 5’4” tall though. In its folded state, the dimensions are 32 inches tall, 26.5 inches wide, and over 7 inches thick. This will allocate some serious space in the vehicle, and if nested perfectly, still requires seven cubic feet of storage or 22 percent of the cargo area of a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. Yes, it is a big and heavy chair, but is it a great camp chair?
I still remember the first time I sat in the Hondo and thought, “Wow, this thing really is comfortable,” which dampened some of my concern over the size. It is built to last a lifetime of camping and still end up in the will. The failure points are all extreme-duty, like cast metal joints, and a double-layer, hardened aluminum alloy frame. Other thoughtful construction considerations are the Grid-guard seat fabric over-molds, and the breathable mesh seat fabric, which is also UV-rated for prolonged sun exposure. The chairs include a cup holder that fits cans and most popular drink sizes. After several camping trips and even sitting on it for several weeks on my porch, I am convinced of its durability and comfort, but that does come at the aforementioned cost. It may be an appropriate choice for the car camper, but it is important to consider the Hondo’s size and weight if you are hoping to haul a pair in the back of your FJ Cruiser. Where I see this chair excelling is for the base camp, the full-size truck camper, concert in the park goer, and backyard griller. It will outlast most owners, and be seriously comfortable in doing so.
Yeti.com | $299
Pros
Extremely comfortable and stable
Well suited for (very) large people
Built to last a lifetime
UV-protected materials
Cons
Heavy to carry any distance
Large when folded
Cup holder only fits on one side (I am a lefty…)
