Camp chairs · Review

GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker Review (Bought & Tested!)

I bought this chair with my own money and put it through 13 measured tests.

  • Setup ~4 sec
  • Seat size 21.2 x 15.0 in
  • Seat height 15.2 in
  • Weight 12.2 lbs
GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker Review
My GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.

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Test scorecard

7.9out of 10
Setup10
Quality8.8
Comfort7.6
Features7
Breathability6.4
Weight3

If you’re looking for the best rocking chair, this GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker certainly lives up to its name, and I highly recommend it. It’s comfortable, sits as high as a regular chair, and has a great rocking motion.

What won me over
  • Inexpensive
  • Tall seat height
  • Taut seat
  • Easy setup and pack away
What let me down
  • Bulky packed size
Video review thumbnail for the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker

If you prefer watching to reading, check out my video here instead.

See the 13 tests
  1. Set Up
  2. Pack Away
  3. Unfolded Dimensions
  4. Seat Size
  5. Seat Height
  6. Backrest
  7. Mesh
  8. Armrests
  9. Cupholder
  10. Rocking Feature
  11. Longevity
  12. Materials and Quality
  13. Portability
  14. Pros, cons, recommendations
  15. Bonus – MUST read!

Set Up

1) Pick it up and locate the two seat-frame edges.

How to set up the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
The two edges of the seat frame.

2) Push both sides apart mid-way, then push downwards on the seat to snap it in place.

  • Setup time ~4 seconds
The author setting up the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
Push opposite ends of the chair apart.

Pack Away

1) Locate the side marked ‘lift handle to fold’.

The folding handle of the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
Red arrow pointing to ‘lift handle to fold’.

2) Place your foot at the bottom of the frame. Then, reach over the armrest and pull the handle up. The chair will snap shut.

  • Pack-away time ~2 seconds
The author folding the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
What it looks like to place your foot on the chair frame.

Unfolded Dimensions

  • Width (armrest to armrest) 23.8in
  • Depth (front to back) 24.5in
  • Height (ground to top) 34.3in

Seat Size

  • Seat width 21.25in
  • Seat depth 15.0in
The seat size of the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
I found the seat to be very spacious and more than enough for me, though a few more inches in seat depth would be ideal.

Seat Height

  • Front seat height 18.75in
  • Bottom seat height 15.25in
  • Seat slouch 3.5in
The seat height of the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
This is higher than your average camp chair, which sits at only 11 inches.

Backrest

  • Backrest height 18.0in
  • Backrest width 24.0in
  • Recline angle
The author leaning on the backrest of the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
This backrest covers almost my entire back, but it isn’t tall enough to give me a neckrest.

Mesh

  • Mesh panel on backrest 14.25 x 12.75in
  • Overall mesh percentage ~17%
The mesh of the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
Only the backrest has mesh; the seat doesn’t.

Armrests

The padding is a thin layer of fabric and Styrofoam-like foam over a steel bar — honestly, not the most comfortable.

The armrests of the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
What the armrests look like.
What's inside the armrests of the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
What’s inside the armrest when you take it out.

Cupholder

  • Cupholders 1
  • Size 3.0 x 3.5in
A thermos in the cupholder of the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
It fits cans and thermoses, but not a 1-liter Nalgene bottle.

Rocking Feature

The rocking is due to the metal tubes sliding in and out of the pistons at the back of the chair. It also has anti-squeak joints on both sides.

The rocking function of the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
A close-up of the GCI patented rocking system.

On top of that, the front legs work like a normal camp chair.

The author sitting on the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker in front of a folding table.
Sit forward and the chair becomes stable without rocking.

It comes with extra grooving at the front to keep it steady.

The extra grooving of the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
The extra grooving at the front makes it stable for regular chair use.

Longevity

I borrowed this from a friend who’s owned it for 2-3 years. It’s held up great — the only change is a slight squeak.

Materials and Quality

  • Fabric Ripstop polyesterno denier rating
  • Mesh Nylon
  • Frame Powder-coated steel with simple rivets
  • Poles 1.0in flat poles
  • Stitching Clean all around
  • Made in China
  • Warranty Lifetime

Portability

  • Weight 12.2lbs
  • Packed size 34.3 x 24.5 x 6.25in
  • Carry handle 1
The carry handle of the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
The carry handle.
The author carrying the folded GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
Me picking the chair up with the handle.

Pros, Cons, Recommendations

Now, what are the pros and cons, and would I recommend the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker?

TestingGCI Freestyle RockerGCI Kickback RockerGCI Pod Rocker
Setup4 seconds4 seconds23 seconds
Pack Away2 seconds5 seconds45 seconds
Seat Size21.25 x 15.0in17.8 x 16.3in27.3 x 14.5in
Backrest Height18.0in22.5in25.1in
Seat Height15.25in11.2in11.2in
Seat TautnessYesYesNo
Mesh17%0%2%
ArmrestsYesYesNo
StorageCupholder x 1
No pockets
Cupholder x 1
Phone pocket x 1
Cupholder x 1
Phone pocket x 1
Packed Size (Volume)34.3 x 24.5 x 6.25in
(5,252in³)
39.3 x 7.5 x 6.5in
(1,916in³)
41.0 x 8.0 x 5.5in
(1,804in³)
Weight12.2lbs10.4lbs12.1lbs

Fastest to set up and pack away

  • Freestyle: 2-4 seconds
  • Kickback: 4-5 seconds
  • Pod: 23-45 seconds

Sits as high as a regular chair

  • Freestyle: 15.25in
  • Kickback: 11.2in
  • Pod: 11.2in

Most mesh, best for summer

About 17% of the chair is mesh while the others have almost none.

Taut, supportive seat

The seat stays taut instead of sinking, so it supports your lower back. The Pod Rocker’s bucket shape doesn’t.

Bulky packed size

The fold-flat design makes the packed volume is nearly 3x the others.

  • Freestyle: 5,252in³
  • Kickback: 1,916in³
  • Pod: 1,804in³
Packed size of the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker.
It folds flat, unlike the other GCI chairs that have a quad-fold.

No pockets

You get a single cupholder and no phone pocket — both other GCI rockers have a small phone pocket.

Overall recommendation

If you want an easy-setup and tall rocker that provides good lumbar support, the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker is easily the best.

Bonus – MUST Read!

I know this because I tested the Freestyle Rocker against 20 other camping chairs. Check out my Best Outdoor Camping Chairs article to find out.

Or, check out the Freestyle Rocker:

Every figure above is from my own testing — measured by hand, bought with my own money.

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