The first day of summer might be a few weeks away, but as far as I’m concerned, the change of seasons has already kicked in. So what better way to enjoy some well-deserved fun in the sun than chilling in a beach chair? As someone who spent summers at my hometown’s local pool—and currently lives a four-minute drive away from the beach—I’ll take any excuse to curl up in a lounge chair. In fact, as long as I have a strong WiFi connection, there’s not much stopping me from bringing my laptop outside and indulging in a WFB session. (You know, work from backyard.)
Unfortunately, working in the sun isn’t always a positive experience. My screen gets a big glare, or my computer overheats, which throws a major wrench in my office al fresco setup. (Sure, I could take my work back inside, but where’s the fun in that?) So when I heard about , which is all over these days, I was immediately interested.
What Is the Ostrich Beach Chair?
Though the company isn’t exactly a household brand, it does make beach chairs with padded face holes built inside. The face holes might be designed with a thorough tanning (and lounging!) experience in mind, but I couldn’t help but wonder if it’d also be the perfect solution for my outdoor office obstacle. So, I tested out the lounge chair for a week—and it was love at first sit.
How Does the Ostrich Beach Chair Work?
At first glance, this lounger looks like every other beach chair. The aluminum and alloy steel frame can hold up to 250 pounds, while the mesh polyester upholstery offers maximum air flow during those hot summer days. This beach chair comes preassembled but can fold up to a third of its size when idle. (There’s even an attached head cushion for optimal comfort.) Plus, should you need any help schlepping this seat to the pool or beach, it comes with a carrying strap. However, you’ll quickly notice that the head pillow flips up to reveal a face cavity, which is lined with a cushioned perimeter you can pop up or down to ensure the perfect fit.
My Experience Using the Ostrich Beach Chair
As soon as I received my Ostrich beach chair, I immediately adjusted it by lifting the arms (which are on the newest version), pushing the back closer to the ground, and plopping down on my stomach. The chaise’s back has large holes on each slide, so I could easily slip an arm through each hole and type away. Meanwhile, the face cavity was a happy medium: Not too big that my head would slip through, but not too small that I’d wind up with creases all over my face.
My beach chair’s back was adjusted to about a 20-degree slope, providing a great vantage point for my laptop without feeling like I was hunching over my work. I might’ve used my Ostrich beach chair while I was working, but I’d imagine avid readers or tanners would also get a lot of mileage out of this seat. (I spent hours lounging here, and I’m sure you could, too!)
Don’t want to lie face down? The Ostrich Beach Chair is still really good. When I laid down on my back, I noticed this chaise was both comfortable and sturdy. (The chair is built with two cloth cup holders as well as two zippered pockets for your sunglasses or earbuds.) Ah, the life.
The Verdict
Overall, I really enjoyed using the Ostrich Beach Chair. While it’s a high-quality, sturdy chair on its own, the face cavity and designated arm holes make this seat truly something special. And, at under $70 each, this chair is a total steal. That said, there are a few small details I wish this chair had. Though this option is a chaise lounge, it would be great if this seat could turn into an upright chair, too. (It’d also be great if my chaise lounge had two straps so I could carry it like a backpack.) But while the chaise lounge might not have these tiny touches, Ostrich has a bunch of options that tick off those boxes. All you need to do is select the best one for your needs, kick back, and relax…
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