By Olin Coles
Manufacturer: Compucase Enterprise Company, Ltd.
Product Name: COUGAR Armor Gaming Chair
Model Number: 3MGC1NXB.001
UPC: 8715302448721 EAN: 471520001958 JAN: 4541995032165
Price As Tested: $249.99 (Champ Chairs | Amazon | Newegg)
Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by champchairs.com.
We spend a large portion of our life seated, so it’s very important to select the right chair. I once owned a comfortable office chair that followed me around after college, joining my second-hand dining table on many occasions. More recently, an expensive Embody chair review stirred controversy. Technology has caught up, and now gaming chairs pair style together with luxury. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, I test the COUGAR Armor gaming chair.
When Champ Chairs offered us a chance to test the COUGAR Armor gaming chair, I couldn’t say no. Literally, my body wouldn’t allow it. COUGAR is well known to gamers for their keyboard and mouse peripherals, but they also rock my favorite color on their products: orange. It looks great (to me), but how does it feel after extended gaming?
- Top-end height quality gas lift for size adjustment.
- 180 degree reclining, Users will not be restricted to fixed steps when reclining your chair.
- Adjustable Tilt Resistance.
- Armor’s 4D armrests for maximum comfort.
- The Armor’s Full Steel Frame are made up of steel for long term durability.
- Iron Shell Cylinder with Five-Star Base further enhances the chair’s durability.
- Armor’s strong structure has been designed to support safely up to 150 kg / 330.00 lbs.
The COUGAR Armor gaming chair is a ready-to-assemble product, packaged with an Allen head / Phillips head multi-tool and all the hardware needed to attach the parts together. The chair is designed to accommodate users up to 265 LBS. COUGAR Armor is available online for $249.99 (Direct | Amazon | Newegg), which represents a small investment for long-term comfort.
Like the seat material colors, Vertagear uses unique roller wheels on their gaming chairs. The SL2000 gaming chair sent to us for review came equipped with black 8-spoke plastic wheels, whereas other manufacturers producing similar chairs offer their styled racing wheels as a premium upgrade.
The COUGAR Armor gaming chair feature a steel frame, with lever handle along the right hinge to adjust the backrest position. Levers and knobs beneath the seat cushion adjust chair height and rocking limits. The frame works together with shaped cushions for an ergonomic finish.
The COUGAR Armor gaming chair seat bottom measures 14″ for the center pad, and 22″ wide to the edges. This should fit most body types. Side padding helps to center the user into the middle of the chair, while adjustable armrests accommodate a variety of shoulder widths. Complete dimensions and chair specifications are listed here.
COUGAR Armor gaming chairs offer a fully adjustable reclining backrest system, reminiscent of automotive seats. The image below illustrates the Armor chair fully extended, ready for a between-rounds rest (pillows included).
The Armor gaming chair proudly displays an embroidered COUGAR logo in bright orange, contrasting with the black textured leather-feeling synthetic material.
In the next section we’ll explore some of the detailed features offered on the COUGAR Armor gaming chair…
COUGAR Armor comes in the brand’s trademark color, utilizing a black base with contrasting orange outer sections and accents to help it stand out. Over-shoulder harness cut-outs, which are practically identical to authentic race car seats, help set this chair apart from typical office furniture.
Unlike authentic race car seats, which are known for uncomfortably firm support, the COUGAR Armor gaming chair offers plenty of padding. COUGAR Armor comes with a small head pillow and lower-back support pillow; both made with matching materials and elastic straps that fit around the chair’s backrest.
The COUGAR Armor gaming chair makes use of a steel frame and class-4 gas strut rated for 330 LBS. Standard on ARMOR is a set of black 5-spoke racing wheels, which are a subtle improvement over the generic plastic castor wheels that come on similarly designed racing chairs. True enthusiast will likely paint these silver (or orange).
At the back of Armor is another large COUGAR logo, embroidered in the bright orange color theme of the chair. The two included pillow rests are also color-matched, and have elastic straps that allow the user to attach them in several positions around the chair for maximum comfort.
While most chair offer basic adjustable armrests, COUGAR Armor comes with every-direction “4-D” movement. Armrests are comprised of soft closed-cell foam with poly-vinyl over molding, and each is capable of 2.75″ height adjustment, 2″ of forward/backward travel, and 1/2″ of side adjustment. Some assembly is required, so when the arms are bolted to the frame they can be made wide or narrow by approximately one inch total.
COUGAR Armor features a 180-degree relining seat back, with tilt resistance adjustment activated by a lever along the right side of gaming chair. Rather than limiting users to fixed reclining steps, Armor can stop travel at any point.
In the next section I’ll discuss my final thoughts on these gaming chairs, and offer a summary conclusion based on the features we’ve reviewed.
Any chair you find yourself seated in while playing games qualifies as a gaming chair, but it has to be comfortable, or you won’t be gaming for very long. For the past several years I’ve been using an ultra-expensive office chair that was purpose-built for spinal support and circulatory health benefits, according its manufacturer. In truth, the COUGAR Armor gaming chair is more comfortable and really does feel great to sit in all day… all while costing costing about 25% the price of my special ‘ergonomic’ chair. The pillows are a nice added feature, which make it possible to customize positioning. In terms of performance I’m very pleased with the Armor gaming chair.
The COUGAR Armor gaming chair isn’t all looks, but the bright colors and stylish design certainly do make it appear that way. The bright orange color scheme looks awesome, contrasting with a black base. I’ve seen other gaming chairs with color-matched stitching, and I think that feature would have carried over well here.
When a company uses metals instead of plastics, you’ve usually got yourself a good product. COUGAR utilizes a strong steel chair frame, steel gas piston, and aluminum alloy star legs. Even the synthetic materials used to cover the cushions and solid wheels have been designed to last decades… or longer. COUGAR has produced a very well-built chair, and it’s clear they’re just as focused on function as they are with fashion.
Like most high-end chairs, Armor includes seat and armrest height adjustments. Unlike most others, you can adjust the backrest exactly like you want without the limitation of ratchet steps. This is a unique feature not found on most chairs, and I’ve discovered it comes in very handy when I want to kick back and relax while reading. The pillows add to my comfort, but also help with posture. The lower pillow is soft enough to mold against your back, but firm enough to provide lumbar support.
The COUGAR Armor gaming chair currently sells online for $249.99 (Direct | Amazon | Newegg). I’ve owned office chairs that cost as much with none of Armor’s features, as well as fancy chairs with some of the same features at four times the cost that didn’t deliver the same level of comfort. Personally I think Armor is a solid value considering its construction and features, but the eye-catching looks really help them stand out and make a statement.
For the past week I’ve sat in the COUGAR Armor gaming chair for nearly eight hours each day, and not once have I got out of the chair sore or aching. The Armor is styled for gaming, but since I spend more time at my desk, it’s worth every bit for my comfort, and their envy.
+ Colorful style that demand attention and evokes jealousy
+ Very comfortable cushions and soft pillows for head and back
+ 180-Degree adjustable reclining backrest mechanism
+ Solid construction with steel frame, base, and parts
+ Styled racing wheels help set this chair apart from others
– May not comfortably fit extra-large people
– Wheels are all-black, hiding the five-star spoke design
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Performance: 9.25
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Appearance: 9.00
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Construction: 9.50
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Functionality: 9.75
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Value: 8.50
