Ostrich OYB-1003S Back Chair Review
Rating
Durability: 6
Comfort: 3
Portability: 6
Features: 4
Setup/Packdown: 6
OVERALL: 5
A five-position recliner with a spot for your face.
The Ostrich OYB-1003S Back Chair (yes, that name’s a mouthful) clearly aims to bring something new to the table. It features face and arm openings designed to make tanning on your stomach a bit more convenient, though we're not convinced they hit the mark in terms of comfort. Still, we give it credit for creativity and a build that feels solid and dependable.
Comparison
Rank: #10
Open Size: Low and small
Packed Size: Small but Heavy
Weight: Heavy
Capacity: High
Pros: The only chair we tested that offers some comfort while lying face-down, folds away compactly.
Cons: The front-lying angle feels a bit awkward, not especially comfy when upright, on the heavier side.
Verdict: Best suited to people who want a chair primarily for lying face-down on the beach.
Skip ahead to First Impressions, Transportability, Sitting, or the Final Verdict, or check out how the Ostrich OYB-1003S Back Chair compares to others in our list of the Top Ten Beach Chairs.
Specs:
Open Size: 46x26x33in
Packed Size: 28x19x16in
Weight: 10.56lbs
Capacity: 325lbs
Approx Price: $88.95
First Impressions
Ostrich’s inventive design folds down into a tidy bundle and feels like it’ll last. The fabric has a tough-but-not-scratchy texture and the frame feels stable and well-built. Most of the stitching was neat, although we did spot two slightly frayed spots; nothing major, but worth noting.
You can choose from several bold colours like bright blue, pink, yellow and red. We tested the more classic white and navy stripe, which looked great — if you don’t mind the face hole in the backrest, which, to be fair, serves a practical purpose.
Transportability
Weighing in at 10.56 lbs, the Ostrich OYB sits on the heavier side of the beach chair range, and when you're lugging chairs, towels, snacks and maybe an oversized flamingo float, that extra weight starts to matter.
The main downside to carrying it, though, is comfort. The built-in backpack straps aren’t especially comfy and one of the metal support bars rests right across your upper back, making it a bit awkward to carry over longer distances.
Sitting
As far as upright seating goes, this chair is fairly comfortable, though not the most relaxing one we tested. The armrests are positioned well, the seat is at a practical height from the sand and the frame doesn’t jab into you anywhere while sitting. We were concerned the arm holes on the back might be irritating, but they weren’t noticeable while upright.
That said, the headrest padding was a bit of a letdown. The cover didn’t fully conceal it, so it pressed into the back of our head and wasn’t especially enjoyable.
Now, onto the main feature: lying face down. On the plus side, there are holes for your face and arms, so you can, for instance, put a magazine on the sand in front of you and be able to turn the pages. It’s definitely more comfortable for your neck than lying on a towel with your head turned to one side.
But it’s not quite a spa-level experience — it’s like a massage table, just less comfortable. Your legs hang off the edge and hit the sand, and the frame presses into the front of your thighs. Plus, resting your face in a plastic-feeling ring that heats up in the sun may not be everyone’s idea of beach bliss.
Final Verdict
We’re on the fence about this one. Apart from the headrest, it’s not a bad chair to sit in and it’s fine for short-distance carrying. The build quality is solid, too. It might not be our personal favourite, but if you’re someone who loves lying on your stomach at the beach, it’s a clever concept, and that’s why it earns a spot on our list of Top Ten Beach Chairs.
Water & Outdoors reviews are written by our staff writers, who combined have over fifty years of experience on the water and outdoors. We may earn commissions if you choose to buy through a link you’ve clicked on our website, however this does not influence our reviews. For more information, please see our Editorial Policies.