Cougar Armor Pro Gaming Chair (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
We all love games, but you need the right equipment to get the full experience. While many are generally willing to do a deep dive into what headset, keyboard, mouse, controller, system, etc. to get; it’s often overlooked how important it is to invest in a nice chair to support our addictions. That’s why today I’m reviewing the Cougar Armor Pro gaming chair. But does it live up to its self-imposed title “The Throne of Gamers”? Cougar’s website states:
“COUGAR Armor PRO is the perfect seat for professional level gamers. This swivelling gaming chair is a fully adjustable throne that will satisfy the most demanding gamers. With a steel frame, high-quality components for extrdurability and loads of options to fine tune it to your needs, COUGAR Armor PRO is ready for battle.”
The Cougar Armor Pro gaming chair is a high back, ergonomic gaming chair that was designed with comfort and quality in mind. The chair sports a high-quality breathable PVC leather material that covers the body and cushioning of the chair, a suede-like texture along the sides of the chair and logo, adjustable armrests, as well as comfortable (and removable) head and lumbar support pillows. This is all supported by a full steel frame.
Let’s start by looking at the features and specifications of the chair itself:
Main Color: Black
Main Texture: PVC Leather
Side Strip Color: Orange or Black [I went with Orange, but Black is more aesthetic in an office environment.]
Side Strip Texture: Suede-like PVC
Stitching Color: Black
Logo Segment Color: Orange
Seat Thickness: 9 cm (3.54 ")
Seat Width: 56 cm (22.5 ")
Seat Depth: 50 cm (19.69 ")
Floor to Base: 36-44 cm (14.17 "-17.32 ")
Width (overall): 59 cm (23.23 ")
Length of Backrest: 84 cm (33.07 ")
Backrest Adjustability: 90° - 180° [Allegedly—more on that later.]
Armrest to Armrest: 49-52 cm (19.29 "-20.47 ")
Armrest Height to Floor: 63-70 cm (24.80 "-27.56 ")
Gas Lift: Class 4 cylinder [This means that the chair is resistant and movable and won’t fall apart on you.]
Adjustable Tilting Resistance: Yes [By turning the knob under the chair you can increase/decrease how much the chair wobbles when leaning into it.]
Maximum Weight (user): 120 kg (264.5 lbs)
Net Weight (chair): 21 kg (46.30 lbs)
Base Material: Plastic
Casters-Wheel Material: Plastic
Warranty: 1 year
Price: Approximately $250 or above depending on retailer
When I picked up the giant box from UPS, the first thing that I noticed was that it was hefty, but I was excited to put it together the second I got home. The installation process was pretty intuitive but following the instructions is mandatory to avoid screwing anything up along the way. I noticed right away that this was a quality chair as pushing on the seat showed me just how firm it is. I will admit that I had my roommate help me install the chair to get it done quicker and more efficiently, but it shouldn’t be too difficult to put together as a solo project. One thing that I did notice was that there was a tear on both sides of the back of the chair which are hidden by the piece of plastic that connect the back of the chair from the seat of the chair (see picture below). The fact that the tears were on both sides and were hidden by the plastic when installed leads me to believe that they were not accidental and have some function purpose, but I can’t fathom what they were for.
The knob on the back of the chair controls the resistance that the chair gives when leaning into it. I decided to tighten it almost all the way so that it doesn’t give much resistance, but I also loosened it to test it and it wobbles like crazy. This is a good thing because it means that you have a huge range of resistances to choose from!
I have a terrible lower back due to an accident 10 years ago which is only aggravated by my terrible posture. So while many hate chairs with pillows, this was the function that I was most excited about. As I type this I am leaning forward (as I always do) and my lower back is firmly rested on the lower pillow, giving it support whereas otherwise I might as well be sitting on a stool. The neck pillow on the other hand I can take or leave, I haven’t decided whether to remove it or not but I’m happy to say that I at least have the option to do so as the pillows can be adjusted and removed to fit your preferences.
If I have to talk about a flaw with the chair, I suppose it has to be the armrests in my particular situation. But before I get to that I want to mention that the armrests are very adjustable. You can adjust the height of them, tilt them towards or away from you, and move them forward or back. Basically, every type of adjustment aside from a complete 90° turn is possible with these armrests. My only issue is that I tried to raise both armrests on my chair to the highest level, but putting any weight on the left armrest pushes it down two levels. It simply won’t lock in place at the highest level. I’m sure this is just an issue with my unit, but I’m worried that means there may be a quality control issue. Luckily, Cougar offers a one year warranty period to replace issues like this. It doesn’t bug me enough to warrant my invocation of the warranty (horrible pun intended) but I feel obligated to mention it.
I have one last bone to pick with this otherwise awesome chair. Cougar’s website claims that this chair can adjust from 90° to a full 180°. Understanding the absurdity of using a chair at 180° I was joking that I was going to use it as a “Hardcore Gaming Bed.” So I adjusted the chair as far back as it could go and, to my disappointment, it doesn’t go back anywhere near 180°. And then pushing it all the way forward it actually adjusted to less than 90° (see pictures below). At any rate, I sat in the chair, adjusted it all the way back, and promptly fell over and smacked my head on the floor. I’ll take half responsibility for stupidly trying to recline to 180° but I’m also giving Cougar have responsibility for claiming it went that far back in the first place. But really, who wants to sit in a chair at an angle below 90° or all the way to 180°?
All of that said, this is an extremely comfortable chair to use. The Cougar Armor Pro may shock you at its $250 starting point, but it offers features and quality that meet or exceed much more expensive chairs. I’ve been using this chair daily for nearly three weeks now and I don’t see that coming to an end any time soon.
Verdict
- Easy to put together.
- Made with high quality materials.
- Comfortable for long periods.
- A lot of adjustment options.
- One year warranty.
- Fairly affordable considering all of the features
- Possible quality control issues.
- The chair doesn't actually rotate 90° to 180°
