Cougar Ranger Gamer Sofa (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Official Store: https://cougargaming.com/us/products/chairs/ranger/
When the market is flooded by clones upon clones of the same-looking gaming chair, where do you go from there? Inundated by every color and type of racing-style chair that could ever exist, Cougar has tried to push the gamer furniture market to the limit. The Cougar Ranger is perhaps the final form of all gamer chairs, transforming the trend from chairs to sofas. Sitting a single person, much like a La-Z-Boy, the Ranger attempts to introduce an affordable alternative to recliners for those that love the gamer aesthetic.
Right out of the gate, you'll know whether or not the Ranger is for you. It is unabashedly "gamer," in every sense of the word. Its edges adorned with bright stripes of color, the COUGAR branding plastered on every side of the chair, it will absolutely stand out like a beacon in any "average" living room. However, if you're already all-in on the aesthetic, then it's going to look right at home in a bedroom that has a gamer chair and other similar accessories. It really depends on your taste in decor, and if you're willing to give it a chance, you might just wind up with a nice recliner for gaming.
Assembling the "sofa" is easier than putting together a gaming chair; all you have to do is slide the side cushions on, and attach the feet. If you're strong enough, you can just tip the chair at an angle and hold it while you screw in the four chair feet, or you can have someone help out, which is what I opted to do. Putting it all together took less than 10 minutes, not accounting for the time it took for me to chase my cats away from the recliner. The plastic chair feet felt a little on the cheap side, as if it was too thin to hold up the chair, but my worries were unfounded as it never ended up being an issue. I still think it would have been nice if they went with a higher quality material, but regardless, the chair is stable--exceptionally so--as the internals consists of a steel frame.
Once the chair has been put together, in all its extreme gamer glory, it actually looks quite nice. It's effectively an edgier, less plush La-Z-Boy made of leather, both in terms of both appearance and comfort. The included lumbar pillow is nice for when you want to sit up, giving your back a bit of support, while the seat padding is firm, but not overly so. You'll possibly be disappointed if you're looking to sink into a chair and drown in plush material, but I found that the Ranger having less give to it made it better for sitting a little more propped up for leaning forward during intensive gaming sessions, or when I had to squint to read the small text while playing The Witcher 3.
Though it's billed as a sofa, the main feature of the Ranger is, of course, the reclining factor. By pushing against the back of the chair, you'll push out the leg-rest from under the seat. The action doesn't require too much force, though I found that the chair didn't like it when I tried to recline fully and keep leaning. There might be a point where you could accidentally tip it over if you try to push the recliner out roughly enough, but I didn't tip over once despite that, luckily. Leaning back to 160 degrees was one of the most comfortable experiences I've had in a chair, gaming or otherwise, and if I felt tired enough, I think I might have fallen asleep in it, even. The chair has good head support in terms of the padding on the top, and the leg-rest comes out at a nice angle for sitting back and relaxing in. At 5'2", I had more than enough room to stretch out fully, but those over 6ft tall might find their feet hanging off the edge. For me though, it was exactly what I wanted out of a nice reclining experience.
The only time I felt a little disappointed in terms of comfort was because of the armrests; they're pretty low, and if you're trying to prop your elbows on them while playing a portable console, say the PlayStation Vita or the Nintendo Switch, then you might feel discomfort, either from the low angle, or the lack of padding on them. Had Cougar decided to add just a little bit more padding to the arms, I think it would have really benefitted the recliner. At the same time, the low arms work if you're using the chair in tandem with a Couchmaster or similar type of flat surface to use your mouse and keyboard on. I think most would rather play their PC games at their desks, but for those that use their PCs as media centers on TV, it works nicely.
If you can get behind the concept of a "gamer sofa", Cougar has a cool concept on their hands. Retailing for $279.99, it's actually cheaper than some regular gaming chairs, and much cheaper than a recliner. The Ranger is comfortable, too, and if you want a little space to yourself to play your games on, it's certainly a fun option. A few improvements could be made, in regards to the armrest padding and the quality of the feet being heavier enough to fully anchor the chair, but otherwise, it's nicely built and holds up. The appearance might drive some away, but really, when it comes to "gamer" apparel and furniture, the goal is to go all out, and that's exactly what this recliner does.
Verdict
- Soft material
- Mostly put together right out of the box
- Comfortable and easy to sit in for hours
- Reclines smoothly
- The arms are a little low/unpadded
- The cheap plastic feet
