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Geoptik Nadira Observing Chair


Alan White

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This is my first ever review here or anywhere else for that matter, hope it reads well for you all.....

I finally could no longer take the wobbly too short and too tall old MFI stool I have used for years,
it was bought when i was a lad so it's done a lot of years use (35), well done MFI.

So I bought the Geoptik Observation's Chair from Rother Valley Optics, cost in Nov 2015 £95 with a little concern,
I felt it was a lot of money I could spend on other astro items, I think you will see my concerns were not founded at all.

The chair duly arrived very quickly; however Mr. Delivery man decided to treat it with utmost care, NOT and it was a bit bashed on the dges and on the seat top, varnish scraped and looking a little worse for wear, I think the term distressed applies to furniture, fully functional but looks like I have had a number of months careless use from it.  
RVO were happy to replace it, but we agreed a modest discount as it was most usable and easier for us both.

The chair is made from 20mm Ply (I think Ash) and solid leg and hinge supports (I think Ash); very well made and solid and light at 4.5Kg

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The seat is all wooden bar the nylon strap and clip, very well made and clearly will last a long time.
The seat are is modest and unpadded, unlike my rear end, which is neither of these; however it gives good support and needs no padding in my opinion,
those with less upholstered rear ends may disagree of course.

The seat overall folds flat and is the maximum size of 35cm at its widest and 92cm at its longest dimension.
The seat is about 60mm thick when folded, so stowes away easily.
The seat section moves up and down in very well cut slots and holds very solidly, the seat also has a clever trick as seen in the stowed picture below,
the seat has a cut out and steel washer fitted, these sit onto a wooden pin at the rear of the seat and a magnet fitted to the main body, holds the seat very solidly in place,
with the exception of delivery men and heavy treatment, hence the distressed arrival (the pictures really do not show the marks that well).

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The minimum seat height is 22cm from floor height, works very well with my refractor at zenith and focusser out a long way.

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The maximum seat height is 74cm from floor height, works very well with my refractor.

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The chair was very solid in a nights observing use, the leg that looks a bit light is actualy solid Ash and is hinged from solid Ash blocks and a steel bolt.
The ash leg and hinge blocks are 32mm x 53mm and well engineered and finished.

The seat can be dropped lower for binocular use, however I have not done this presently and cannot comment, the strap somehow adjusts out and the main body ends up at a shallower angle.  The Geoptik vide shows this and it looks like it will be fine, when I try this I will add a report to this.

Overall a very well made chair, I feel it is good value for all the work that goes into its manufacture, clearly a very competent DIYer could make something similar, but it would cost a fair bit in materials and time to do this, why spend the time when you could be observing?   

I reccomend this to my fellow SGL users, clearly all our mileages vary and we all will like and dislike differing things,
from reviews and posts I have bought items upon recomendation from here and most have been spot on, sadly one was not, but that's life and the point I am trying to badly make.

ADDITION:

Just used it for the third session and it just gets better, being seated properly makes such a difference, thought I was sat ok with the old stool, how wrong I was, this chair is great, really great, I cannot reccomend it enough.

 

Edited by Alan White
Enthused addition.
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Nice first review!

If you're not tall, how do you get up onto the seat at its high position as there are no footpegs to step onto or support your feet when to get there. Or is it just lower than it sounds?

AndyG

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6 minutes ago, 101nut said:

Nice first review!

If you're not tall, how do you get up onto the seat at its high position as there are no footpegs to step onto or support your feet when to get there. Or is it just lower than it sounds?

AndyG

Thank you,

I am 5' 10" in old money and the seat height at the top is fine for me.
Those a little shorter and you may be correct.
The cahir is not overly tall, measure the height stated 74cm (max seat height) against you legs and you will see if it's ok for you. 

As I said our mileages vary.

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It's a very nice seat.
I hesitated for some time before spending out as I felt at the time before purchase it's just a seat.....
however now I don't think that way at all, very pleased and wanted to share the review to encourage others to hesitate less.

 

Alan

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On 12/5/2016 at 19:04, niallk said:

Thanks for posting a very good and helpful review :thumbsup:.  I too have been looking at this option: looks very nice indeed.

I think that it is worth the money and I am renowned for being careful with my cash;
just ask my friends abut how careful I am with my cash near a bar!

Edited by Alan White
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  • 1 month later...
On 2/5/2017 at 08:26, TractionMan said:

Nice review of a very interesting looking chair! Looks very well made and portable as well.

It is a nice portable chair, easily carried, very easily used and so simple.
Works wonderfully with my refractor set up.
 

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  • 9 months later...
On ‎12‎/‎3‎/‎2016 at 12:42, 101nut said:

Nice first review!

If you're not tall, how do you get up onto the seat at its high position as there are no footpegs to step onto or support your feet when to get there. Or is it just lower than it sounds?

AndyG

Hi,here is my chair,made from old rowing trainer  with the steps for foot..

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Edited by Nojus
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  • 9 months later...

Came to the conclusion that if you want to pay top dollar for an observation chair then just type “astronomy chair” in google and watch your wallet empty. However, type “ironing chair” and suddenly things become a bit more sensible price wise. See example below;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Leifheit-Multi-Seat-Niveau-Chrome/dp/B000VJE5SI/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen-appliances&ie=UTF8&qid=1534702409&sr=1-2&keywords=Ironing+chair

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  • 3 months later...

Thanks for this Alan, was trying to find a good chair and was trying  to find reviews of this one  not many came up. as ive been kneeling most of the time when using my dob and was abit awkward in certain positions. Have just ordered it and cant wait for more comfortable observing :)

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I could have made this but taking into account that I'd need to buy a full sheet of plywood and the bits and also the fact I made the rough prototype I am still using seven years later I thought i should just buy one and enjoy it as stated above! It's a Christmas gift.

At 6'4 and 17 stone and using dobs and fracs it will be good to see how it performs. They look beautiful and great value.

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  • 2 months later...

Question for Alan White (OP), or anyone else that may own one of these:

How has the NADIRA observing chair held up over time?  I'm particularly interested in wear around the slots that the seat slips into.

Also, how is the  side-to-side stability?  Someone asked about stability on softer ground (grass), so I guess this speaks to that as well.

Thanks much,

Brent

Edited by dark coastah
Just discovered that OP has sold his chair.
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  • 8 months later...
On 17/03/2019 at 23:26, dark coastah said:

Question for Alan White (OP), or anyone else that may own one of these:

How has the NADIRA observing chair held up over time?  I'm particularly interested in wear around the slots that the seat slips into.

Also, how is the  side-to-side stability?  Someone asked about stability on softer ground (grass), so I guess this speaks to that as well.

Thanks much,

Brent

Calling @dark coastah

Sorry Brent, I missed your question as was quite unwell in first 5 months this year.

Anyway, the Seat was sold on to another SGL member, due to fund raising, not a seat problem.

It was wearing very well and as solid as the day I bought it.

 

Edited by Alan White
typos of course
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On 18/11/2019 at 17:27, Alan White said:

Calling @dark coastah

Sorry Brent, I missed your question as was quite unwell in first 5 months this year.

Anyway, the Seat was sold on to another SGL member, due to fund raising, not a seat problem.

It was wearing very well and as solid as the day I bought it.

 

Yep Alan it still is a great chair 

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On 19/08/2018 at 19:17, Hughsie said:

Came to the conclusion that if you want to pay top dollar for an observation chair then just type “astronomy chair” in google and watch your wallet empty. However, type “ironing chair” and suddenly things become a bit more sensible price wise. See example below;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Leifheit-Multi-Seat-Niveau-Chrome/dp/B000VJE5SI/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen-appliances&ie=UTF8&qid=1534702409&sr=1-2&keywords=Ironing+chair

That's what I have, I don't do observing but its perfect to sit on if I am trouble shooting.

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  • 4 years later...

As an update to this review from 2016 (how time flies).
I replaced the first one that I sold on and still have it in 2023.

I stand by my review but will add something that has come to light with a change of store location.
The wood swells slightly and due to the tight tolerance on the seat to back slots etc. after storage in a dry shed,
in these damper winter months you cannot slide the seat into the slots.
Move it indoors and let it dry for a few days and all is good.

I know this has been an issue for several others on here as I have read the posts.

I do wonder if other wooden items suffer the same fate, the chair is sealed.

Would I buy one again, yes for simplicity and price, but store place has to be in an environment of 'normal' household humidity.



 

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