Black Sierra Nitro Pro XL 360º Silent Swivel Hunting Chair

It’s a sad truth that we all get older and that our ageing bodies are less forgiving of the rigours of life, especially when hunting out in the field. These days I feel the need for maximum comfort where possible.

Enough

With a dodgy right leg, high seats are becoming a bit of an issue, but I still enjoy hunting and want to do so for the foreseeable future, so coping strategies must be employed. It occurred to me that some form of field seat could be the answer. Strong enough to take my weight, light enough to carry, and comfortable enough for long periods of use.

I had one of the Quake STAG plastic swivel chairs from RUAG. A practical design, but it became very uncomfortable if used for more than 30 minutes. However, usage proved the concept, if not the design, that some form of field chair was the answer.

Black Sierra

Research showed a confusing plethora of designs, ranging from simple shooting sticks to portable benches. However, what I can only describe as a modified camping chair, looked promising. After some trial and error, I settled on the Black Sierra Nitro Pro XL 360 degree Silent Swivel Hunting chair.

The build shows a strong, folding, powder-coated, tubular aluminium frame with a breathable mesh body and neoprene padding in the important areas. Several aspects appealed to me: 1 - Support up to 300 lbs. 2 - The proportions are generous with the comfortable 15.5 x 17 x 24” padded seat and back sections. 3 - Adjustable length legs with wide, all-terrain duck feet. 4 - Armrests. 5 - A 25 x 24” footprint for stability. 6 - 360º silent rotation. It weighs 19.36 lbs and is easy enough to carry with the integral shoulder strap, and of course, the cup holder was the deal breaker.

In the field

Given where I hunt, the ability to quickly, easily, and silently rotate through 360 degrees is excellent. For example, positioning myself on the intersection of three rides allowed me to get onto quarry left, right and centre as required. The chair is very comfortable and allows long periods of sitting with no stress at all, plus a stable shooting platform. I used my Blaser Carbon Sticks as forward support, as they offer limited traverse and are light enough to pick up, complete with rifle, for larger changes in angle/position.

Build quality is generally good, although, I think the plastic used for the adjustable leg catches looks a bit flimsy. Saying that, I only use them fully extended, and as the large duck feet are in ball joints, they can level with the ground they are on, spreading the load well. The chair takes seconds to deploy and stow, with the latter position using twin Velcro straps to keep things secure in transit.

Worth it?