Long ago, when I reviewed the Cougar Fusion SF or Armor Air, I mentioned that Cougar was progressing in the right direction with its new chairs. Regular gaming chairs are no longer interesting to anyone, and since the format has been perfected, experiments are beginning. Cougar Hotrod also shows this. Not as much as in NxSys Aero, but noticeable nonetheless.
Let’s start with the price. $315 for the version in orange or black tones. There is also the Cougar Hotrod Royal, which is more expensive, but as I understand it, more versatile. I’ll talk about assembling the orange model, mine, at the end, because there are some nuances to it.
What makes this chair progressive? Because, I remind you, it’s a mid-range budget option. Its lower part, definitely, but it’s not a flagship or premium segment product. Well, let’s start with the fact that the name says it all. Hotrod – it’s an automotive term. The basic meaning is modifying a car to achieve maximum speed. Why would you need… greater safety.
The design of the Cougar Hotrod strongly hints at automotive themes. For instance, the backrest, while not adorned with mesh, has ventilation holes, although they are more for style than function.
The side panels are double and provide coverage from both sides of the chair.
The back of the chair is adorned with carbon fiber. Although it’s not actually treated, but reinforced; it’s not paint or vinyl sticker, it’s real carbon fiber. The Hyper-Dura faux leather, as the manufacturer promises, is twelve times more durable than usual. Of course, I could be skeptical and say “we’ll see”, but even if Hyper-Dura is only six times better than regular faux leather, that would still be a breakthrough.
Plus, in terms of feel, this faux leather feels significantly more reliable. Especially in combination with firmer cushions, especially on the backrest. And firm cushions tend to sag much slower over time, which also contributes to the durability of the Hotrod. The orange faux leather is perforated, and it’s most likely regular. But you don’t sit on it; it’s only on the sides.
I also note the presence of two cushions included. The upper one is non-removable but reliable and as firm as the one for the back. The second cushion is for lumbar support, with a clasp. The armrests are three-dimensional, moving vertically, forward-backward, and left-right.
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Moving on. The uniqueness of the design extends to the base. It’s five-pointed and not solid, and the wheels have special plastic inserts in the stems to reduce vibration.
The side plastic inserts are securely and seamlessly screwed into the body.
Even the handle for adjusting the reclining angle is more modern and much more reminiscent of something from a car. Actually, get ready – the uncompromising and shameless specificity of the Cougar Hotrod, I’ll highlight as the biggest advantage of this chair.
By the way, speaking of reclining angles, the maximum will be 150 degrees. There is also rocking support, with a gas lift height adjustment of 8 cm. The gas lift, as expected, is of category 4. I remind you, if your chair has category 3 or lower, it’s worth actively moving in the opposite direction of the chair, if not running away.
The maximum weight of the player is 136 kg, which is also an indicator of the new generation. Because both the Outrider S and Armor S are designed for a weight 16 kg less.
Now, about assembly. Because I have the privilege of comparing the quality and ease of assembly of different chairs from the same manufacturer. And it feels like the assembly schematics for the new generation of Cougar chairs are still in beta. Well, or I’m just lucky, I don’t know.
What’s the deal? It’s customary for me that the assembly instructions are on top of everything. With the Hotrod, it’s buried deep in the box. Understandably, it won’t just fly there on its own, but okay. Furthermore, four screws are missing from the box that originally contained them. And they’re missing from the factory, because the box is not reusable, and it’s extremely difficult to close it back once it’s been opened.
Where are the screws? They’re already on the body. They’re the only ones included in the set. It was the same with the screws from the previous review, but there almost all of them were already on the body. And there’s also something strange about the screw format. 90% of them, unlike the screws for the Cougar NxSys Aero, fit an M30 or T30/T30H bit. Two of them fit a Philips head.
And another four – the same as those already on the body – are non-standard in size… just like with the NxSys Aero. And they can only be screwed in with the included tool.
I personally find it important to mention because while non-standard screws are one thing, the visual absence of screws in the blister pack, or instructions not readily available, might lead to the buyer simply calling the store instead of searching for the instructions and screws in less obvious places.
If you personally assemble this chair, feel free to comment on whether you encountered such a situation. Or if I’m the only lucky one.
As I mentioned before, the Cougar Hotrod unabashedly and shamelessly cosplays something that could be installed in a racing car, and I really respect that. The chair is modern, visually cool, reliable, with advanced materials, and what I could call a drawback doesn’t even relate to the chair itself. So yes, I recommend it!
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