GCI Outdoor SitBacker Adjustable Canoe Seat with Back Support

I've been an avid canoeist for 48 years, having gotten my first canoe at 19. A little over five years ago I was riding my bicycle and was hit by a SUV. One of the harder things to recover from was the break at the L-1 vertebrae. Initially there was a question whether I would need a wheelchair for the rest of my life. After the first of three reconstructive surgeries (with a total if five surgeries in less than five years), the doctors gave me a 50/50 chance of walking without a walker or cane. They didn't give me any odds on breaking horses, canoeing, or skydiving again. But now I'm back to lugging my 18' aluminum whitewater Grumman to get it wet. However, I wouldn't even want to do it without the back support of the GCI Outdoor SitBacker Adjustable Canoe Seat with Back Support. The GCI seat with back support was a game-changer for me. Canoeing rehab has been going so well my younger brother and I are planning on canoeing the Boundary Waters in 2026! In fact, I just bought a second GCI seat for my brother! They are that good. The integral shoulder strap is great for carrying the seats hands-free when the seat has to be taken off the canoe. The portage straps securing the seats in the fold-down position are a life-saver during transportation and portaging. The seats themselves are comfortable and warm in all weather conditions. Seat and frame construction is rugged quality. If I were engineering the seat, I would see if the tops of the seat back corners could be rounded more to give a little more clearance on the follow through paddle stroke. But as it is, you can adjust your stroke to compensate and still enjoy all of the benefits the GCI seat offers!

This product exceeded our expectations. The son and I decided to do a few nights canoeing down the Colorado River this last spring. It was truly a lifetime experience. The beauty and rawness of the area is truly something to see. The canoe that we rented advertised that they had seats built in but we decided to buy these for a little extra comfort. Boy, are we glad we did! The hardback plastic seats that were on the canoes absolutely sucked and were not forgiving. Meanwhile these seats, which we placed over the seat support, were padded and comfortable. The bulk of the back support comes from the adjustable strap and we found that to be truly comfortable you cinched down the strap to a more upright angle than you may normally have thought necessary. They strap down and are solidly in place even if you have to move around and there is no chance of losing the seat in a capsize or other unplanned event. Several others in our group expressed their regret at not buying the same seats my son and I did. After the trip they have found continued and regular use as stadium seats. In that capacity they are a little less convenient than some models which simply “hook” onto the bleachers. These seats strap down to the bleachers by means of a buckle/strap assembly. It’s very solid and reliable but a tiny bit more effort than a hook on seat is necessary. This doesn’t bother me in the least but may be worth considering if you are using this exclusively as a stadium seats.

I have this strapped into my Wenonah canoe, which just came with backless seats. It's much more comfortable than a backless seat for long days on the water, but I have two issues. First, while there's some nominal lumbar support, it's hardly sufficient. I bought a mesh lumbar support to accompany it, and it made a world of difference. I can't find anything else that's similar with better back support, so my mesh lumbar support will have to do. Second, the recline adjustment straps constantly loosen; I'm consistently tightening them. Other thoughts: After about five years of use - mainly summers - there's a decent bit of rust and wear, particularly on the hinges. I'm not sure it'll last another season. Five years seems like a decent lifetime, though. The seat is pretty light, which is nice, and the straps are handy for keeping the seat in place on the installed flat seat. It does shift around over time, as the straps loosen, but it's not as bad as the recline straps. I like the back mesh pocket, though I wish it was about 2 inches taller. It would be nice if it had some Velcro straps to keep it closed when folded. I leave these strapped into my canoe when car-topping, so I have to have a bungee to keep it closed. The price has gone up maybe $10-15 since I bought it, but I guess everything has gotten more expensive. Get them on sale, if you can. Occasionally, Woot will have them at a better price than the mother ship.

I ordered two of these for a canoe trek in the Louisiana swamps. We had tried other seats in the past that were hard and stiff. These seats were so comfortable! We paddled 10+ miles without back pain. I was so thankful for these seats!

I really like this canoe seat! My friend and I have been using stadium seats that you would normally use on bleachers, but this seat has features that make it stand out. The frame is metal construction and the cushions are very comfortable. Its one-fold design makes it easy to deploy and put away. Other seats tend to have multiple folds and it feels like you have to fumble around until you get it right. Not so with this one. The portage lock is a really nice touch to keep it flat in transport as well. The back support is easily adjustable, as well as the clips underneath for the seat. You could even use this sitting at a picnic table or on the ground, making it great for a canoe camping trip. Its size is well though out, too. I'm 6ft and weigh 210 pounds, and the back rest comes up way higher than any other seat I have tried. That makes it really nice to paddle longer distances with a kayak or canoe paddle. This seat is easy to use, comfortable, and is well made. I would definitely recommend it.

背もたれ付きカヌー用シートは検索しても選択肢は少なく海外レビュー評価も良いので購入してみました。着脱は簡単で固定ベルトの調整幅は広く特殊艇でなけれは大体のカナディアンカヌーに装着出来ると思います。ちなみに当方所有の5艇には全て取付け可能で追加購入検討中。使用感はクッション性も良く好みの角度で背中を支えてくれて良好ですがベルトで背面を支える構造なので体重の重い方が思いっきり寄りかかるのには不向きかもしれませんけどコンパクトで軽量のほうが評価できます。背もたれ部分を畳んだ状態で座る事も可能で背面畳んだ状態簡易ロック機能があるのでカヌー装着したままでも車体干渉せずに車載できました。あえてマイナス点を探せば受注してからの輸入品だったので価格は高めで手元に届くまで日数はかかりましたが快適なので星5としました。

Love this thing. Comfortable, light, high quality. Doesn't interfere with paddle. Great for long paddles or fishing.

Very sturdy and comfortable

Wurde bisher einmal ausprobiert. Die Sitzposition war dadurch recht komfortabel und rückenschohnend. Die Qualität der Nähte beunruhigt mich etwas. Bald eine Woche Dauertest. Dann kommt ein Update der Rezession.

Fácil de transportar, cómodo de usar. Puede recostarse fácilmente mientras está sentado. Lo usamos para nuestro pequeño bote de pesca, pero se puede usar en cualquier lugar. Easy to carry, comfortable to use. You can easily lean back while seated. We use it for our small fishing boat, but it can be used anywhere.