I'm tall, you wouldn't guess I'm almost 300 lbs. Ordinary chairs surrender and bend to the ground under me without warning. I have to shop carefully. I bought this for me and a steel-frame recliner for my wife. When I tried to recline, it would come right back up unless I put my feet on the ankle rest and pressed down. The jam lock wasn't strong enough to hold it back. I found the pad was stretched too tight between the seat and backrest, so I was sitting OVER the chair, not IN it. I un-strung the elastics from the seat bottom and calf supports, and re-strung it, skipping the first hole on each side at the back of the seat. Now the pad fits back into the crease and the chair reclines just fine. The chair is nice and light, and very easy to carry compared to the steel-framed chair. The fabric is very water resistant, but I wish I had a choice of colors. I expect the plastic hinges, corners, and lacing hooks to dry out and crack within 5 years like cheap baby strollers. I don't expect it to last a lifetime like the Big Wide conventional chairs we have with their wood & metal-framed construction.