Lafuma Elips Batyline chairs - anyone else find them fragile? (1 Viewer)

[Solwaybuggier]

We had a pair of these chairs when we started with a mh about 10 years ago - they’re very comfortable, light and fold down flat for storage. But around 4 years ago one broke - the plastic joint fixing the downtube into the armrest seemed to have gone fragile and brittle. Replaced it with what we could get locally in Italy - less comfortable, but ok.

The next year in France the same happened with the other Lafuma - again, distress purchase made, heavier, bulkier and less comfortable, but what we could get locally. And 2 non-matching chairs were far harder to pack together in a restricted space. But we persevered with them for a while before deciding to get another pair of Lafumas - just over 2 years ago I think.

Then the other day in Portugal one of them again broke, at exactly the same point. While I sat in the remaining chair trying to work out how to repair it (one thing at home with all tools, another thing in the middle of Portugal) both sides of the chair I was sitting in gave way, again at the same spot. Much to the amusement of my wife, of course!

Now I think these chairs are out of manufacturer’s warranty (2 years) and in any event I’m having problems tracking where we bought them from. But for 4 chairs to break in exactly the same spot and show signs of brittle plastic is a bit of a coincidence.

So my question is - has anyone else experienced the same problem with a Lafuma Elips Batyline chair?

 

[deleted-member02]

Into our third year of ownership and no problems so far.
Having said that, looking back at where we purchased, they appear to sell replacement clips.
Perhaps it's a common fault and we've just been lucky?

 

[Solwaybuggier]

Yes, we knew they sold parts - but the bit we’ve had problems with is above the brackets you highlighted. I can see how the clip you linked to could be fitted easily, but my efforts to get the broken plastic profile out of the downtube were fruitless. (And as we don’t really have room to carry the broken chairs around with us as well as the replacements we bought for the next eight weeks, the Lafumas have been discarded.)

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[wiljoy]

Bought a pair last year and within 2 weeks the strings wore through. Lafuma sent a new pair from France and they were totally rubbish as well. Restrung them myself with some proper rope and all ok now. Would never recommend them and certainly wouldn't purchase a Lafuma product again.
What's happening with so called quality in everything we purchase?

 

[Munchie]

Lafuma =crap!!!!!

 

[SteveB123]

we have had Lafuma for the last 7 years they have been excellent

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[BobtheBass]

Coleman for us, excellent.

 

[seesaw]

Had our lafumas for 9 years and no problems. Still going strong.