An Adirondack Chair By Any Other Name…

They’re sturdy. They can withstand the elements. Their slanted backs make them comfortable and they seem to last forever. They have stubby legs and wide arm rests and if you’ve ever driven around southern B.C., you also know their highways are decorated with giant, white versions of them, advertising a local cottage resort. Adirondack chairs have been around since the early 1900s.

But, wait, isn’t there a chair like that called the Muskoka chair? It’s a sturdy chair, too. The Muskoka chair easily withstands the elements, too. Its slanted back makes them comfortable as well and it lasts forever. The Muskoka chair’s legs are just as stubby and their arm rests just as wide and giant versions of them also seem to dot the highways of southern B.C.

What about the Laurentian chair? Often referred to as the chaises des laurentides, it’s sturdy as well. The Laurentian can certainly handle the elements, like the others. It's got a slanted back for comfort as well, and it definitely feels like it will last forever. The chaises des laurentides has legs that are short and their arm rests can accommodate even the largest of arms and yes, you guessed it, giant chaises des laurentides can also be spotted along the highways of southern B.C.

How about the Westport plank chair? This appears to be the first version of these chairs, and though there is controversy over who the true inventor is, all seem to agree its first appearance was in 1903. The Westport is a strong chair, too, with stubby legs and wide arms and a slanted back. It’s long-lasting, able to face the elements and strangely, these Westport chairs seem to… well… they, too, dot the highways of Southern B.C.

But hold on, what about the Bear Chair? Doesn’t the bear chair seem familiar to you, with those short, little legs, and those big, fat arms and that tilted back that makes it perfect for relaxation? The Bear Chair, too, seems to be sturdy and weatherproof and long-lasting and there it is, too, along the highways of Southern B.C., oversized and looming.

The Adirondack Chair, the Muskoka Chair, The Laurentian Chair, The Westport Plank Chair and the Bear Chair all seem the same, don’t they?

So what’s the difference?

There isn’t one.

So, if it’s all the same to you, I’m going to start calling mine Rose, because a rose by any other name, is still an Adirondack Chair.