Are HDPE Adirondack chairs really better than wood?

Across the reviewers we read, the consensus is that HDPE (often marketed as 'polywood' or 'poly lumber') outlasts cedar or pine outdoors with essentially zero maintenance. r/BuyItForLife threads repeatedly cite 5+ years of fade-free, rot-free service. The trade-offs are weight (HDPE chairs are heavy to move), higher upfront cost for premium brands, and a plastic-y feel up close that wood purists dislike.