Today’s specialty backpacking chairs are impressively small and light. They’re also far more expensive and significantly less comfortable than typical full-size camp chairs. We recommend buying this type only if you intend to carry your chair long distances, whether you’re backpacking or trekking across Central Park. If you do need a fits-in-a-knapsack chair, we recommend the Helinox Chair One. We found this model to be slightly more comfortable and easier to pack than other, similar chairs. Walk around any campground or tailgate party, and you’ll notice the popularity of this variety of accordion-style seat.
We found that the cheaply constructed Walmart chair had a cupholder that was too small for a soda can, or any of the hard-plastic or metal water bottles that the kids we know brought on a camping trip. It will fit a Capri Sun pouch or a narrow, rectangular juice box, but that’s about it. In terms of comfort, the Co-op Flexlite Air Chair has the perfect amount of give. It’s so small and lightweight to bring around, you can even throw it into a backpack or tote bag. Bulk items will only be delivered within a 100km radius of the Store.
The GoPlus Folding Picnic Chair is surprisingly lightweight, considering it includes an umbrella and a small table with a built-in cooler plus two beach chairs. The insulated cooler table separates the chairs, so it’s not the best if you’re trying to snuggle up. But it’ll save you from needing to carry a cooler or an umbrella on your next beach trip and clocks in at a very reasonable sub-13 pounds. Comes with the same compact bag with a shoulder strap for carrying.
Usually, when I sit for a soccer game my foot goes numb from a bad disc. I have watched a few games with the Stadium Seat and my foot and leg feel great—many thanks for developing this chair. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times.
The GCI Outdoor chair also has a pocket built into the back that can hold a phone or a book. This chair comes in green or blue and is rated to hold up to 250 pounds. The Renetto chair usually comes in between 8 and 10 colors and is rated to hold up to 350 pounds.
Keep everything you need within reach with this steel camping chair. One arm folds out to reveal a side table, and a 12-liter insulated cooler bag hangs from the other. Capacity XXL Director chair is a bit on the heavy side, it lacks any kind of built-in storage, and it’s ozark trail chair only offered in two (bright) colors. If you’re looking for something a bit more subdued, that might be a little off-putting to you. We don’t regard any of these as outright deal-breakers, and at least where the storage issue is concerned, there’s an easy DIY fix.
Follow her on Instagram at @HikeUpYourSkirt or find more of her work at suziedundas.com. Aside from the impressive amount of weight the chair can support, the thing we like best about the numbers above is the width of the seat. At a whopping 28”, this chair can accommodate just about anyone.
The table is big enough to hold a small plate, which makes camp-dining convenient, and is big enough to hold a few miscellaneous supplies if and as needed. The Ozark Trail XXL Director Chair is a reasonably comfortable, versatile camp chair, offered by a reliable company. Recommended for anyone up to 500 pounds who is looking for a basic camp chair. REI’s Flexlite Chair has been replaced by an entire flock of Flexlite chairs; the one that is the closest to replacing the original Flexlite in the lineup is the Co-op Flexlite Camp Chair. The design, size, and weight is nearly identical, but the nylon fabric has been replaced with polyester.