Some of our picks have a narrow base, which is great for some people and can cause discomfort for others. Make sure to note any preferences you have in other chairs, as they’ll be amplified in a camping chair. If, for example, you need lower back support, consider opting for a chair with a stiffer frame build. Keeping in mind that good portability is key for outdoor chairs, we broke down and packed each for transport, testing their carrying cases and any and all straps and handles to judge the placement, size, and design. Testers considered whether the chairs would be too heavy, bulky, or awkward to carry for either a long distance or simply from a house to a car trunk.
If you plan to haul your chair into the woods or even the backcountry on occasion, the Chair Zero’s low weight and easy portability are hard to beat. Many camping chairs come with added features you might want to look out for, like cupholders, storage pouches, and even zip-up cooler bags. If you’re car camping, RVing, or heading to the lake for the day, then a folding collapsible chair (like our Overall Pick) might be perfect for you. Weight most likely won’t be an issue in these circumstances, and the plush additions (built-in cooler, cup holders, footrests, etc.) can be just the ticket for a relaxing evening at the campground. Invest in a camping chair that is made of durable materials such as aluminum or steel frames and high-quality fabric.
It’s not for the lightweight thru-hikers, and it’s not for those with a lot of difficulty sitting down and standing up (the Kelty Low Loveseat in the not-low version may be a better pick for you). But we’re excited to set up the Kelty Low Loveseat and watch the stars car camping with our friends these summer nights. When you are a sports parent or a sports enthusiast of any coleman chair ilk, you’ll inevitably spend a lot of time on the sidelines. During any kind of weather—from blaring sun to sudden sprinkles—you’ll be grateful for the canopy of the Alpha camping chair. In addition to the requisite cup holder on one side, it features a horizontal mesh pocket for your phone on the left armrest, so you can see the screen without holding it in your hand.
The cooler is also easy to use, with a handy pull-on top that unzips both sides simultaneously. A small patch of velcro is all that’s left between you and your cold beverages. The cooler in the armrest sticks out at an odd angle and resists being squeezed back into a sack that’s barely large enough to hold it. Beyond the cooler, the Quad has a single mesh cup holder that’s just barely wide enough to squeeze in an iPhone 8+ and a side seat pocket with one large pocket and two smaller mesh pockets to keep you organized. Certainly an unorthodox approach to camping chairs, the Trippy Outdoors Dreamer is the option for those who need flat storage (or to feel a little bit like a hipster). Despite the weight, I could easily hold it in one hand as I walked, though it may be more difficult for longer journeys.
The included stuff sack has both a handle and a shoulder strap for hands-free carrying. The strap that supports the back (and doubles as a carry strap) allows adjustments to control your angle of recline, from upright to a stargazing-appropriate angle. Unlike other portable chairs, the Everywhere Chair is designed to sit on uneven slopes; this can be handy when space is limited at a fireworks show or an outdoor theater performance. Our panel of testers at the Wheeler Gorge Campground deemed the Everywhere Chair to be the most comfortable of the three low-to-the-ground chairs we tested.
Each month during an equal payments plan you are required to pay in full by the due date that month’s equal payments plan instalment. Any package that exceeds the threshold value for weight OR length, width and height is considered ‘Heavy/Oversized’, and requires a scheduled delivery. She has written feature stories for publications like Outside Magazine, SkyLife Magazine, Playboy, Frommers, INSIDER, and more, and contributes couples travel and honeymoon content for TheKnot.com. Suzie co-authored Lonely Planet Sustainable Travel Guide and is the author of 2021’s “Hiking Lake Tahoe.” She has undergraduate degrees from the University of Maryland and an M.A.
It is pricier by $20 and heavier by a significant 1 pound 3 ounces, but we consider the Camp Boss the more approachable and well-rounded pick. Nemo’s Moonlight Reclining Camp Chair might look relatively unassuming on the outside, but make no mistake—this minimalist design packs a real punch. At a very competitive 1 pound 14 ounces, the Moonlight is substantially lighter and more portable than most traditional chairs without any major sacrifices in overall comfort or quality. In fact, our testers liked the chair so much that they immediately purchased a second one and convinced friends and family to place orders, too—a clear testament to the Moonlight’s excellent all-around performance. The Wonderland camping chair has a polyester fabric seat treated to be water repellent, and the steel tubing feels noticeably sturdy. While the chair is too heavy to take with you on a hike, the carry strap and lock-in clip make it easy to sling over your shoulder to and from different locations.
Look for chairs with water-resistant or quick-drying fabrics that can withstand rain or moisture. If you expect a lot of sun exposure, be aware that some fabrics deteriorate much faster when exposed to UV rays. To ensure that we were reviewing only the best chairs to put our feet up, we researched the coleman chair most popular camp chairs and collected the top contenders into our categories. If you are at the beach a lot, we like the GCI Outdoor Everywhere Chair because it is designed to not sink into the sand. It has wider footpads and bars, so it is better suited for sand than other chairs we considered.
For example, Helinox’s 1-pound Chair Zero packs down extremely small, with the disadvantage being you have to reassemble it each time. These styles don’t take all that long to set up, but it’s a small sacrifice in time that you make with most portable chairs. For us, we try and keep our packable chairs under or around 2 pounds to minimize their impact on our pack weight. Bringing along a chair is already outside of the typical realm of “essentials,” but 2 pounds can be something worth swinging for a short weekend trek. The compromises make them less than ideal for camping and everyday use, but the streamlined design is popular among minimalists and when space is at a premium. Popular models in this category include the Nemo Moonlight, REI Co-op Flexlite line, and Helinox Chair Zero.
Despite its larger capacity, our testers found it to be super easy to set up and noted that the loveseat is very generously sized so that two people don’t feel crowded at all. While sturdy canvas chairs are great for keeping your back supported, no one wants to be engulfed in a thick fabric when the temperature rises. REI’s Co-op Camp X Chair brings the best of both worlds with a webbed nylon mesh that keeps you cozy and cool. The material is designed to evenly distribute your weight and maximize comfort, and we found the material was tense enough to feel supportive while letting them take advantage of the breeze. “We use these every week for our kids’ games and practices,” wrote one five-star reviewer.