In Cram’s patent filing, he mentions an earlier patent by one J. Middleton, though we couldn’t find any patent predating 1855 from an inventor by that name, or any patent related to folding chairs. If you’re looking for highly specialized or ultra-lightweight chairs for backpacking, our recommendations are probably not for you. We also don’t have suggestions for couch-style or loveseat chairs (we’d like to look at those someday, though). Closed sides keep the wind from blowing through. Each arm rest has a built-in insulated hand rest.
This pouch is big enough to stow gear like a phone, book, or tablet. Of the chairs we tested, the Coleman chair was the only one that came with a built-in cooler bag, which can hold four standard-size beer or soda cans. The chair also has the round mesh cupholder found on most chairs of this type.
There’s also a mesh pocket behind the backrest, to hold things you don’t need to access quickly. This chair comes with a sturdy carrying case, with an over-the-shoulder strap, and it’s simple to expand and fold up accordion-style. Higher back and a head rest that make it more comfortable.
All CLIQ chairs are engineered to take a beating and keep on ticking with high-performance canopy materials that don’t stain and are guaranteed to last a lifetime. The Helinox Chair One is the best chair for anyone who needs a lightweight, portable chair. After years of intermittently using the Renetto chair, one staffer said it has held up great. Another said it’s been an essential chair in their life and that it is still going strong after countless soccer games, birthday parties, beach trips, and school events. This chair costs slightly more than the Coleman Cooler Quad Chair, but it’s still a budget-friendly option.
The Chair One is rated to hold up to 320 pounds—more than any other lightweight chair we tested aside from the Moon Lence. The canopy is big enough to block most, if not all, sunlight any ozark trail canopy time of day, and the chair’s seat has a strip of breathable mesh down the middle for airflow. Senior staff writer Lauren Dragan said the Renetto is her most comfortable camping chair.
Weighing about 8 pounds, the Coleman chair is lighter than most traditional models, so it’s easier to grab from deep in a car trunk or to carry for long distances. Like others in its category, this chair comes with an over-the-shoulder carry bag, but some testers found it was light and compact enough to carry without the case. It’s as simple to set up as any chair we tested. In fall 2023, we asked a panel of paid testers with a wide range of body types, dexterities, and mobilities to examine our picks and other camping chairs and to share their perspectives. We’ve incorporated their feedback into this review. We love the price on this four-set of chairs.