Since the chair weighs just under 5 pounds, transport is almost as stress-free as snoozing in this crowd-pleaser. A rocking chair can take your campsite serenity to a new level. GCI’s Freestyle Rocker is sturdy and supportive but provides a soothing swaying motion. Sitting up higher than most camping furniture, the chair delivers a classic, ozark trail lounge chair cozy living-room feel and features outdoor-ready shocks that endured our durability drop test beautifully. The sturdy steel frame supports padded armrests, a back with a breathable mesh panel, and a cup holder for added comfort. The Big Agnes Skyline UL is our favorite backpacking chair thanks to its comfort and stability in a small package.
If you’re willing to try something a bit unique, a heavy-duty steel frame and sturdy fabric means your investment in this chair should pay off for a lifetime of outdoor relaxation. However, since many campers prefer chairs at a traditional height, the Kelty Lowdown narrowly missed winning our Best Overall pick. With a peak height of 111 inches, this pop up canopy tent has enough height to house a traditional cabin tent for double the camping protection. A 2-person sleeping tent might even allow you to comfortably fit a couple of camping chairs in the screen house so you can relax mosquito-free with your cup of coffee in the morning.
REI’s Co-op Flexlite Air Chair is perfect for the minimalist traveler. The 1-pound seat comes with a miniscule stuff sack that can easily be slipped into a backpack or suitcase. We also loved that setting up and breaking down the aluminum frame and seat cover is conveniently intuitive.
We evaluated the ease of use, comfort, portability, and durability of each. Testers refrained from checking the prices of the chairs until they’d judged all their other attributes. The Yeti Trailhead Camp Chair is a rock-solid piece of outdoor furniture that’ll stay sturdy and supportive even under the toughest conditions. Yeti’s Flexgrid fabric is taut and durable with just the right amount of stretch to conform to your body and provide pressure relief where it’s most needed. We found it to be extremely supportive on the back and legs and marveled at how difficult it was to knock over during the durability test. The material is also resistant to damage from UV rays and breathable enough to prevent spills or rain from pooling in the seatbed.
The pyramid structure provides adequate stability and strength across the entire one-piece frame. The unit is equipped with upgraded locking mechanisms that prevent sand and dirt from entering the telescoping legs and that also allow for a simple one-person setup. While one person can set it up by themselves, due to the commercial-grade weight we highly recommend two people assist in the setup. Instructions are included with all ABCCanopy ozark trail lounge chair tents, but assembly is so simple you likely won’t even need it. Taco chairs like the Crazy Creek Hex Original 2.0 and Crazy Creek Original are harder to get in and out of since they sit on the ground and offer less support. Sit pads like the Therm-a-Rest Z Seat and Nemo Chipper are truly just a piece of foam that offers just a hint of padding and primarily keeps your butt from getting wet and dirty if you’re sitting on the ground.
Sometimes we may be willing to learn how to operate a more complicated piece of gear when the benefits balance out the struggle, but often we want to be able to pick it up and have it work. Setting up these backpacking chairs is by no means difficult, but some models have the setup dialed in. The Big Agnes Skyline UL Stool incorporates a modern backpacking chair design into stool form. The wide, scooped seat offers plenty of support and space for your rear, unlike some of the small tripod stools that have the unfortunate appearance of being swallowed up. The wide, 4-legged design with hubless poles enables this seat to be comfortable, stable, compact, and one of the lightest we tested. We’ve tested close to 40 different models over the past 10 years.
Even boasting commercial-grade quality it still comes at a very affordable price. We especially love the 30+ color options available so you’ll be sure to find one that you like or match your team colors for tailgating or your patio decor for the backyard. For all these reasons we think the KingKong series from ABCCanopy should be considered the overall best 10×10 canopy for any outdoor event.
While this design is catching on with most brands, EZ–Up has pioneered and mastered the technology. The frame comes assembled, the only work needed is to attach the canopy fabric. Simply open the frame while in its lowered position, and before locking any of the legs or canopy pull-pins attach the Velcro to the truss bars where the connection loops are located. The EZ Glide truss washers reinforce the connection points and provide a nice smooth opening and closing.
The square base is also stable enough that we weren’t fearful of tipping over, and we appreciate the side pockets for phone and sunglasses storage. In terms of out-of-case performance, it stacks up well for its price point. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). We found the Coleman Kickback Breeze Chair to be a simple yet very comfortable seat, though women liked it more than men did (many of them judged it to be too snug).