Mesh side panels provide breathability that’s perfect for warm weather, but if you’d like to use this chair at the beach or on other soft grounds, we recommend getting a Trekology sand cover to avoid sinkage. The chair comes in black, red, blue, and green, and you can save a few dollars per chair by purchasing a pack of two on the Trekology website. The Kelty’s polyester seat cover manages to meld a cloud-like cushion with a supportive feel that’s kind to your back after a long day of roughing it. Adjustable armrests are equipped with insulated cup holders that can be expanded to fit massive water bottles and oversized mugs. No one was surprised to see this chair pass our durability test with flying colors. 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.
For a classic fold-up camping chair, the REI Co-op Wonderland stands as a great mixture of comfortable and durable. In regards to comfort, I noticed almost immediately the slight wider seat ozark trail camping chair that gave me enough room to actually adjust my body around to find the right spot. The wooden arm rests also happen to feel significantly better than most made of fabric or plastic.
Still, you may find these options to be well-suited for your specific camping needs. 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.
We did select our favorite upright chair for car camping and tailgating, and then additional low-to-the-ground, ultra-lightweight, and canopy picks, as well as a great chair for kids. While paying premium prices for a camping chair when you only make it to the wilderness a couple times of year may not seem practical, good portable seating can be an invaluable addition to your home life too. If your chair has pole legs, just make sure that you bring along a ground sheet if you may be encountering soft surfaces like sand. The Trailhead is also on the heavier side for a camp chair, and it’s far from compact.
However, if you’re setting up camp for an extended stay, having home-furniture level comfort — and a whooping 500-pound weight capacity — could be worth the extra effort in transport. Plus, though the chair is large even when folded up, its spacious backpack carrying case with cushioned, adjustable shoulder straps makes dealing with the size and weight much easier. Since the breathable mesh is also quick-drying, you can feel free to plop down in a wet bathing suit and leave the chair out during afternoon rain showers.
The Coleman camping chair is big and durable, and of all the upright chairs that our panel of campers tested, it was the most comfortable. The Helinox Chair Zero L isn’t inexpensive, but that’s probably because it’s made with high-quality, ultralight materials. The camping chair weighs just over one pound, but the aluminum frame can hold up to 265 pounds. The steel frame allowed our testers to use the reclining back confidently and lounge in the chair at just about any angle. The adjustable cup holders accommodate anything from a soda can to a beer growler (yes, you can have up to 64 ounces of beer in your cup holder). Cooler aside, we also like the Coleman chair’s side pocket (don’t leave those bottle tops in the woods) and cushioned backrest.
We love this chair for its incredible comfort, the DL Lounger features a high back topped with a cushioned headrest, a slight recline, and breathable fabric that practically begs you to take a nap in it. You can set the legs at either a 3- or 20-inch height, and there are two storage pockets and a cup holder for your lounging convenience. Since the chair weighs just under ozark trail hammock chair 5 pounds, transport is almost as stress-free as snoozing in this crowd-pleaser. The 4-pound, steel-construction REI chair has an attached carry strap, rather than a carry bag like the other chairs. After a couple of camping trips, we concluded that a strap is more convenient than a bag—quicker and easier for a kid to grab the chair and go, without parental help.
Delivering on its get-up-and-go promise, the Yizi-go is exceptionally easy to carry, set up, and pack away. After regularly using the chair for six months, we found that it’s one of the easiest options to set up and break down. In addition to being very compact, its stuff sack has a strap for easy transport and safekeeping under the chair when you’re using it. The convenience continues with two side pockets that function as cup holders or storage for other provisions. The chair is comfy enough for all-day sitting, and we appreciated that the back was higher on this chair than the other lightweight options we evaluated.
The seats should be at least partially water resistant and treated to stand up to harsh UV rays. You can stow this featherlight, compressible chair in a backpack or even a work bag. Select a chair with a built-in canopy, which will give you a little patch of cool at any campsite or cookout. 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.
And although its thinness may cause you concern, it has proved to be durably and sturdy after months of use. The right armrest has a mug-compatible cup holder, while the left armrest’s unique drop-down pocket can be secured with a drawstring to make sure your valuables stay put. The pocket is especially handy for keeping track of your phone or other small items you want to access easily. After six months of use, we love storing this chair in our car trunk for easy access. The included stuff sack has both a handle and a shoulder strap for hands-free carrying. This wider and longer set will provide support for larger adults with the same upright style as the traditional bagged camping chair.