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. You may doubt a chair this light and compact could also be sturdy, but it held up beautifully to all the plopping, dropping, and throwing they could put it through.
Living in the south, spending time outside is practically second nature. Between barbecues, crawfish boils, and annual family reunions, the great outdoors sort of feels like my second home. After spotting the Ozark Trail Oversized Mesh Cooler Chair on TikTok, I immediately knew I had to get my hands on it. For an ultra lightweight chair that’s ready to make your hiking breaks a breeze, opt for the Helinox Chair Zero.
The included stuff sack has both a handle and a shoulder strap for hands-free carrying. 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.
With the handle, you can carry it in your hand or hang it from a tent hook or tree branch. The Ozark Trail Oversized Mesh Chair from Walmart, although similar to our pick in size, was far less comfortable, with rough-feeling material ozark trail canopy that was obviously of lower quality. We later found, after six months of frequent use, that the stitching along one arm had come unravelled and that the small straps holding up the back of the armrests had both ripped in half.
Walk around any campground or tailgate party, and you’ll notice the popularity of this variety of accordion-style seat. You can pick one up at just about any big-box store (sometimes for as little as $10), order one with your favorite sports team’s logo, or pay a premium for a similar model from Cabela’s or REI. The Ozark Trail XXL Director chair is a good, if somewhat basic director’s style camp chair, offered by a company with a solid reputation in the market.
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 5 pounds, transport is almost as stress-free as snoozing in this crowd-pleaser. 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. And although its thinness may cause you concern, it has proved to be durably and sturdy after months of use.
Like most chairs of this type, the Coleman Oversized Quad comes with an over-the-shoulder carry bag. Overwhelmingly, the Coleman came out on top, with campers praising its comfort and stability. The Renetto’s big, heavy canopy provides ample ozark trail chair sun protection at a campsite or cookout and doubles as a backpack-strap-equipped carrying case. Capacity XXL Director chair is a bit on the heavy side, it lacks any kind of built-in storage, and it’s only offered in two (bright) colors.
Although it doesn’t come with a carrying bag, the chair has two built-in handles. The Coleman chair does have a unique folding design that we did not find very intuitive, but it worked smoothly once they got the hang of lifting up the sides of the seatbed to collapse the chair. For car campers looking to simplify their dining routine, it’s a nice addition to your gear collection.