The box-shaped cupholder is a little roomier than the round cupholders on the Coleman and the L.L.Bean Base Camp chairs—better for stubby water bottles or mugs of hot chocolate around the campfire. We found that the cheaply constructed Walmart chair had a cupholder that was too small for a soda can, or any of the hard-plastic or metal water bottles that the kids we know brought on a camping trip. It will fit a Capri Sun pouch or a narrow, rectangular juice box, but that’s about it. 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. Folding up a Coleman camp chair is easier than you might think, regardless of how many pockets, coolers, or other fancy features they may have. All you need to do is grab onto the armrests and draw them towards the center, and the rest of the chair should collapse.
While its strength is certainly a winning feature, the locking mechanisms that keep the chair open and in perfect shape take the cake. This lock—which takes a bit of elbow grease to put into place—allows you to shift around and even set it up on uneven ground without risk of it folding back in while you’re coleman canopy lounging. Heavier, larger chairs will start to weigh on you as you walk and can be far more cumbersome to store. That said, these chairs oftentimes have heavier weight limits and are more comfortable to sit in. If you are traveling by car or for short distances, you can splurge on the bigger chair.
The Helinox Chair Zero is easy to assemble with a single shock-cord pole that locks into place once it’s unfolded. The frame is made of lightweight (but still sturdy) aluminum, and the seat is made out of ripstop polyester fabric for durability. The lightweight world (especially backpackers) could not sing enough praises about this 17-ounce lightweight backpacking chair.
We discovered that even though most testers had not previously considered a shade-equipped camp chair, once they used one they appreciated the comfort and convenience of built-in sun blocking. As is the case with any outdoor gear, you want to make sure that you store the chair somewhere dark and dry when not in use. Mold is always a killer when it comes to things like camp chairs, coleman sleeping bag but UV light may be the biggest cause for concern. Tempting as it may be, don’t leave your chair set up on a nice day with the intention of coming back in a few hours. It takes a couple of minutes to store but will significantly extend the lifetime. The makings of great camping chairs aren’t all that complicated, and Coleman’s Cooler Quad hits the nail on the head.
By no means is this something you’d want to port around with you for more than a few minutes of walking–if you’re looking for the most portable option, I’d encourage you to take a look at our review of the CLIQ Chair. The Coleman Cooler Quad isn’t for trekking miles down the trail, but at the very least, you can throw it across your back on a sling and have your hands free to carry a few extra things to the campsite. By far, the best thing about this chair is how easy it is to set up — it just folds outwards like an accordion.