A removable plastic shelf adds functionality, keeping sensitive items out of melted ice, and numerous pockets adorn the outside for wine corkscrews, napkins, and silverware. After six months of regularly using the Coleman Cooler Quad Chair, we think it’s the best choice for most people who are seeking an upright chair for car camping, tailgating, and ozark trail canopy outdoor gatherings. We noticed during the first of our three camping trips—a weekend in California’s Joshua Tree National Park, with a total of seven families—that, given the choice, campers prefer to take the biggest seat. When we set up a dozen chairs around the campfire without comment, people consistently claimed them from largest to smallest.
However, when you open the main zip, you’ll find one large insulated compartment for all the best goodies. The cooler is large enough to hold a wine bottle inside or outside in the mesh pockets. With comfortable straps and plenty of storage, there’s not much you can’t do with this bag. Take all your favorite goodies to the lake, pack up for a barbeque, or carry a lunch to the zoo. The exterior pockets provide ample space for cutlery, keys, a wallet, and a phone. Additionally, a bungee can hold onto a beach towel or jacket, and the daisy chains can clip on extra gear.
In our lab tests, it provides top-notch insulation, keeping raw foods appropriately cold (below 40 degrees Fahrenheit) for three days. While many soft coolers have bulky zippers that are difficult to use or narrow openings that hinder access, the Engel is remarkably easy to use. With corners that unclip, the top conveniently opens further to allow quick loading and locating of contents. On top of that, this is one of the largest coolers we tested, fitting an impressive 48 cans, making it a solid contender to guard your food and drink for a long weekend of camping. Despite its bulky size, the Engel is more portable than we expected, featuring an easy two-person carry using the end handles.
The models that scored lower in our durability tests use light to mid-weight nylon or canvas with middle-of-the-road zippers and regular seam construction. The higher-end models feature heavy rubber or treated nylon, have heavy-duty zippers and components, reinforced and welded seams, and more robust designs and construction. All of these aspects affect the overall durability and lasting power. Among the many tote and messenger style options we tested, we have our favorites.
Yet it was less likely to tip over than other beach wagons we tested, and it didn’t sink into the sand, even when filled to capacity. We also like that this wagon has small, rivet-sized holes in its four internal corners that help let sand out (this is an unexpected-but-much-appreciated feature we didn’t find in other models). Like the Seina, our former pick for sand, the Mac Sports has a carrying capacity of up to 150 pounds. However, we think the Mac Sport’s much larger internal space—6.7 cubic feet, compared with the Seina’s 3.6 feet—is worth the higher price. Like the regular Mac Sports wagon, the Heavy Duty model comes with a one-year warranty. We also let two boys, ages 1 and 5, play with them and sit on them in the backyard for six months.
The Engel HD30 performed admirably in our intensive hot-room challenge, lasting a full 73 hours below 40 degrees. It then continued to maintain an internal temperature sub 50 degrees for 79 hours. If you purchase a deal from this site, Likeacoupon may get a small share of the sale. Are you a car camper or do you plan on socializing in friends’ backyards? Kalee Thompson is an editor covering health, fitness, baby, and kid gear.
Without considering overall capacity, the most portable coolers will be more comfortable to carry for longer distances. The Oniva Collapsible Adventure Wagon’s major downside was its folding mechanism, similar to that of an umbrella, rather than an accordion, like on the others. It was extremely hard to squeeze inward and still jutted outward if not squeezed into its cover—an impossible ordeal when wrangling two kids in a parking lot. The ozark trail chair sand-removal feature, which seemed promising, worked only partially, and many reviewers noted that the wagon’s handle was short. We ultimately settled on a testing pool of six models that were recommended by experts and well reviewed, and that included the features testers told us they wanted. If you intend to use your wagon primarily at the beach, we recommend the Mac Sports Heavy Duty Collapsible Folding All Terrain Utility Cart.
When packed full of heavy goodies, it creates a pressure point on the bottom. Despite these minor complaints, the RTIC did an excellent job throughout all of our tests, and its comfortable backpack straps are hard to beat. If you’re looking for a less expensive backpack style cooler, the Maelstrom Backpack 35 is nearly half the price of the RTIC. The 4-pound, steel-construction ozark trail backpack 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. The REI chair is rated to hold up to 150 pounds, the same as the L.L.Bean and Walmart chairs.
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 Renetto’s big, heavy canopy provides ample sun protection at a campsite or cookout and doubles as a backpack-strap-equipped carrying case. 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. Walmart is ready for springtime sporting events with several top-rated camping quad chairs and portable stadium seats up to 50% off.