The 6 Best Backpacking Chairs of 2023 Tested by GearLab

Even after regularly using this chair for six months, it’s just as plush and comfortable as ever. It has more than enough room for two people — and perhaps a pet — to lounge. (If you want even more room, Kelty also makes a party-sized couch with plenty of space for three people.) Sturdy, padded fabric forms a supportive high back and adjustable armrests. The low height instantly turns the ground into a footrest, and the seat is wide enough to provide leg support that makes you feel like you’re reclining.

Despite its heavy weight, the Crazy Creek PowerLounger does have a compression strap just for this purpose and is very convenient to roll up. It can be stowed beneath the lid or on the side of many backpacking ozark trail hammock chair packs. A close-to-the-ground chair is often the ideal choice for outdoor concerts, movies, theater performances, and other events where you will be concerned about blocking other people’s view.

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. Camping trips, beach days, picnics in the park, outdoor movies and theater performances, a fresh-air get-together with friends—there are countless occasions when you might use a camp chair. This chair also comes with a padded headrest, sturdy armrests, a bottle holder in one arm, and a carry bag making for easy… Finally, we sent the chairs out to put them to the test on real campgrounds, hikes, and other outdoor events.

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, 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. Generally speaking, the lightest chairs out there won’t deliver as plush of a sitting experience as bulkier products that weren’t meant to accompany you on backpacking adventures. If you’re looking for a chair to take on the move, opt for something weighing under 2 pounds that can be stored as compactly as possible. These no-frills seats are more tolerable for resting your terrain-tested feet than for enjoying multiple meals, drinks, and the company of other campers around a fire.

Our testers liked the comfort and back support of the GCI Outdoor Everywhere Chair, as well as the ability to adjust it to sit on uneven ground. They also appreciated its cupholder (rare in chairs of this sort) and its quick close-up-and-carry design. Nothing is worse than finding yourself forced to play musical chairs around the campfire. If you’re camping with a group, make sure enough chairs have been purchased and packed for everyone. Since different chairs will be best for each individual based on body type, age, and personal preference, it’s a good idea to have a collection of chairs that suit a variety of needs.

We considered both the relative weight of each chair compared to models of the same design (foam or tent style), as well as how it stacked up against every product we tested. Because people use outdoor chairs for an array of purposes and have different preferences when it comes to comfort, it was almost impossible to choose just one best chair. 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. This affordable, durable, comfortable chair is tailored to those who like their refreshments.

Thanks to the extra space for cup handles, mugs easily fit in the beverage slot. 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.

Measure the chairs, and then cut enough fabric to fit around the top and seat. Sometimes cutting down the weight can decrease durability, but it can also decrease stability. We noted that most testers, upon sitting ozark trail hammock chair in the Flexlite Air, quickly threw their arms out to maintain their balance in this model with its uber-light fabric and flexible poles. Since this is a stool, there is no backrest, so reclining is off the table.