If you need a comfy chair or use a camping-specific chair regularly and don’t mind a bit of bulk, we highly recommend the King Kong. DURABILITY/WEIGHT CAPACITY – If you want a chair that will last for the long haul or you need a chair with a higher weight capacity, we recommend one of the stout options below. Sturdy chairs are often a bit heavier and bulkier, so they aren’t quite as easy to carry. If you’re off on a backpacking adventure, you’ll need a good quality backpacking tent from Decathlon. A good night’s sleep is essential to keep your energy levels up on your backpacking trip. Our backpacking tents are lightweight and compact, making them ideal for attaching to your backpack as you head off into the wilderness.
The frame holds the seat and back fabric taut by locking open to provide a firm foundation. All this added support, along with one of the tallest seat heights we tested, make the Kijaro among the most natural chairs to stand up out of. This chair has an adjustable shoulder carry strap attached to the back of the frame. Once locked closed, it’s easy to hoist it up and head out without carrying an additional storage bag. The Kelty Low Loveseat amazes us with its incredibly comfortable two-person design. This model was very stable, with a lower seating height than most traditional camping chairs.
With full-length crossed steel bars running the entire back of the chair, this chair becomes a rather long package, made slightly more awkward by its carry strap’s lack of adjustability. And for those with shorter legs, the 20-inch high front edge may lead to dangling feet. But if you’re taller, larger, or older and want a supportive seat that’s easy to get out of, this budget-friendly option easily fits the bill. 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. Though its mesh appears thin and less substantial, the REI Camp X has proven quite durable.
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. The odd shape can also get easily caught when putting the chair back into its carry bag. The seating platform also sits somewhat low to the ground, which could be an issue for taller folks.
REI’s Flexlite Chair has been replaced by an entire flock of Flexlite chairs; the one that is the closest to replacing the original Flexlite in the lineup is the Co-op Flexlite Camp Chair. The design, size, and weight is nearly identical, but the nylon fabric has been replaced with polyester. This ozark trail hammock with brackets can support a weight of 250 pounds, measuring 72 inches x 32 inches x 29 inches, providing you with ample stretching and relaxation space. It also has an adjustable canopy that allows you to stay in the shade at any time. Two chairs that we specifically wanted to call out in this category are the ENO Lounger DL and Nemo Stargaze Luxury Recliner.
ozark trail hammock chairAnecdotally, we found that this chair category in general is more popular among women than among men, who generally prefer a higher, upright seat. The GCI Outdoor chair also has a pocket built into the back that can hold a phone or a book. The Renetto chair usually comes in between 8 and 10 colors and is rated to hold up to 350 pounds. “This is the Platonic ideal of your camp chair,” one of our campers gushed.
ozark trail lounge chairWe have no doubt the aluminum frame and UV-resistant polyester seat are designed to last through years upon years of outdoor seasons. The chair and sack are also machine washable, so you can always head out on a hike feeling fresh. Like many ultralight chairs structured with a pole base, it will sink into soft ground like snow or sand, but Helinox makes a ground sheet you can buy to make the chair more versatile. In terms of comfort, the Co-op Flexlite Air Chair has the perfect amount of give. It’s so small and lightweight to bring around, you can even throw it into a backpack or tote bag. But after half a dozen excursions, we found—as we had with the Renetto Original Canopy Chair—that having a chair you can easily carry without a bag is preferable.
But despite being super lightweight, these tents are also low-profile and strong enough to cope with the abrasive winds of the hills. After our product team extensively researched the market, a group of editors with a wide range of camping experiences gathered in our New York City lab to test 29 of the best portable outdoor chairs. We evaluated the ease of use, comfort, portability, and durability of each. Testers refrained from checking the prices of the chairs until they’d judged all their other attributes. 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. For an ultra lightweight chair that’s ready to make your hiking breaks a breeze, opt for the Helinox Chair Zero. It has two open panels in the seat back for breathability, and when packed up in its ripstop polyester stuff sack, it’s totally tiny.