We recommend buying this type only if you intend to carry your chair long distances, whether you’re backpacking or trekking across Central Park. If you do need a fits-in-a-knapsack chair, we recommend the Helinox Chair One. We found this model to be slightly more comfortable and easier to pack than other, similar chairs. This chair had us impressed on all ends, and with its wide availability, the Cooler Quad is a stalwart defender of Coleman’s reputation as a king of camping. If you’re after a novelty chair with an included cooler, you’ve found it.
The exposed legs support a wing-shaped padded seat and backrest, creating an impression of floating that results in this edgy appearance. We are transitioning all items from the CSX Boxcar logo to the new CSX logo & from the one-csx logo to the new ONE CSX logo. I’d also recommend the Cooler Quad to anyone who wants a roomier camp chair but doesn’t want to spring for the more coleman chairs expensive top-of-the-line models. There are plenty of draws to the Cooler Quad, but by my figuring, none are more compelling than the price tag. But generally speaking, you can have one of our favorite chairs for less than 40 dollars. The inner pocket, in particular, could hold a surprising amount- books, frisbees, sandals, and even my comically oversized water bottle.
The outer two pockets are perfect for keeping things like keys, sunglasses, and phones safe and accessible. Beyond this, it’s a cheap and cheerful camp chair that will give you everything you need and a little more, inarguably a bargain deal anyone shopping around should consider. As is the case with many mass-manufactured chairs, there tends to be some variance in quality over the years. I haven’t experienced any issues with mine despite pushing the weight limit and the cooler capacity up to the limit, but there is enough evidence floating around to question the integrity of the joints. We found the Coleman Kickback Breeze Chair to be a simple yet very comfortable seat, though women liked it more than men did (many of them judged it to be too snug).
If you notice some mildew on your chair or happened to enjoy a particularly muddy weekend, cleaning off your camp chair is a relatively straightforward process. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). “This is the Platonic ideal of your camp chair,” one of our campers gushed. This low-profile chair is easy to carry, and it adjusts for uneven ground.
But if you want something comfortable enough to watch an all-day soccer tournament and durable enough to bring back every season, we don’t think this one is a winner. Built of solid Asian hardwood, each furniture piece offers a comfortably upholstered Parson-inspired seat, wrapped in a light beige linen-like fabric that is soft the touch and complements numerous color palettes. Along the outline of each chair is an individual nailhead trim in a dark bronze, which adds a classic, rustic flair. Supporting each tall backed seat are four straight and squared legs that taper gently off toward the foot and feature a neutral rustic brown that lends a country charm.
With room for three people to sit comfortably, this couch feels kind of luxurious when compared with standard camping chairs. The ability to comfortably share a seat with friends, kids, or dogs made our testers downright giddy, and the solid steel base felt durable enough that they weren’t worried about being rough with the chair. A strong steel frame keeps the chair upright, so you don’t have to worry about it falling apart mid-sit. 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. The REI chair is rated to hold up to 150 pounds, the same as the L.L.Bean and Walmart chairs.
In addition to the cooler, the chair has a mesh cup holder, two mesh pockets, and a roomy seat that’s 24 inches wide. It easily folds up and slips into its shoulder-strap carrying bag and is lightweight enough to carry to a picnic. While the padded seat and armrests are great for campers who like a cushioned feel, some may find the chair lacking in back support.
Just a thin layer of foam that adds something to the polyester does the job without making it feel like you’re sitting in a pile of mashed potatoes. We aren’t particularly impressed by the durability of this chair either. Nothing broke during our testing, but we have some serious doubts about this chair’s ability to last for years.