Senior editor Kalee Thompson, who wrote a previous version of this guide, has been regularly using the Coleman chair she originally tested in 2016. Aside from the color fading and the cooler pouch deteriorating, her chair has held up to years of backyard hangs and camping trips. In summer 2023, she bought a newer Coleman Cooler Quad Chair to compare to her 2016 model, and she found them to be more or less the same. Kalee Thompson is the senior editor heading up Wirecutter’s kid coverage. When she wrote the first version of this guide, Kalee lived in Southern California, where she tested chairs on three group camping trips.
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. This versatile, light, easy-to-use wagon totes everything across different types of terrain and folds up to a compact, easy-to-carry size. My hand-me-down camping stove has been in use for 20+ years and I truly believe a high-quality camping stove is a necessity at the campsite that should last (nearly) forever. I like the Zempire camping stove because it’s a powerful piece of equipment that cooks quickly and thoroughly. The 10,000 BTU burners, which can be independently controlled, provide ample room on the stovetop for cooking. Plus, the 3,500 BTU grill underneath acts as a broiler for toasting or getting extra sear.
There’s even a wind-screen that makes it easy to light, regardless of the conditions. 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). The GCI Outdoor Everywhere Chair was once our low-to-the-ground pick, but it’s more difficult to get in and out of than the Camp Low chair, and its lightweight design sacrifices a good deal of solidity and durability.
This chair’s big canopy provides ample sun protection at a campsite or sporting event, and it doubles as a backpack-strap-equipped carrying case. The Dual Lock seat’s name comes from a locking mechanism that secures the chair when it’s folded or expanded—releasing the lock is a matter ozark trail lounge chair of pushing a button on one of the legs. As a result, the chair feels grounded and less wobbly than its competitors. This was especially reassuring for testers with knee or hip issues, who noted that they felt confident using the Dual Lock seat’s armrests to stand up and get out of it.
The chair also has the round mesh cupholder found on most chairs of this type. It can hold a lot of supplies, and it’s easy to carry and set up. The King Kong chair has two cupholders and intuitively placed storage pouches under each armrest; unlike the Coleman chair, though, this one doesn’t have a cooler pouch.
The Company recognizes the importance of maintaining the security of your Personal Data. 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.