“Awesome chair! It’s compact, light, easy to setup.” All-in-one, push-button design maximizes ease of setup. The cupholders on the L.L.Bean Kids’ Base Camp Chair aren’t as roomy as those on our picks, and they’re not as adept at holding stubby water bottles or mugs of hot chocolate. We like this durable, well-constructed chair that has a frame that makes you confident to sit.
The seatback has some slightly padded sections that do at least a little something to enhance comfort, and the armrests are nominally padded, too. But this isn’t the kind of chair you’re ozark trail chair going to want to spend most of the day in. Aside from the impressive amount of weight the chair can support, the thing we like best about the numbers above is the width of the seat.
Several Wirecutter staffers have owned the Coleman chair for years, using it on camping trips, in backyards, and at sporting events. For the most part, it’s held up well, but one common quibble is that the seat bottom begins to sag after several years of use. Senior editor Kalee Thompson, who wrote a previous version of this guide, has been regularly using the Coleman chair she originally tested in 2016.
Testers with knee and hip issues reported that when they were getting in and out of this chair, its armrests felt more stable than those of any other model. So they felt comfortable leaning onto the frame for extra support. This time-tested classic is reasonably priced, roomy, and dependable enough to last for years. It’s not our lightest, most comfortable, or toughest pick, but it’s close enough, and it’s reasonably priced. Stumps, stools, boulders, and picnic tables are fine for sitting briefly outdoors. But if you want to kick back and stay comfy, the right camping chair can make all the difference.
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. After new testing, we still love the Coleman Cooler Quad Chair for most outdoors situations. But we also have picks offering better support, higher weight capacity, and greater portability. This comfortable Director’s Chair provides lumbar support, cotton canvas padding a convenient side table that folds down when not in use, and has a weight capacity of 400 lbs.