The Best Camping Chairs of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

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.

Testers provide periodic updates to report on the chairs’ performances over the course of six months. If you’re looking forward to serving up a feast on your next camping trip, don’t forget to take one of our camping gas bottles and canisters. Decathlon has a large selection of camping gas bottles and cartridges to fit a variety of camping stoves. Replacing a camping gas canister is very easy, and your stove will probably have instructions on it that tell you how to do it. There is no administration fee charged for entering into a special payments plan.

The REI chair’s polyester seat material feels both more forgiving and more durable than the thinner material on the Ozark Trail Kids’ Folding Camp Chair from Walmart. The box-shaped cupholder is a little roomier than the round cupholders on the Coleman and the L.L.Bean Base Camp chairs—better for stubby water bottles or mugs of hot chocolate around the campfire. We found that the cheaply constructed Walmart chair had a cupholder that was too small for a soda can, or any of the hard-plastic or metal water bottles that the kids we know brought on a camping trip.

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 ozark trail lounge chair 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.

It barely misses being the lightest chair of its kind, yet it’s significantly more comfortable and stable than its lightweight counterparts. When sitting down in the Zero, we immediately noticed the back support provided by its shape and the stability of the legs that keep its wobble to a minimum for such a light chair. Backpackers willing to put in extra work for extra comfort will rejoice when discovering the Big Agnes Big Six chair. The spacious seat is wide and tall and offers a high enough back for a headrest, a feature not found on any other chair this compact and lightweight. Its size is enormous for the small 5.5″ x 5.5″ x 21.5″ bundle it makes when packed up, and the comfort it offers may even encourage you to take a catnap. A low-to-the-ground chair can be ideal for outdoor movies, concerts, theater performances, and other events where you want to avoid blocking other people’s view.

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 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.

◊Pricing, selection, and availability of store clearance items are determined by each store. Items may be display models or not exactly as shown and may not be available in all stores. Fit the top of each chair with handmade fabric “hats.” You can also make these adorable decorations for holiday dinners and other big events.