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 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. Camping chairs have many different looks, feels and benefits. When shopping for one, it’s best to consider your specific preferences and needs.
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. If you’re looking for highly specialized or ultra-lightweight chairs for backpacking, our recommendations are probably not for you. We also don’t have suggestions for couch-style or loveseat chairs (we’d like to look at those someday, though).
Since 2016, our testers (with different body types and physical needs) have subjected camping chairs to multiple camping trips. We chose the Coleman Cooler Quad Chair as the model with the right combination of comfort, durability, usability, and price for most campers. This wicker basket contains everything you need for a summer concert or picnic in the park. The lid doubles as a detachable table with four slots to hold the included plastic wine glasses and stable metal legs to prop up the snacks. Inside you’ll find a cutlery pouch, tableware for four, a waterproof picnic blanket and even a bottle opener.
It has a safety lock, it’s sturdy and holds up to 125 pounds. The canopy attachment is also beneficial feature for keeping children safe on extra sunny days. 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. Shearer and Teplin note that cleaning your bathroom is so much easier when the tools required are neatly and discretely within reach. The Home Edit’s custom caddy includes all of the essentials, with smart design features to help you clean more efficiently.
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. 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.
After eight years of consistent use by senior editor Kalee Thompson’s two young boys, the REI Co-op Camp Chair is, she reports, faded and worn but still holding up. By clicking on these shopping links, visitors will leave ABCNews.com. These e-commerce sites are operated under different terms and privacy policies than ABCNews.com. ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links. SOME PRICES ARE DYNAMIC AND MAY CHANGE FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. Right now, Walmart.com has this Ozark Trail Americana Camping Hammock Chair for just $24.97 (reg. $43.31).
There are also chairs that are hybrids between categories, such as the Nemo Stargaze Reclining Camp Chair, which comes highly rated and recommended. This durable yet lightweight chair features a flat-folding extra-wide steel frame easily stowable in a closet or car trunk. It also has a padded seat, armrests, and a maximum weight capacity of 600 lbs. No other chair in our testing pool—except perhaps the extremely pricey Yeti Trailhead—came close to matching the King Kong’s build quality. Our testers consistently said the King Kong chair was the most heavy-duty-feeling model of all the chairs we tested.
If your ideal camping set-up resembles that of an outdoor living room, you need the Kelty Lowdown Couch to complete your kit. Even larger than the loveseat above, it provides ample sitting space for up to three adults, with a durable 600D polyester seat that’s padded for added comfort and a slightly reclined, low-to-the-ground design. The ozark trail canopy whole thing pops up smoothly thanks to a strong, powder-coated steel frame — and we were able to set it up with just one person on their own. We also loved the design of the wrap-around carrying configuration, which lets you place other items inside the adjustable straps and then haul everything with the padded, adjustable shoulder strap.
It’s the lightest, most portable chair that is still comfortable. The Helinox Chair One weighs about 2 pounds, compresses smaller than a 2-liter bottle of soda, and is our most lightweight pick. Other chairs we tested sacrificed too much comfort in order to shave mere ounces off of their weights, and we don’t think the trade-off was worth it. Keep in mind that lightweight chairs won’t be nearly as comfortable as traditional camping chairs, so take the word comfortable with a grain of salt. Most of our testers found the REI Co-op Skyward Chair to be one of the least comfortable chairs in our testing pool.
The bowl brush, for example, has durable bristles with a built-in splash guard. The plunger cup has a protruding flange designed for maximum pressure to clear clogs quickly, and the space-saving trash can keeps things clean and tidy. According to Shearer and Teplin, the 15-piece cabinet door organizer can be configured to fit any space — with three panels, two trays, a sponge and paper holder plus a bunch of extra hooks and clips. Whether you’re wiping up spills or polishing the faucets, cleaning will be faster when all of your favorite products are in place and easy to reach. 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 of pushing a button on one of the legs. As a result, the chair feels grounded and less wobbly than its competitors.