We also tried out a few in-house, setting them up in the office and in Central Park to see how they felt. Regardless of size, many camping chairs come with straps or carrying cases to make travel easier. Keeping in mind that good portability is key for outdoor chairs, we broke down and packed each for transport, testing their carrying cases and any and all straps and handles to judge the placement, size, and design. Testers considered whether the chairs would be too heavy, bulky, or awkward to carry for either a long distance or simply from a house to a car trunk. After our product team extensively researched the market, a group of editors with a wide range of camping experiences gathered in our New York City lab to test 29 of the best portable outdoor chairs.
We evaluated the ease of use, comfort, portability, and durability of each. Testers refrained from checking the prices of the chairs until they’d judged all their other attributes. Whether you want to sit upright for a snack break or lean back to lounge with a good book, Nemo’s Moonlight Reclining Chair is great to have on hand.
The Helinox Chair One weighs about 2 pounds, compresses smaller than a 2-liter bottle of soda, and is the most comfortable and easy to stow of the three top backpacking chairs we tested. Like competing chairs, the Chair One has a nylon and mesh seat and aluminum legs, which are linked with shock cord (the chair legs are made out of the same material as high-end tent poles). Outdoor furniture is not one size fits all, so think carefully about your unique needs before committing to a style. Shorties (like yours truly) may be uncomfortable in seats that are too high to rest their feet on the ground while their backs are flush against the chair.
The Coleman camping chair is big and durable, and of all the upright chairs that our panel of campers tested, it was the most comfortable. The Helinox Chair Zero L isn’t inexpensive, but that’s probably because it’s made with high-quality, ultralight materials. The camping chair weighs just over one pound, but the aluminum frame can hold up to 265 pounds. The steel frame allowed our testers to use the reclining back confidently and lounge in the chair at just about any angle. The adjustable cup holders accommodate anything from a soda can to a beer growler (yes, you can have up to 64 ounces of beer in your cup holder). Cooler aside, we also like the Coleman chair’s side pocket (don’t leave those bottle tops in the woods) and cushioned backrest.
The seats should be at least partially water resistant and treated to stand up to harsh UV rays. You can stow this featherlight, compressible chair in a backpack or even a work bag. Select a chair with a built-in canopy, which will give you a little ozark trail camping chair patch of cool at any campsite or cookout. She has written feature stories for publications like Outside Magazine, SkyLife Magazine, Playboy, Frommers, INSIDER, and more, and contributes couples travel and honeymoon content for TheKnot.com.
The Wonderland camping chair has a polyester fabric seat treated to be water repellent, and the steel tubing feels noticeably sturdy. While the chair is too heavy to take with you on a hike, the carry strap and lock-in clip make it easy to sling over your shoulder to and from different locations. It can be a little bit heartbreaking to find a gorgeous relaxation spot — with nowhere to hang up your favorite hammock. Thanks to Eagles Nest Outfitters, you can have the comfort of hammock lounging without needing trees, trying to transport a clunky free-standing hammock, or being beholden to the location of trees on your campsite.
And although its thinness may cause you concern, it has proved to be durably and sturdy after months of use. The right armrest has a mug-compatible cup holder, while the left armrest’s unique drop-down pocket can be secured with a drawstring to make sure your valuables stay put. The pocket is especially handy for keeping track of your phone or other small items you want to access easily. After six months of use, we love storing this chair in our car trunk for easy access. The included stuff sack has both a handle and a shoulder strap for hands-free carrying. This wider and longer set will provide support for larger adults with the same upright style as the traditional bagged camping chair.
Delivering on its get-up-and-go promise, the Yizi-go is exceptionally easy to carry, set up, and pack away. After regularly using the chair for six months, we found that it’s one of the easiest options to set up and break down. In addition to being very compact, its stuff sack has a strap for easy transport and safekeeping under the chair when you’re using it. The convenience continues with two side pockets that function as cup holders or storage for other provisions. The chair is comfy enough for all-day sitting, and we appreciated that the back was higher on this chair than the other lightweight options we evaluated.
However, if you’re setting up camp for an extended stay, having home-furniture level comfort — and a whooping 500-pound weight capacity — could be worth the extra effort in transport. Plus, though the chair is large even when folded up, its spacious backpack carrying ozark trail camping chair case with cushioned, adjustable shoulder straps makes dealing with the size and weight much easier. Since the breathable mesh is also quick-drying, you can feel free to plop down in a wet bathing suit and leave the chair out during afternoon rain showers.
Certainly an unorthodox approach to camping chairs, the Trippy Outdoors Dreamer is the option for those who need flat storage (or to feel a little bit like a hipster). Despite the weight, I could easily hold it in one hand as I walked, though it may be more difficult for longer journeys. The flatpack style of chair doesn’t lend itself well to extreme portability. That being said, if you’re mostly car camping out of your truck or driving to a friend’s BBQ, you’ll love the extra size and support these chairs offer. We especially like the Infinity zero gravity chair, which reclines nearly flat if you’d rather stare at the clouds than at your fellow campers. Fortunately, you can lock it into position to ensure against unexpected tipping, and the head- and footrests extend far enough in both directions to support taller users.