REI’s Co-op Camp X Chair brings the best of both worlds with a webbed nylon mesh that keeps you cozy and cool. The material is designed to evenly distribute your weight and maximize comfort, and we found the material was tense enough to feel supportive while letting them take advantage of the breeze. The 1-pound seat comes with a miniscule stuff sack that can easily be slipped into a backpack or suitcase. We also loved that setting up and breaking down the aluminum frame and seat cover is conveniently intuitive. You may doubt a chair this light and compact could also be sturdy, but it held up beautifully to all the plopping, dropping, and throwing they could put it through.
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. We tested one chair at a time, starting by setting them up for use and paying close attention to whether there was any guesswork or fumbling involved in assembly. To see how comfortable it was to use the chairs for extended periods of time, we sat in each for minutes, making sure to evaluate any extra features like tables, coolers, and cup holders. We also tested any adjustable features like recliners and armrests to see if those functions worked smoothly.
This is a perfect option for throwing in a tote or backpack to take to the park and on hikes. We love that setup is quick and easy, because no one needs to struggle with poles after sweating it out on the trails. Its light weight also impressed — when we threw it around to assess its durability, the chair basically sailed like a feather. Before we tried the Renetto Original Canopy Chair, we had never considered buying a shade-equipped camp chair.
“Two zips make it easy to share this roomy bag, which can also be opened up into a full-sized double duvet that’s ideal for glamping or for popping in a campervan. Generously sized and warm enough for use from spring through to autumn, this bag was rated by our tester for its price and comfort. Dubbed the best budget buy in our round-up of camping mats, this NHOWIN offering is self-inflating, comfortable and lightweight. Lauding it as “compact when rolled up” and “an effective bed” once inflated (complete with a “brilliant pillow”), the bargain mat is ideal for festival season. We have no doubt the aluminum frame and UV-resistant polyester seat are designed to last through years upon years of outdoor seasons.
Weighing in at 8.0 pounds, the REI Camp X is also a somewhat light model. It’s a bit shorter than most traditional chairs, and we always felt that bringing it with us was worth it. Our testers also love the Kijaro Dual Lock, which has a built-in carry strap on ozark trail chairs the back of the frame that locks into place so you can still toss it over your shoulder if you forget your carry bag. The REI Co-op Flexlite Camp Dreamer is similarly lightweight, weighing just a few ounces more and packing away into a case nearly as small.
The cupholders on the L.L.Bean Kids’ Base Camp Chair aren’t as roomy as those on our picks, and they are not as adept at holding stubby water bottles or mugs of hot chocolate. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves.
Our not-too-discriminating underage testers liked all the kids’ chairs, though over time we found several reasons to declare the REI Camp Chair the best of the bunch. 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. It will fit a Capri Sun pouch or a narrow, rectangular juice box, but that’s about it. These Ozark Trail camp chairs are perfect to take with you to kid’s sports games, camping trips, or to simply have them around so you can lounge in your backyard.
Fortunately, most of the chairs we tested were reasonably straightforward — even the more complex packable chairs were a cinch after a small learning curve. The bag of the moment, Uniqlo’s TikTok-viral crossbody bag is perfect for festival season. Roomy, adjustable, affordable and available in an array of fun colours to make a style statement, the styled-up bum bag is just what you need to ozark trail chairs carry your essentials around the field. Coming in minimalist black, beige and white finishes or playful yellow, red and green, there’s a reason why Lyst named it the hottest product in the world. Considering you’ll spend most of the festival outside in the sun, a good SPF is essential. Our favourite hails from La Roche-Posay, with its anthelios oil sunscreen praised for ticking every box.