Camping trips, beach days, picnics in the park, outdoor movies and theater performances, a fresh-air get-together with friends—there are countless occasions when you might use a camp chair. For an ultra lightweight chair that’s ready to make your hiking breaks a breeze, opt for the Helinox Chair Zero. It has two open panels in the seat back for breathability, and when packed up in its ripstop polyester stuff sack, it’s totally tiny. 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.
Our panel of testers at the Wheeler Gorge Campground deemed the Everywhere Chair to be the most comfortable of the three low-to-the-ground chairs we tested. The canopy quickly and easily transforms into a carrying case—just wrap it around the chair and snap it closed with two plastic buckles, and you can carry the whole thing on your back like an oblong backpack. We brought this chair to a dense Los Angeles neighborhood to watch Fourth of July fireworks. We got some admiring nods en route to the celebration—and we had one of the more comfy seats at the show. 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.
The Everywhere Chair closes like a book—simply lift the padded strap and go. “This is the Platonic ideal of your camp chair,” one of our campers gushed. Portable outdoor chairs are also helpful for anyone who doesn’t have the room or budget for permanent backyard furniture. And they can save your back, make it easier to juggle a picnic plate and a cold beverage, and generally help you to relax comfortably outdoors. This low-profile chair is easy to carry, and it adjusts for uneven ground.
If you aren’t sure what exactly it is you’re looking for in your next chair beyond carrying capacity, take a look at our buyer’s guide for more information on the state of the industry. Also, be sure to check out our top picks of the season for an in-depth comparison between the best of the best. This also did a great job staying dry when the sun came out, and I started to sweat. It never managed to soak through, though I doubt that would be the case in any kind of rain. Beyond this, it’s a cheap and cheerful camp chair that will give you everything you need and a little more, inarguably a bargain deal anyone shopping around should consider. As is the case with many mass-manufactured chairs, there tends to be some variance in quality over the years.
It comes with a bag that has a shoulder strap to cart it around and weighs 8 pounds. The carry bag is rather thin, letting you feel whatever section of the chair rests upon your back or side. At least you probably won’t be carrying it terribly far, and it’s not awful over short stretches. If you’re wondering what all goes into the perfect camp chair, our buyer’s guide can coleman cooler answer similar questions and more. Those in the market for a new chair can head our top picks of the season for side-by-side comparisons of the latest and greatest models available. When you’re searching for a new camp chair, sometimes you aren’t looking for the lightest possible option- you want the beefiest chair out there that can soak up as much strain as possible.
Thoughtful features like a zippered pocket for securing valuables, a mesh cell phone pouch, and two cup holders make the Kijaro exceptionally convenient for everything from tailgates to beach days. It’s available in 11 colors, many of which are unique in the outdoor product coleman camping chair space. The chair comes with a carrying bag but also has a shoulder strap attached directly to its frame in case you want to ditch the sack. All this at a good price, making it an incredible value for a comfy camp chair that’s built to last through countless seasons.
The REI chair is rated to hold up to 150 pounds, the same as the L.L.Bean and Walmart chairs. We think the REI chair is most appropriate for toddlers and kids up to about 7 or 8 years old, though reviews reveal that some small adults have found this to be their favorite seat. It comes in gray or blue, and as of this update it gets 4.7 out of five stars from reviewers on the REI site. 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). A close-to-the-ground chair is often the ideal choice for outdoor concerts, movies, theater performances, and other events where you will be concerned about blocking other people’s view.