The Renetto chair usually comes in between 8 and 10 colors and is rated to hold up to 350 pounds. The Renetto’s big, heavy canopy provides ample sun protection at a campsite or cookout and doubles as a backpack-strap-equipped carrying case. The Yeti Trailhead Camp Chair is a rock-solid piece of outdoor furniture that’ll stay sturdy and supportive even under the toughest conditions. Yeti’s Flexgrid fabric coleman camping chair is taut and durable with just the right amount of stretch to conform to your body and provide pressure relief where it’s most needed. We found it to be extremely supportive on the back and legs and marveled at how difficult it was to knock over during the durability test. The material is also resistant to damage from UV rays and breathable enough to prevent spills or rain from pooling in the seatbed.
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 coleman cooler 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.
Thankfully the Cooler Quad does a great job balancing robust construction with add-ons such as the titular 4-can cooler on the left armrest. You know you’re getting a quality chair with an integrated cooler rather than a carry cooler with a seat. 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.
Taller people also tend to prefer a chair with a bit more height to it. In general, those with knee issues or mobility concerns will have an easier time getting out of taller chairs. If you fall into that category, consider something like the Coleman Broadband Mesh Quad Chair or the YETI Trailhead. The cotton canvas duck fabric feels nice against the skin and has proven durable over more than a year’s use.
But tall couples may prefer the standard loveseat, which is a few inches taller off the ground. But for those who want a simple, hardworking, all-around camp chair, the Skyward is our go-to choice. Weighing only 5.3 pounds, the Coleman Lightweight Utopia Breeze Beach Chair combines easy portability with a low-to-the-ground design so you can stretch your legs out in the sand. If you’re after a novelty chair with an included cooler, you’ve found it.