The strap that supports the back (and doubles as a carry strap) allows adjustments to control your angle of recline, from upright to a stargazing-appropriate angle. Unlike other portable chairs, the Everywhere Chair is designed to sit on uneven slopes; this can be handy when space is limited at a fireworks show or an outdoor theater performance. 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 Renetto Original Canopy Chair, a cleverly designed specialty seat, is ideal for anyone who wants sun protection and doesn’t mind a heavier, bulkier chair.
It takes a couple of minutes to store but will significantly extend the lifetime. Even though Coleman’s Cooler Quad is one of the larger chairs that we’ve tested, it’s by no means the heaviest. Weighing in at a negligible 8lbs 2oz, the Cooler Quad won’t punish you for parking a little ways away from your intended destination. When you consider this in tandem with the carrying sleeve, the Cooler Quad lies somewhere on the more portable end of the full-sized camp chair spectrum.
The Renetto’s big, heavy canopy provides ample sun protection at a campsite or cookout and doubles as a backpack-strap-equipped carrying case. If you notice some mildew on your chair or happened to enjoy a particularly muddy weekend, cleaning off your camp chair is a relatively straightforward process. The inner pocket, in particular, could hold a surprising amount- books, frisbees, sandals, and even my comically oversized water bottle.
The tall back, wide seat, and subtle-yet-serviceable padding let me feel like I could really relax and forget momentarily that I was supposed to find things to criticize. There’s no reinventing the wheel here, just a few decades coleman canopy of practice that have culminated in a really good product. 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.
If you’re after a novelty chair with an included cooler, you’ve found it. But if you want something comfortable enough to watch an all-day soccer tournament and durable enough to bring back every season, we don’t think this one is a winner. Grandstand provides the labeling service for Prop 65 compliance free of charge for our California customers, or any customer whose products may end up in California. A majority of our decoration methods are by their nature Prop 65 compliant and require no labeling.
Lackluster performance and a cooler that’s only moderately useful but surprisingly in the way make us feel like there are much better options out there, even if the chair and cooler have to be separate. REI’s Flexlite Chair has been replaced by an entire coleman cooler flock of Flexlite chairs; the one that is the closest to replacing the original Flexlite in the lineup is the Co-op Flexlite Camp Chair. The design, size, and weight is nearly identical, but the nylon fabric has been replaced with polyester.
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. 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.