We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that’s designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections. Unbeatable deal if you’re looking to buy several chairs at once. It is best if you only have to carry it short distances. Head on over to Walmart where you can score this Set of 4 Ozark Trail Classic Folding Camp Chairs with Mesh Cup Holders for just $28 (Reg. $45) ~ that works out to $7 per chair!
Similar to the Coleman Cooler Quad Chair in size, the Ozark Trail Oversized Mesh Camp Chair with Cooler was far less comfortable, with rough-feeling polyester that was obviously of lower quality. After six months of frequent use, the stitching along one arm had come unraveled, and the small straps holding up the back of the armrests had both ripped in half. If you’re unsure which camping chair to buy, you can’t go wrong with the classic Coleman Cooler Quad Chair. This time-tested classic is reasonably priced, roomy, and dependable enough to last for years. It’s not our lightest, most comfortable, or toughest pick, but it’s close enough, and it’s reasonably priced.
Despite the Renetto chair’s weight and bulk, our testers found it simple to set up and adjust. Several Wirecutter staffers have owned the Coleman chair for years, using it on camping trips, in backyards, and at sporting events. For the most part, it’s held up well, but one common quibble is that the seat bottom begins to sag after several years of use.
I want to buy more in different colors even though I don’t need them. They’re even comfy so I can sit by the fire or on the beach for hours without my butt going numb. The Chair One is rated to hold up to 320 pounds—more than any ozark trail camping chair other lightweight chair we tested aside from the Moon Lence. Weighing about 8 pounds, the Coleman chair is lighter than most traditional models, so it’s easier to grab from deep in a car trunk or to carry for long distances.
Like others in its category, this chair comes with an over-the-shoulder carry bag, but some testers found it was light and compact enough to carry without the case. In fall 2023, we asked a panel of paid testers with a wide range of body types, dexterities, and mobilities to examine our picks and other camping chairs and to share their perspectives. We’ve incorporated their feedback into this review.
Just unpack it, unfold it, and sit down—that’s all there is to it. In terms of extras, the Ozark Trail XXL Director camping chair comes with a fold-out side table attached to one of the chair arms. The table is big enough to hold a small plate, which makes camp dining convenient, and is big enough to hold a few miscellaneous supplies if and as needed. The XXL Director chair by Ozark Trail is not adjustable. However, it is marginally above average in terms of comfort compared to other camp chairs. It would be overselling it to call this a handsome chair.
Simply buy a mesh bag for storage, attach a D-Ring to it, and clamp it onto one of the chair’s support struts. Many testers found other chairs more comfortable and easier to put together than the Nemo Moonlite Reclining Camp Chair. This is also the most expensive lightweight chair we tested, and we think the Chair One is a better value.
Normally, we’d caution against buying a chair with a seat that’s significantly wider than you need. In the case of a recliner or lounge chair, it matters because if the seat is too wide, you won’t be able to make effective use of more than one of the armrests. But where camp chairs are concerned, it’s not the end of the world. These are occasional seating options, and you won’t typically be spending such extended periods sitting in one that it starts to be an issue. Fun colors, light weight, compact, easy to set up and even a carry case for easy storage.
After years of intermittently using the Renetto chair, one staffer said it has held up great. Another said it’s been an essential chair in their life and that it is still going strong after ozark trail camping chair countless soccer games, birthday parties, beach trips, and school events. This chair costs slightly more than the Coleman Cooler Quad Chair, but it’s still a budget-friendly option.
Senior editor Kalee Thompson, who wrote a previous version of this guide, has been regularly using the Coleman chair she originally tested in 2016. Aside from the color fading and the cooler pouch deteriorating, her chair has held up to years of backyard hangs and camping trips. In summer 2023, she bought a newer Coleman Cooler Quad Chair to compare to her 2016 model, and she found them to be more or less the same.