There’s no better way to end a day outside than being gathered around the campfire. While we’ve all spent many an evening sitting on the ground or balancing on a log, it’s hard to beat the pleasure and rejuvenation of sitting in a good camp chair. Always have a cold drink within easy reach at the campsite, tailgate, or kids’ ball game thanks to the cooler built into the armrest of the Camping Chair with coleman canopy a Built-In 4-Can Cooler. As far as comfort goes, this chair is a pretty average slouchy seat. It had some thickness, with at least a couple layers of fabric making up the body, but this doesn’t help the integrity. The armrests are technically adjustable, though they are only attached through round discs, making it easy to accidentally push them down with your elbow during a routine readjustment.
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. However, it will take longer to dry than other mesh chairs if left in the rain. Our testers under 5’5″ found it more difficult to recline in this chair and not as comfortable in an upright position. Our 6-foot-tall tester found it immensely comfortable and worthy of a fireside snooze. And if you go too quick, you can pinch your fingers — like if you’re trying to quickly hop out of your chair if flighty embers kick up out of the campfire, which happened to us.
The cooler itself is an easy-access zippered pouch that hangs from the bottom of the left armrest. We found the Coleman Kickback Breeze Chair to be a simple yet very comfortable seat, though women liked it coleman canopy more than men did (many of them judged it to be too snug). Anecdotally, we found that this chair category in general is more popular among women than among men, who generally prefer a higher, upright seat.
The kid testers in our group especially seemed to like having a miniature version of the adult chairs around the fire. Saltwater rusts hinges and legs, harsh UV degrades woven fabrics at an accelerated rate, and sand finds its way into any and all crevices — good luck getting it out again. The monolith design and PVC material of the Aero Chair shrugs all of this treatment off, and it quickly became our go-to for camping excursions to the Pacific coast. The steel frame is plenty strong (even for two people) and can easily handle 400 pounds. And the quilted fabric is pliable, which is nice for multiple folks sharing the same seat.
I haven’t experienced any issues with mine despite pushing the weight limit and the cooler capacity up to the limit, but there is enough evidence floating around to question the integrity of the joints. But after half a dozen excursions, we found—as we had with the Renetto Original Canopy Chair—that having a chair you can easily carry without a bag is preferable. In real-world conditions, you’re often packing up fast to try to get ahead of crowds or traffic.
Consider the color, design, and overall appearance of the chair, as it can contribute to your camping experience and match your personal style. Invest in a camping chair that is made of durable materials such as aluminum or steel frames and high-quality fabric. Check for reinforced stitching and reliable construction to ensure the chair can withstand outdoor conditions, avoid rust, and can handle getting packed in-and-out of a car on a regular basis. We considered over a dozen different models of camping chairs and narrowed down that list to decide our winners. Here are some models that we liked a lot and were highly rated by customers and professional outdoor reviewers alike. The Coleman features a padded seat and back, adjustable armrests, mesh cup holders, a magazine or tablet side pocket, and a soft cooler pouch (large enough for a small ice pack and up to 4 cans!).