Camping chair quick picks
A camping trip with friends and family isn’t complete (in our humble opinion) without bringing along one of the best camping chairs to cozy up with around the campfire on your adventure. No matter if you’re camping at a local state park, viewing wildlife while visiting National Parks or heading into the backcountry for a true wilderness experience, choosing the right camping chair for your trip can level up your experience in the great outdoors.
To help you pick out the most comfortable — or stylish, durable or lightweight — camping chair for your packing checklist, we’ve talked to experts for their advice on what to look for when buying a chair for the campground. They’ve weighed in on everything from durability and fabrics to weight and accessory features.
“First and foremost, making a decision on a camping chair depends on the use case,” says Patrick McCluskey, chief engineer and product sustainability lead at Nemo. “You’ll want to consider questions like, Are you going to be setting it up and taking it down frequently? Are you going to be backpacking the chair in somewhere? Are you just taking it on a short hike? These types of considerations will help you determine how heavy your chair should be and [how] much comfort you can afford to carry.”
He adds that price is another huge factor to consider. “If you want to maintain your comfort level but reduce weight, then typically the cost goes up. Lighter chairs require more specialized materials, like high-grade aluminum and low denier fabrics — which ultimately impact the price of the chair.”
“I am really picky when it comes to finding a chair that I enjoy sitting in,” says Ashleigh McClary, a gear expert and senior account manager at Backcountry. “I like for there to be comfortable fabric right at the edge of the chair. I’ve noticed there are a lot of camp chairs that rub on the bottom of my legs when I sit in them and they’re not comfortable.”
When it comes to comfort, McClary says you’ll want to consider where you’ll be using the chair and the type of fabric the chair is constructed out of. “I’ve found the most comfortable fabric in camp chairs to be nylon or poly-nylon blends that are in most ultralight chairs. Sometimes mesh and canvas aren’t as soft and can cause discomfort when wearing shorts,” she says. “And if somewhere really hot, you’ll want to opt for a chair with light and preferably ventilated fabric.” In cold weather, McClary recommends this heated chair pad from Coleman that can help keep you cozy.
McCluskey adds that the type of material camping chairs are made of also has an impact on the longevity and durability of the product. “Nylon is somewhat detrimental compared to polyester fabrics because it absorbs a lot of water,” he says. “When nylon absorbs water, it’s going to stretch and so your seat is going to get pretty saggy and it might even start to interfere with the performance of your chair poles.”
Our experts also recommend considering the material of the frame. While steel tends to hold more weight and provide extra durability, McCluskey says it also has its setbacks.
“I personally tend to stay away from chairs that have steel components,” McCluskey says. “Because you’re using chairs outside, they’re going to get wet at some point. And if they have steel on them, they’re going to rust. Alternatively, I think aluminum is a really good choice. It has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any other metal that’s out there. ”
Just like with camping pillows and camping sleeping pads, more comfort typically means more size and weight. If you aren’t afraid of those things, though, you have a lot more flexibility in choosing a chair with all sorts of creature comforts, from side pockets and cell phone holders to a canopy or extendable footrest.
“I like to have all the accessories on my camping chairs,” McClary says. “I love amenities like cup holders or anything that makes the chair unique, like if it has a rocking feature or a hidden cooler somewhere on there.”
To help you find the most comfortable, stylish or practical chairs, we’ve rounded up our favorite camping chairs for any adventure.
REI built this chair with comfort and practicality in mind. It’s one of the quickest drying, most breathable and most durable camp chairs you can find on the market. The mesh webbing on the back and base of the chair helps distribute weight for maximum comfort and heavy-duty steel tube legs can hold up to 300 pounds.
A camping chair you really can’t go wrong with, the Kelty Lowdown comes with an oversized drink holder and a quilted fabric seat back and base — all the basics you’ll find in a solid camp chair.
“For all-day comfort and support, my favorite is the Hondo Base Camp chair,” McClary says. This camp chair’s extra-sturdy frame and woven mesh fabric can hold up to 500 pounds, and it’s built to prevent unwanted pressure points on the seat base and lower back when sitting for long periods of time.
Another durable and super-stable option, the Dometic Go chair weighs more than 9 pounds, has a weight capacity of 280 pounds and features a heavy-duty fabric to keep you comfortable all day long.
This padded folding chair looks just as good on your back patio as it does in the middle of the woods. It’s easy to fold up and features backpack straps for easy transportation, not to mention a DWR coating to help it stay dry in light rain.
A rocking chair built without bowed legs so you don’t have to worry about roots, rocks and uneven ground getting in the way of your comfort. This chair’s kickback rocker feature acts like the suspension system you’d find on a mountain bike. All you have to do is lean back and relax while the spring-loaded shock on the back of the chair absorbs all the pressure.
“This is one of my favorite chairs because of its ability to recline and swing, plus having a cup holder and storage pocket — it’s hard to beat,” McClary says. Recliner meets rocker in this stargazer-friendly chair. The swinging and reclining design takes relaxation to a new level by allowing campers to lean back, relax and look up at the night sky. Its low center of gravity and extendable design also make this chair perfect if you’re looking for a customizable fit for extra comfort.
This basic rocker has a durable yet breathable mesh fabric to help keep you cool and comfortable on even the sweatiest days of summer.
For extra sunny days, check out this GCI rocker with a built-in sun shade. Equipped with UPF 50+ fabric, the sun shade can even rotate front to back to keep your protected from UV rays as the sun moves across the sky.
This incredibly portable chair — an editor favorite — weighs just 16 ounces and easily folds into a backpack or tote. We like to bring it to the park, but it’s also perfect for beach and camping excursions.
This backpacking chair from comfort-first brand Big Agnes is incredibly lightweight at just 1 pound, 11 ounces and can be set up in one minute. It sits low to the ground but is surprisingly comfortable for its size.
Known for its size and durability, this chair ranks high on the list of the most popular lightweight chairs on the market. In our testing, we were impressed by how easy it was to setup, despite its compact construction.
“REI has the wildly popular Flexlite camp chair, but my favorite is their variation on the model called the Flexlite Boss,” says Keith Langston, a travel writer and avid camper. The Camp Boss is 20% bigger than the original Flexlite, making it way more comfortable for larger body types. But like the original, Langston says it still manages to be compact when it’s folded, “taking up hardly any space at all.”
Clocking in at only 1 pound 8 ounces, this chair is a super-lightweight option that doesn’t skimp on comfort and durability. Its high-back design gives campers more support for leaning back while seated and its nylon resin hubs are engineered to be as strong and secure as camping tent poles. This chair also comes in a smaller size: the Helinox Chair Zero.
It’s quite pricey, but Nemo’s Moonlite backpacking chair is definitely one of the best lightweight seats out there. It weighs only 1.1 pounds and has a really clever system of cords running along the sides of the chair to allow you to recline as you wish. Plus, the carrying bag doubles as a platform that attaches to the chair’s legs to help it be more stable on loose dirt or sand.
Don’t worry about sandy or soft ground keeping you from enjoying a seat around the fire, in the backyard or at a festival. This chair features anti-sink disk feet help the chair legs from sinking into the ground on sandy or soft ground, and it packs down to just over 2 pounds, making it super portable.
While this 3.65-pound chair isn’t as light as most true backpacking chairs, this tiny seat is still a fantastic, portable option. What sets the Cliq ClassiQ apart from other lightweight chairs is that this one can be set up in mere seconds. Most other lightweight chairs require you to assemble poles — like the poles of a tent — but the Cliq quickly unfolds and expands in a couple of simple steps so you can get to relaxing.
Kid-sized comfort that you can bring on any camping trip. Both fun and practical features — like glow-in-the-dark print and a locking frame so it’s extra secure — make this a great option for kids who want their own seat around the campfire.
This no-frills, kid-sized version of a classic camp chair is perfect for roasting marshmallows or relaxing around a bonfire for campfire storytime. You don’t have to worry about shoving this option in a fussy chair bag either. It comes with an attached strap that keeps the chair closed when folded and doubles as a shoulder strap for easy transport.
This chair feels more like sturdy outdoor furniture than a camp chair. Its super-breathable and super-strong frame can withstand wear and tear from water and dirt to banging around your van or truck bed while setting up and packing down camp. We also love that the chair bag has built-in backpack straps for easy transport.
Luxury comforts make this chair a unique choice for a camping trip. Langston appreciates that there’s no assembly required; you simply open the chair up, and you’re ready to sit back and relax. “While it weighs a little more than your ultra-light camping chairs, the convenience and ease are totally worth it. Plus, unless you’re hiking into your campsite and are carrying everything in your pack, the few extra pounds won’t be an issue," Langston says.
With two pockets, two adjustable heights and a built-in pillow, Eno’s lounger definitely lives up to its name.
If you want a chair that’s easy to take a nap in, look no further than this GCI Outdoor lounger. It has tons of pockets, an adjustable leg rest and even has straps so you can carry it as a backpack.
Two companions (dogs included) can easily fit in this low and slightly reclined love seat. Its unique padded roll-tote storage, which comes clipped to the back of the chair, means you don’t have to fuss with a frustrating chair bag. Simply collapse the seat, clip the roll tote carrier closed and carry it away.
With oversized cup holders, quilted fabric and a total weight capacity of 500 pounds, the Mountain Summit Gear love seat is the ultimate for couples’ comfort.
