It offers plenty of sitting space for a camping chair, and some testers were impressed with the comfort of the padded canvas seat. We were also mightily impressed with its patio furniture sets listed 800-lb weight capacity, more than double of any other chair we tested. One tester has owned this chair for several years and many camping trips without a hiccup.
And while their high denier fabric is not as breathable as the mesh that some of the other chairs have, it is more durable than most. Since both of these chairs were very popular with our testers, they sustained several ember burns from being around so many campfires. Despite these small melted holes, the fabric showed no other signs of strain or wear. Thanks to their light weights and compact designs, the Helinox chairs are the clear winners in this category.
Item prices may vary between online (for pickup, shipping or delivery) and in club. Send me exclusive offers, unique gift ideas, and personalized tips for shopping and selling on Etsy. You can stow this featherlight, compressible chair in a backpack or even a work bag.
The Helinox Chair One weighs about 2 pounds, compresses smaller than a 2-liter bottle of 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. They’re also far more expensive and significantly less comfortable than typical full-size camp chairs. We recommend buying this type only if you intend to carry your chair long distances, whether you’re backpacking or trekking across Central Park. If you do need a fits-in-a-knapsack chair, we recommend the Helinox Chair One.
Spending a night in the woods is fun any way you look at it, but it’s even better with the right camping gear and one of our favorite tents. Whether you need a top-rated camping stove and camping cookware for your kitchen kit or a cushy camping mattress and travel-sized pillow for a good outdoor patio shades night’s rest, we’ve got you covered. We’ve also tested the best backpacking chairs if you need to go lighter and smaller than what this review covers. With so many stylish patio chairs to choose from at IKEA, we’re certain to have the right fit for your budget and desired aesthetic.
The chair is comfy enough for all-day sitting, and we appreciated that the back was higher on this chair than the other lightweight options we evaluated. The chair comes in black, red, blue, and green, and you can save a few dollars per chair by purchasing a pack of two on the Trekology website. For anyone sick of that sports chair slouch, the Kijaro Dual Lock Folding Chair is the model you’ve been waiting for. The frame holds the seat and back fabric taut by locking open to provide a firm foundation. A comfortably angled back panel promotes relaxation rather than rigidity.
If lumbar support is a must, it could be worth transporting a bit of extra weight to have a super sturdy chair on your site. These made-in-the-USA chairs are lightweight, foldable, stackable and durable, with rustproof aluminum and webbing that’s fade-, UV- and weather-resistant. They’re available in a wide variety of colors and sizes — from low-slung beach chairs up to the supersized “Magnum” lawn chairs. 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.
Maggie is a seasoned multi-sport athlete who’s spent years guiding folks both young and old in the great outdoors — and requires a comfortable seat from which to write about it all. She has tested lawn and camping chairs for the past several years, having hands-on experience with over 25 unique models. We also enlisted an array of our car camping friends, lawn-lounging relatives, and even a few dogs to help us put these chairs to the test. Coleman’s heavy-duty outdoor chair with a side table can transform your camping mealtimes.
As a padded chair, it’s also less breathable on a hot day, but with light colors, we hardly noticed. For its comfort and durability, as well as its ability to seat a couple of friends, we think this chair is worth considering. With extra features come several extra pounds, making the King Kong one of the heaviest single-person models we tested.
While the feet of our shorter testers rested comfortably on the ground, Kelty also makes a version that’s several inches taller. Made of durable materials, this chair can stand up to the trials of seating multiple people and even dogs for extended periods. After three straight years of regular use and some severe sun exposure, it’s fading a bit but is still as comfortable as the first day we got it.