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 GCI Outdoor chair also has a pocket built into the back that can hold a phone or a book. This chair comes in green or blue and is rated to hold up to 250 pounds. 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. So you can easily misplace a carry sack on a dark night in a crowded field, especially if you’re in a large group or have a lot of stuff.
Our range of camping chairs is the biggest it has ever been, with folding chairs, reclining chairs, inflatable chairs and more in a variety of styles to choose from, there really is something for everybody. As for taco-style chairs like the Crazy Creek Hex Original 2.0 and Crazy Creek Original, all you need to do is fasten the side clips together and park your booty. The angle of repose is adjustable with a sliding buckle, and we found the models that allow you to cinch by pulling down rather than up to be the easiest to use. Sometimes cutting down the weight can decrease durability, but it can also decrease stability. We noted that most testers, upon sitting in the Flexlite Air, quickly threw their arms out to maintain their balance in this model with its uber-light fabric and flexible poles.
Having said that, we have some questions about its longevity. The seat fabric is stiff, leading to several pressure points over time. Attaching the seat fabric to the aluminum frame also takes a little finessing. It has a lot of short tube segments, and the legs are especially challenging to fold up and pack away. Gripes aside, for those on a budget, this chair is a solid pick for more casual adventures.
We are also intrigued by the Therm-a-Rest Trekker Chair Kit. It’s not a chair but a conversion kit that turns an inflatable sleeping pad into a backpacking chair. The sitting experience is super comfortable, but it’s harder to get into and out of for fear of puncturing the sleeping pad. We’ve tested close to 40 different models over the past 10 years. In this review, we compare 17 of the best backpacking chairs available today. We evaluate each seat on its comfort, identifying crucial elements of each product’s performance.
The Ozark Trail Oversized Mesh Chair from Walmart, although similar to our pick in size, was far less comfortable, with rough-feeling material that was obviously of lower quality. We later found, after six months of frequent use, that the stitching along one arm had come unravelled and that the small straps holding up the back of the armrests had both ripped in half. Walk around any campground or tailgate party, and you’ll notice the popularity of this variety of accordion-style seat. You can pick one up at just about any big-box store (sometimes for as little as $10), order one with your favorite sports team’s logo, or pay a premium for a similar model from Cabela’s or REI. Convenient carrying bag makes is easy to keep in the trunk.
We considered both the relative weight of each chair compared to models of the same design (foam or tent style), as well as how it stacked up against every product we tested. We start each of our reviews with market research, which yielded an initial selection of nearly 50 contenders for our Ozark Trail Canopies backpacking chairs. From there, we purchased the most promising models and tested them for several weeks, updating the review frequently to reflect new products. Over the years, we have taken out close to 30 chairs and sat on everything from rocky cliff bases to desert sand to city parks.
If you have high counters in your kitchen, create extra seating with barstools and counter stools, available in various heights, styles and décor options. We also have kitchen carts and organization solutions to maximize your space, create serving areas, as well as add a design element to your kitchen. Every dining room table needs chairs, and you can find them at Big Lots. We have a variety of dining room chair styles to choose from, including classic straight back, captain’s chairs, benches and bar stools. You’ll find colors and designs to coordinate perfectly with your dining room table, including a selection of upholstered chairs.
And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. Taco chairs like the Crazy Creek Hex Original 2.0 and Crazy Creek Original are harder to get in and out of since they sit on the ground and offer less support. Sit pads like the Therm-a-Rest Z Seat and Nemo Chipper are truly just a piece of foam that offers just a hint of padding and primarily keeps your butt from getting wet and dirty if you’re sitting on the ground. REI’s Flexlite Chair has been replaced by an entire 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. We found the Coleman Kickback Breeze Chair to be a simple yet very comfortable seat, though women liked it more than men did (many of them judged it to be too snug).
There is a four-night minimum during the event dates, Friday, April 5, 2024, through Tuesday, April 9, 2024. All event date reservations will require a two (2) day non-refundable reservation deposit applied to the entire stay upon arrival. Reservations canceled within two (2) days of the arrival date and time (4 p.m. check-in time) or “no-shows” will be charged for the entire stay, which includes the non-refundable reservation deposit.
Before we tried the Renetto Original Canopy Chair, we had never considered buying a shade-equipped camp chair. The shaded Renetto chairs were consistently the first seats snagged at a beautiful but harshly exposed Indian Grove group campsite. The chairs we tested from Big Agnes have color-coded poles and pole pockets for a quick visual cue during assembly. We love that some of the Helinox models include picture directions printed on the chairs, making your first setup as easy as your fifteenth.