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Lightweight seating for every type of camping out there.
There are many styles of camping. Some people go off the grid in South America. Others park their van and camp wherever they can find a parking spot with a view.
But no matter what, at the end of a long day of backpacking, fishing, hunting or even just swimming in the lake nearby, every camper likes to take a load off and the cold, hard ground won’t cut it. Thankfully, there’s a camp chair for everyone; collapsible seating ranges from heavy, relatively luxurious chairs you’ll need a car to tote around to ultralight chairs that can slot snugly into a backpack.
Camping chairs come in many forms: there are comfort-oriented thrones, lightweight options and budget-friendly picks, to name a few. Whatever the cost or size, two of the most common fabrics used in camp chairs are polyester and ripstop nylon, which are valued for their durability, water resistance and availability. Many chairs also come with closed-cell foam padding in the arms, upping comfort in the wild.
When you're shopping for the perfect camp chair to take on life's adventures, consider the following: weight, packed dimensions and comfort. If you're a car camper and have the extra space for a bulky (and maybe more padded, more comfortable) beach chair, go ahead and splurge. If you're an ounce-counter and lightness is a priority, make sure you're packing a chair that can fit in your pack. When opting for a lighter chair, you'll start to notice the fabrics become thinner, the accessories like cup holders and back pocket pouches disappear and frames lose weight — these chairs aren't as comfortable as their more robust car camping counterparts, but when weight is a priority, comfort takes a backseat. As with many items, build quality decreases with price, so if you're in the market for a budget-friendly option, be aware you may also be sacrificing quality, comfort and durability.
With that in mind, here are 13 of our favorite camping chairs that run the gamut from minimalist to ultra-luxe.
If Helinox's Chair One had been in the Three Bears's cabin, Goldilocks's choice would've been a cinch. It's the camp chair that sets the standard for all four-legged adventure seats, with its lightweight fabric and aluminum construction. It weighs in at just over two pounds and offers a seating height of 11 inches, which is plenty of space between your rear and the cold, hard ground. Not only does it collapse to a size small enough to carry in a backpack, but the Chair One is also extremely easy to set up: its frame is made from one tent-style, shock-cord pole apparatus and the seat itself is one piece of ripstop polyester. Our testers continually come back to this chair and attest to its comfort and size for day trips to swimming holes, canoe camping trips, backpacking trips and even car camping trips where you could get away with something bigger.
Read our full review of the Helinox Chair One here.
Even at its most affordable, the classic camp chair doesn't have to be uncomfortable or feature-free. And while it isn't lightweight enough to bring on a backpacking trip, REI's wallet-friendly Camp X Chair packs plenty to like, from an integrated cup holder and pouch to a supportive fabric seat made of webbing and mesh. This chair also comes with a stuff sack for convenient packing and storage.
Sometimes you don’t have to wander much farther than your own backyard to experience the great outdoors. Or your neighbor's backyard. Or the sideline of your kid's soccer game. Or the park around the corner. You see where we're going here — the King Kong Chair is heavy, sure, but its padded seat is also comfy and easy to deploy. One more thing: This chair also has a lifetime guarantee.
Like our more affordable Just Get This pick, Nemo Equipment's Moonlite combines a fabric seat with a tentpole-style collapsible aluminum frame for packable, off-the-ground seating. There are, however, notable differences. One is that the Moonlite is lighter; at one pound 14 ounces, it's among the lightest camping chairs on our list. It's a bit more packable, too.
But the standout feature is the strap system that allows you to adjust the chairback's recline just like you would backpack straps. We've found in our testing that there's no downside to it — it doesn't slip at all while you're seated, even over long periods. We should also mention the seamless mesh seat, which is far more comfortable than we expected. And comfort is what the Moonlite is all about in the end; that the chair is lighter and smaller at the same time is a bonus that we think is worth the extra money.
Do you prefer your campsite to be as clean and sophisticated as your home? This red folding chair is the epitome of good design: it's useful and understandable (and easy on the eyes, to boot). This red folding chair is comfortable without the frills — you won't see any cupholders dangling off the sides here. We like it for its bold colorway, easy folding design and portability. If you'd like somewhere to set your drinks or seat a companion, you're in luck: Snow Peak also offers a Red Lounge Set option, which comes with two chairs and a sleek, foldable side table for drinks, snacks or a game of cards.
Crazy Creek’s foam and fabric chairs have been providing back support for campers in every environment for over 30 years. The Crazy Creek Hex 2.0 is dead simple, and that’s a good thing. It consists of one piece of fabric folded at a 90-degree angle and held together by two nylon straps. It’s light and affordable, and best of all, because there are no aluminum poles to bend, it’s incredibly durable. You can fold it, roll it and jam it into whatever you’re using to pack your gear.
Most self-affirmed ultralight backpackers wouldn’t even consider bringing along something so luxurious and unnecessary as a chair, but Therm-a-Rest's Trekker Chair isn’t really a chair at all. It’s more of a sling that turns the sleeping pad that’s already in your pack into a chair. The Trekker Chair is made with 100 percent polyester ripstop fabric that protects your pad from abrasions while keeping it folded up on itself in an L shape that’s perfect for sitting at the end of a long day. It packs down small and only weighs 10 ounces — surely even a pure minimalist could find room in an outside pocket to tote this chair along on the trail.
Even at its most affordable, the classic camp chair doesn't have to be uncomfortable or feature-free. And while it isn't lightweight enough to bring on a backpacking trip, REI's wallet-friendly Camp X Chair packs plenty to like, from an integrated cup holder and pouch to a supportive fabric seat made of webbing and mesh. This chair also comes with a stuff sack for convenient packing and storage.
Here it is, the Cadillac of camping chairs: the Stargaze Recliner Luxury. NEMO built its entire Stargaze line with comfort in mind — each one is a free-swinging seat suspended between a set of lightweight aluminum poles. The Luxury takes comfort to the max though, with a supportive headrest that’ll let you gaze into the depths of the Milky Way for hours without developing a crick in your neck. All that comfort comes at a price — the Stargaze Luxury is probably too heavy for longer treks and will take up plenty of space in your backpack, but it’s great for car and boat camping where you don’t have to worry about weight. It’s like a portable La-Z-Boy; don’t be surprised if you find yourself waking up in it in the morning.
Beach chairs of the past came in a couple of options: bold primary colors, or intense tropical patterns. The beach chairs of today take a simpler and more stylish approach. This little striped number from Sunday Supply Co. hits all the right notes — it's made with fade-resistant fabric, so it stays fresh and comes with a removable strap as well as a storage pocket for your sunscreen, dad caps and a good book. The powder-coated frame will withstand scratches from the sand, and the cushion slip is machine washable, for extra convenience.
Camping isn’t always a solo endeavor. In fact, it’s often double the fun with more than one buddy. If you happen to head out with your significant other, your patience might be tested and will leave you questioning, will this last the weekend? This chair is here to help. At the end of a long day of hiking, pull this loveseat out. While this isn’t the lightest of chairs, it’ll fit two people, and you both can lean back to enjoy the views, making it all the better to check out the sky and rest your achy legs and back.
Editor's note: If your heart is set on the Deep Lake/Fallen Rock colorway shown at the top of this page, you can get it for $119.95 here.
Picture yourself sitting lakeside with a beer in hand, feeling tired, yet fulfilled after a successful long day of hiking. Are you sitting still or rocking back and forth? There’s something to be said about a rocker on a porch (or better yet, on a dock). While rocking chairs are definitely not for the carry-in, carry-out type, throw this in the back of your pick-up and enjoy a few calming undulations anywhere you go.
The Trailhead isn't taking home any prizes for being lightweight or affordable; that's never been Yeti's focus. The brand's second chair follows many of the cues of its first, the Hondo Base Camp Chair. It's ultra-durable and uses the same high-tension fabric (which can support up to 500 pounds). It's also sturdy with a frame that locks into place and extra-wide feet that won't sink into soft ground. Unlike the folding Hondo, the Trailhead accordions into a tight bundle that fits into an included carry bag.
Minimalism and comfort combine in Hillsound's BTR, a camping stool that packs down to a water bottle's size. The genius of the BTR — short for "Better Than a Rock" — is in its telescoping legs and their integrated PhantomLock technology, which holds fast while you are seated but disengages when it's time to pack it all up. The stool comes in two sizes, both of which can support up to 240 pounds.