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On the hunt for the best camp chair? A comfy camping chair is one of the best investments you can make while building up your camping gear. My personal favorites are the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker and the Kelty Low Loveseat—both perfect for camping as a family.
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To help you choose the best camping chair for you, we’ve scoured high and low, asked camping friends and gear junkies alike for their recommendations, poured through hundreds of reviews, and studied the specs.
For the best overall camping chair category, we’ve chosen the YETI Trailhead Camp Chair, which is a super comfortable camping chair that’ll suit most campers and general use cases really well.
For more specific use cases, like backpacking, or for specific preferences, such as best scoop-style chair, best-rocking camp chair, or best budget camp chair, check out our top-10 picks across various categories.
We’ve also put together a buyer’s guide to help you determine what to look for when picking a camping chair, and take a look at our frequently asked questions before you make a purchasing decision.
Ready to donate those cheap camp chairs and upgrade to something far better for your next camping trip? If so, a few chairs on this top-10 list are bound to catch your eye.
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The well-loved and well-reviewed YETI Trailhead Camp Chair gets an A+ because it feels like patio furniture that you can bring with you anywhere.
The supportive, UV-rated FlexGrid fabric conforms to your body, eliminating pressure points and giving you the support and comfort you want and need. That FlexGrid fabric is also super strong and durable, supporting up to 500 pounds.
YETI’s PackAway frame means this chair may feel as comfortable as an expensive patio chair, but it’s completely portable. It’s not the smallest or lightest camp chair around, but its carry bag comes with backpack straps for easy transport.
The YETI Trailhead comes with an adjustable cup holder that you can position under the right or left armrest.
The GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker has been a camping staple for me since I had my first kid. If you’re camping with a baby, you absolutely need a rocking chair. Even if you don’t have a baby, a gliding or rocking chair you can bring camping is one of those little luxuries that make camping more comfortable.
The Freestyle Rocker provides that rocking motion with the help of shocks in the back, which provide a smooth and relaxing motion. The powder-coated steel frame supports up to 250 pounds, which is a lower capacity than many other chairs.
Padded armrests offer a comfortable place to rest your arms, and a side pocket acts as a cup holder or a spot to put your phone.
The GCI Freestyle Rocker is easy to fold, but it doesn’t come with a carrying case and it’s not very light, so it’s best suited for car camping.
Designed for maximum comfort at the campsite, the STRONGBACK Elite 2.0 chair with cushy, frame-integrated lumbar support offers patented ergonomic technology for optimal alignment.
Its heavy-duty polyester tear and wear-resistant fabric ensures the STRONGBACK Elite will last for years’ worth of camping trips. Its reinforced frame and heavy-duty rivets ensures stability, and its padded armrests and seat covers are easy to clean.
The Elite 2.0 also features a “no-sink” feet that’ll keep your chair from sinking down into the ground, plus a built-in cup holder and a backpack-style carry bag.
You can make the ENO Lounger DL a short chair or a tall chair, thanks to its two adjustable leg heights. This is the only chair on our list where you can customize your seating position; you can sit nice and low to the ground or up a little higher if sitting low makes it hard for you to get up.
ENO’s Lounger DL is a scoop-style chair, which feels a lot like sitting in a hammock—on purpose. Many people rave about how comfy it is.
The ENO Lounger DL has a cushioned headrest/pillow and padded armrests, plus two stretchy cargo pockets and a cup holder. It comes with a stuff sack, but it isn’t the easiest thing to disassemble and put away.
If you want a camping chair that feels like a hammock, this is your chair.
Great for two (or even more, if you have little kids like I do), the Kelty Low Loveseat is my family’s go-to camping chair. Kelty calls it a “cuddle-friendly couch,” and it lives up to that description.
This loveseat has a low profile and a slightly reclined design. It also has adjustable armrests, two insulated cup holders (these are also adjustable), and a unique roll-tote storage bag. I find the storage bag to be way easier to use than traditional camping-chair carrying bags.
If you want to sit together with friends or family, this is the chair for you.
It’s easy to spend hundreds of dollars on camping chairs, especially if you’re camping with a group and need several chairs. A great budget option is the Kijaro Dual Lock chair, which has a lot going for it for under $50.
The Kijaro Dual Lock chair features patented dual lock technology. Lock it open for stability as you sit in it, then lock it shut as you’re transporting it. It has breathable mesh on the seat back, a cushioned head and seat, two mesh cup holders, and a handy side organizer with a zip pocket, mesh pocket, and cell phone holder.
There are also two options for transporting the Kijaro Dual Lock—a carry strap attached to the chair itself and a carry bag.
As a runner-up in the budget category, you might also consider the Coleman Cooler Quad Chair. The Coleman Cooler Quad has a soft cooler pouch built into the armrest and is also just under $50.
The ALPS King Kong chair is for you if you’re looking for something that can hold a lot of weight. In fact, this one can handle up to 800 pounds. It has a sturdy frame and a quilted 600D polyester fabric seat for ultra-strength and durability.
The King Kong also has more pockets than many camp chairs, including cup holders in each armrest, a stash pocket on each armrest, and a mesh organizational pocket on the back.
If a chair that has lots of storage and can handle a ton of weight sounds appealing to you, take a look at this one. It also comes with a carry bag with adjustable backpack straps for easy transport.
This legless chair looks different than the others on our top-picks list, thanks to Crazy Creek’s innovative design. The HEX 2.0 Original Chair is a lightweight seat that packs up slim for easy transport.
In fact, when rolled, it has a 4-inch diameter, stays put thanks to its roll-up strap, and has a hanging loop for easy attachment to your pack.
The HEX 2.0 is made from 8-mm high-density cored EVA closed-cell foam, which Crazy Creek says provides insulation and comfort without bulk. The outer shell is made from 210-denier coated ripstop nylon, which keeps you dry even if you’re sitting on wet ground.
While this option won’t provide you with much cushion or extra features, if it’s a basic seat you’re after, this one is a classic.
The Helinox Chair Zero is a scoop-style chair with four legs that’s compact and weighs one single pound, making it a perfect choice for a backpacking chair. The Helinox Chair Zero also packs down to the width of a 32-ounce water bottle.
With anodized DAC aluminum poles, a single shock-corded pole structure, and an included stuff sack, this chair is strong, easy to set up, and convenient to bring along wherever your adventures take you.
This lightweight camping chair is not the most comfortable option across body types, doesn’t include features like cup holders, and some users find it’s not as stable on uneven ground as other camping chairs. However, when pack weight matters, this scoop chair fits the bill for most campers.
If you’re close to the weight capacity of this chair (265 pounds), though, consider something different.
Image by Melissa and DougImage by Melissa and Doug
Specs:
Packed size: 5 x 5 x 24 inches (approx)
Weight: 3.2 lbs
Seat height: 10.5 inches
Weight limit: 81 lbs
My family’s campsite is never complete without a pair of Melissa & Doug Folding Camp Chairs. We have a Cutie Pie Butterfly and a Sunny Patch Giddy Buggy; they’re adorable, durable, and my kids love them.
These child-size camping chairs are designed for ages three and up. They’re water resistant, feature a cup holder (that is, admittedly, too small for my kids’ water bottles, but helpful for storing rocks and other treasures), and come with matching storage bags.
The Melissa & Doug chairs fold up nicely and actually fit in their bags, plus they’ve stood the test of time for my family. They’re affordable, too, at just over $30 a piece.
Are you on the hunt for the most comfortable camp chair? The tallest seat heights? The most lightweight chair? The most affordable chair? Or are you happy with a simple, traditional camp chair, as long as it has a cup holder and a carry bag?
Finding the ideal chair for you among all the options out there may seem a bit daunting, but as you take into account your preferences and intended uses, you’ll be able to dial in on the best camping chairs that check all your boxes—ideally at an affordable price.
When buying a camp chair, we suggest considering factors like portability, comfort, durability and weather resistance, ease of setup, features and versatility, weight capacity, and budget.
Portability
Assuming you’re using a camp chair on the go, look for one that is portable enough for your intended uses. On one end of the spectrum, you may need a chair that folds up really small and weighs next to nothing for backpacking-level portability.
On the other end of the spectrum, you may just need a chair that folds up and has a carrying case so you can take it from the garage to your trunk to the campfire and back again.
When buying a camp chair, look at the chair’s weight and packed size to help you determine its portability. If a carrying case is a non-negotiable for you, make sure your choice includes one.
Comfort
Those camping chairs you buy at the grocery store may be super cheap, but you’re not going to love sitting in them for longer than a few minutes. The best camping chairs are comfortable, often featuring ergonomic designs.
Sometimes, camping chairs have bonus features for comfort, like padded seats, adjustable armrests, lumbar support, the ability to rock back and forth, and more.
Durability and Weather Resistance
A camping chair, ideally, has sturdy construction and is made from high-quality materials, often featuring an aluminum frame or a steel frame and durable seat fabrics with reinforced stitching that can withstand outdoor use.
Look for weather-resistant materials, including UV protection and water-resistant coatings, which can all help prolong the life of your camping chair.
Ease of Setup
Like a camping tent that’s impossible to set up, a camp chair that’s hard to set up will put a damper on your day when you’re arranging your campsite. Set yourself up for success by selecting a portable chair that’s quick to open and easy to fold and put away when you’re done.
Check out the manufacturer’s instructions for setting up, and read reviews online to see what other people have to say.
Features and Versatility
Consider the features you can’t live without. Perhaps it’s an integrated cup holder, a comfortable seat, or a drop-down pocket.
Most traditional chairs have features like armrests, cup holders, and a carrying bag, but some go above and beyond, offering multiple reclining positions, rocking capabilities, or even insulated storage pockets for cold drinks.
Also, consider whether you’d like to use your chair for other activities besides weekend camping trips. Many camping chairs also work well for amateur sports games, outdoor concerts, and tailgating.
Weight Capacity
Always check a camp chair’s weight capacity to make sure it’ll support your body weight comfortably. For a heavy-duty chair that can support up to 800 pounds, check out the ALPS Mountaineering King Kong chair.
Budget
Finally, consider how much you can/want to spend on a camping chair, keeping in mind that you might need to buy more than one to seat everyone in your group.
Whether you’re looking for an investment piece or a budget option, there are great camping chairs for adults ranging from around $50 to $300 on this list (and even cheaper for kid-sized chairs).
Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of camping chairs are there?
There are many different types of camping chairs, including some with two, three, and four legs. Here are some of them:
Like a lot of your camping equipment, you’ll clean your camping chair by hand with mild soap and water. Thankfully, camping chairs are designed with durable fabrics that repel water and stains.
Can I use my camping chair for other outdoor activities besides camping?
Since they’re portable, camping chairs are great for any outdoor activity that requires seating, including barbecues, parties, picnics, beach outings, and sports events.
Can I bring a camp chair when backpacking?
Most chairs are too heavy for backpacking and are better suited for car camping. However, backpacking chairs are meant for this purpose and won’t weigh you down too much. The lightest chair on this list for adults is the Helinox Chair Zero.
The best camp chairs offer a nice place to sit and relax, preferably with a place to stow your coffee or beer, and then they pack away nicely until you’re ready for next time. You’ll appreciate your diligence in choosing the perfect chair next time you’re sitting around a campfire and feeling comfortable.
