Kalee Thompson is the senior editor heading up Wirecutter’s kid coverage. When she wrote the first version of this guide, Kalee lived in Southern California, where she tested chairs on three group camping trips. This splurge-worthy option is for anyone looking for the best of the best when it comes to comfort and durability.
After eight years of consistent use by senior editor Kalee Thompson’s two young boys, the REI Co-op Camp Chair is, she reports, faded and worn but still holding up. By clicking on these shopping links, visitors will leave ABCNews.com. These e-commerce sites are operated under different terms ozark trail screen house and privacy policies than ABCNews.com. ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links. SOME PRICES ARE DYNAMIC AND MAY CHANGE FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. Right now, Walmart.com has this Ozark Trail Americana Camping Hammock Chair for just $24.97 (reg. $43.31).
Nestled in a serene valley among the rolling Missouri hills, Ozark Outdoors Resort is your ultimate escape for relaxation and bonding with friends. Imagine camping and living by the majestic Meramec River, where your days are filled with adventure, laughter, and the company of friends. Upgrade your entertaining game with this mobile bar cart, available in seven different colors to suit a variety of tastes. Designed with two spacious mirrored shelves, this stylish find features plenty of storage for bottles, glasses and other garnishing essentials.
It’s lighweight, aluminum frame can fold down to fit in something as small as a backpack. Plus, it features extra-wide gripped feet that work great on even the toughest rugged terrain. As the weather warms up, it’s the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine, whether you’re hanging out at the beach, camping, or meeting up with friends in the park. But when it comes to enjoying the great outdoors, having a good weather-proof blanket to keep pesky sand or itchy grass away makes all the difference. So if you’re looking to stock up on new park- and beach-friendly gear, Costco is selling a packable outdoor blanket for a total steal.
Modern yet timeless, an egg chair is a great addition to any indoor or outdoor space. A cushy seat and back pillow provide comfort and support, while weather-resistant wicker will keep this chair looking stylish all summer long. Whether you prefer picnicking in your backyard, on the beach or in the park, this portable table makes it easier to set up shop. It holds wine glasses, bottles and even has a compartment for snacks — but can still be folded flat to save space at home. It’s a little heavy to carry, but it makes a fun loveseat addition to any campsite—perfect for cuddling up in front of an outdoor projector for movie night. We even loved the fun color options, like the bright blue seat outfitted with a contrasting red frame.
The box-shaped cupholder is a little roomier than the round cupholders on the Coleman and the L.L.Bean Base Camp chairs—better for stubby water bottles or mugs of hot chocolate around the campfire. The Helinox Chair One is the best chair for anyone who needs a lightweight, portable chair. This chair costs slightly more than the Coleman Cooler Quad Chair, but it’s still a budget-friendly option.
It’s the lightest, most portable chair that is still comfortable. The Helinox Chair One weighs about 2 pounds, compresses smaller than a 2-liter bottle of soda, and is our most lightweight pick. Other chairs we tested sacrificed too much comfort in order to shave mere ounces off of their weights, and we don’t think the trade-off was worth it. Keep in mind that lightweight chairs won’t be nearly as comfortable as traditional camping chairs, so take the word comfortable with a grain of salt. Most of our testers found the REI Co-op Skyward Chair to be one of the least comfortable chairs in our testing pool.
Senior editor Kalee Thompson, who wrote a previous version of this guide, has been regularly using the Coleman chair she originally tested in 2016. Aside from the color fading and the cooler pouch deteriorating, her chair has held up to years of backyard hangs and camping trips. In summer 2023, she bought a newer Coleman Cooler Quad Chair to compare to her 2016 model, and she found them to be more or less the same. If you’re looking for highly specialized or ultra-lightweight chairs for backpacking, our recommendations are probably not for you. We also don’t have suggestions for couch-style or loveseat chairs (we’d like to look at those someday, though).