The canopy quickly and easily transforms into a carrying case—just wrap it around the chair and snap it closed with two plastic buckles, and you can carry the whole thing on your back like an oblong backpack. We brought this chair to a dense Los Angeles neighborhood to watch Fourth of July fireworks. We got some admiring nods en route to the celebration—and we had one of the more comfy seats at the show. The coleman cooler is big and durable, and of all the upright chairs that our panel of campers tested, it was the most comfortable. After a long day of outdoor adventuring, nothing hits the spot like relaxing by a campfire and enjoying the nature around us. With warmer weather approaching across much of the country, many are pulling out hiking boots and collapsible tents to prepare for a season of summer camping.
After a couple of camping trips, we concluded that a strap is more convenient than a bag—quicker and easier for a kid to grab the chair and go, without parental help. The REI chair is rated to hold up to 150 pounds, the same as the L.L.Bean and Walmart chairs. We think the REI chair is most appropriate for toddlers and kids up to about 7 or 8 years old, though reviews reveal that some small adults have found this to be their favorite seat.
We found that the cheaply constructed Walmart chair had a cupholder that was too small for a soda can, or any of the hard-plastic or metal water bottles that the kids we know brought on a camping trip. It will fit a Capri Sun pouch or a narrow, rectangular juice box, but that’s about it. 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. Like most chairs of this type, the Coleman Oversized Quad comes with an over-the-shoulder carry bag. Overwhelmingly, the Coleman came out on top, with campers praising its comfort and stability.
It comes with a bag that has a shoulder strap to cart it around and weighs 8 pounds. The carry bag is rather thin, letting you feel whatever section coleman camping chair of the chair rests upon your back or side. At least you probably won’t be carrying it terribly far, and it’s not awful over short stretches.
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. We found this model to be slightly more comfortable and easier to pack than other, similar chairs. Coleman camping chairs are a mainstay on camp grounds, festivals and sporting events.
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. At a fireworks show and at the beach, we appreciated a chair that was ready to go without even 30 seconds of hassle. The Everywhere Chair closes like a book—simply lift the padded strap and go.
The cooler itself is an easy-access zippered pouch that hangs from the bottom of the left armrest. This chair had us impressed on all ends, and with its wide availability, the Cooler Quad is a stalwart defender of Coleman’s reputation as a king of camping. Though it’s one of the least expensive chairs we tested, we’re still not sure it’s worth it. Lackluster performance and a cooler that’s only moderately useful but surprisingly in the way make us feel like there are much better options out there, even if the chair and cooler have to be separate. 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 did select our favorite upright chair for car camping and tailgating, and then additional low-to-the-ground, ultra-lightweight, and canopy picks, as well as a great chair for kids. The Renetto Original Canopy Chair, a cleverly designed specialty seat, is ideal for anyone who wants sun protection and doesn’t mind a heavier, bulkier chair. Despite the Renetto’s weight, our testers found it easy to carry and simple coleman canopy to set up and adjust. We discovered that even though most testers had not previously considered a shade-equipped camp chair, once they used one they appreciated the comfort and convenience of built-in sun blocking. “This camping chair is like the king of all camping chairs,” one five-star reviewer says. A strong steel frame keeps the chair upright, so you don’t have to worry about it falling apart mid-sit.