We also really enjoyed their Aluminum Deck Chair, which brings the same wide seat and throws in a side table at the cost of easy transport. Compared to the competition, even our other top contenders, you’re getting a lot of value out of this chair. There aren’t many other options out there with such a high carrying capacity, this many features, and low weight coleman cooler at any price range. A camping chair with such a high-grade integrated cooler wouldn’t be much without a cup holder to match. The Everywhere Chair keeps your bottom about 4 inches off the ground. The strap that supports the back (and doubles as a carry strap) allows adjustments to control your angle of recline, from upright to a stargazing-appropriate angle.
Weighing in at a negligible 8lbs 2oz, the Cooler Quad won’t punish you for parking a little ways away from your intended destination. When you consider this in tandem with the carrying sleeve, the Cooler Quad lies somewhere on the more portable end of the full-sized camp chair spectrum. The Helinox Chair One weighs about 2 pounds, compresses smaller than a 2-liter bottle of soda, and is the most comfortable and easy to stow of the three top backpacking chairs we tested.
For all of the features and the size of the Cooler Quad, setting it up is just as easy as any other basic camp chair. There are no moving parts, footrests to avoid, or sunshades to deploy. The only thing between you and an afternoon of grilling is getting it out of the sleeve.
This suspended chair allows for rocking on any type of terrain, and the tall back provides full neck support. In addition to camping, we’ve used this chair for many months as a daily office spot. It folds up easily and packs into a carry bag complete with backpack straps. The Lockdown feature on the back of the chair ensures it won’t accidentally fold up on you. If you’re worried about your camp chair blowing away, this robust ALPS Mountaineering chair is your go-to choice. And with super sturdy, tough feet, this chair is unlikely to topple over.
If you’re planning to use the camp chair often, it’s worth investing in one of the mid-to-higher end camping chairs, which are designed with more durable materials. We chose our finalists for their versatility across the board; we wanted chairs that you could take with you just about anywhere to do just about anything. We searched for chairs that you can toss in your car and have for any occasion. But when deciding the best camp chair for you, we developed a set of questions to help you find features or additions to your chair that are important.
Note that some higher-end chairs, like the Nemo Stargaze, are made with aeronautical grade aluminum vs. some of the lower-end chairs. The most common complaint—only one cup holder (and we kind of agree)! But, of course, comfort and luxury come with a price, and we have a hard time recommending someone spend this much on a camp chair. On road trips across the coleman cooler country to visit multiple friends, we were pleasantly surprised to see this camp chair in multiple outdoors people’s backyards for use as everyday patio furniture in the summer. Whether friends are having a backyard campfire or watching the sunset from the porch, the Kelty Low Loveseat seems to double as many people’s favorite home patio furniture, too.
If you fall into that category, consider something like the Coleman Broadband Mesh Quad Chair or the YETI Trailhead. The cotton canvas duck fabric feels nice against the skin and has proven durable over more than a year’s use. However, it will take longer to dry than other mesh chairs if left in the rain. Our testers under 5’5″ found it more difficult to recline in this chair and not as comfortable in an upright position. Our 6-foot-tall tester found it immensely comfortable and worthy of a fireside snooze. And if you go too quick, you can pinch your fingers — like if you’re trying to quickly hop out of your chair if flighty embers kick up out of the campfire, which happened to us.