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 10 of our favorite camping chairs that run the gamut from minimalist to ultra-luxe.
How We Tested
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Hayley Helms
Everyone's got a favorite spot to camp: the beach, the desert, the mountains, or even your own backyard for a staycation. When testing our camp chairs, we kept that in mind: we tested them in the hills of the Pacific Northwest, beachside in Southern California and on road trips in the Rockies, Sierras and everywhere in between. While testing, we kept a few factors in mind: how easy it was to assemble each chair; how much individual chairs weighed; if the fabric was durable and fade-proof; and what each chair was best suited for. After months of testing throughout all four seasons, we landed on our top 10 picks below.