Instead, they’re meant to be storable and packable to take in seasonally or to travel with. We generally take our lawn chairs car camping or to the beach, and so we like them to be fairly portable. Products scored higher here if they weighed less and packed up smaller. Portable, affordable, and compact, lawn chairs are practical for toting to your friend’s backyard while also offering a larger dose of personality than your average camping chair. We don’t have plans of stashing these nostalgic gems away anytime soon. REI’s Flexlite collection ranges from the light and minimalist Flexlite Air to the durable, headrest-equipped Camp Dreamer.
It’s also the most attractive chair on this list, with a chic PVC cord seat and a matching powder coated aluminum base that comes in bold hues like sunflower gold, royal blue, and grassy green. Each colorway has a Yoruba name as a nod to the company’s innovation as the first ever Black-owned outdoor furniture and goods brand. Once again, we really appreciate the features outdoor patio shades of the Timber Ridge and the Best Choice chairs. Our lead tester loved that the headrest can also be used as back support. They both came with detachable cupholder trays that could also hold a book or sunglasses. The best feature of all was the recliners, especially if the lockouts were easy to use and the weight was well balanced, like on the Caravan Sports chair.
For those that frequent concerts or sporting events and don’t want to bother folks behind them, a low seat height is important. That said, a low seat height means a less comfortable position for your legs and more effort for getting in and out. If you’re needing to stay low, a chair that’s 5 to 9 inches off the ground is best, with the lower options obviously the safer choice for a concert venue. And it’s worth noting here that ENO’s Lounger DL above has adjustable legs that can be set at either 3 inches or 10, which makes it versatile for a range of activities.
Those looking for additional room in the seat can opt for the Magnum version, while picnickers might prefer the equally tall, yet more compact, Picnic style chair. Those concerned with aesthetics will also be pleased to know that the Lawn Chair USA Webbing Chair is available in a ton of colors and can be re-webbed with a replacement lawn chair webbing kit if you want an update. The kit is also useful to restore well-worn chairs, but buyers needn’t worry about excessive wear any time soon—though the webbing will slightly stretch, the seat won’t sag and the fabric is fade-resistant. But after half a dozen excursions, we found—as we had with the Renetto Original Canopy Chair—that having a chair you can easily carry without a bag is preferable. In real-world conditions, you’re often packing up fast to try to get ahead of crowds or traffic.
Our testers found that the super slouchy shape is somewhat uncomfortable for those who prefer a straighter spine, which is a relatively common complaint among camping models. The carrying bag’s stitching also started unthreading the moment we started using it, which makes us worry about the overall durability of the product. Still, it’s considerably more affordable than many other options in this review, so if you’re looking for a price-point camp chair, look no further. Finding a balance between comfort, durability, and affordability can be difficult when shopping for a camping-style chair. It offers plenty of sitting space for a camping chair, and some testers were impressed with the comfort of the padded canvas seat. We were also mightily impressed with its listed 800-lb weight capacity, more than double of any other chair we tested.
The bungee attachment of the zero gravity chairs gives a pleasant amount of support, which we really enjoy. On the other hand, if portability is your main concern, the Kijaro is just shy of 4 feet long when folded, making it a challenge to fit into some car trunks. It doesn’t impress us with its durability, as we’ve had issues with broken lock mechanisms, loosening pole joints, and easily stained fabric. On top of some other details like sloppy seams and wiggle room in parts of the frame that we don’t want wiggle in, we’re not convinced this chair will last as long as your desire to go outside will. However, the convenience of the lock and shoulder strap combined with the height and support still make the Kijaro a chair we often reach for when heading to barbecues and backyard hangouts. We spent hours researching the market for the best lawn chairs for every type of purpose, considering factors like usage, material, and portability as we compiled this list.
Though the Timber Ridge Zero Gravity Lawn Chair is an obvious backyard staple, it does fold up easily, so you can rest by the fire at your campsite. No matter where you’re lounging, you can modify the angle to your liking with the patented locking system that accommodates positions from degrees. Ergonomic natural wood armrests, an adjustable headrest, and a lumbar pillow ensure your comfort. Lawn Chair USA’s is a family-owned business operating in south Florida.
Double chairs are predictably much heavier than their single-person counterparts (the Kelty Low Loveseat comes in at 15 lbs. 6 oz.), which makes them bulky for hauling. We’ve only included one double camping chair on our list due to the overall lack of utility—we’d rather purchase two separate single-seaters and save a few bucks in the process. 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. Like competing chairs, the Chair One has a nylon and mesh seat and aluminum legs, which are linked with shock cord (the chair legs are made out of the same material as high-end tent poles). It wouldn’t look out of place next to a 1960’s Sunrader, nor a modern Land Cruiser, on a car camping trip. For how simple the design is, it’s reasonably comfortable and keeps the user fairly supported.
Below, we discuss how each affects the overall performance of a quality lawn chair, and which models stood out as top performers in each area. On the downside, we wish that the drink tray was part of the chair, patio furniture sets as when carting it around, it was easy for us to forget the tray in the car. We also would prefer that the powder-coated metal was a lighter color, because the black color gets super hot in the sun.
Don’t underestimate the design potential of a basic folding lawn chair. Yes, it may be utilitarian and nondescript, but this ubiquitous piece of outdoor furniture can serve as a blank canvas for forward-thinking design that borders on artwork. The material is also plasticky and heats up underneath us after sitting for a while, outdoor patio shades which leaves something to be desired. But if you love the classic look and want a simple, very portable lawn chair, this might just be the ticket. It has one of the longest packed down lengths and is surprisingly heavy at nearly 17 pounds. The rocking feature also is really only nice if you’re on flat, stable ground.