Although it doesn’t collapse in two directions like a camp chair, it folds nearly flat and weighs a scant four pounds, much less than the other lawn chairs in our test fleet. This extra-wide web chair is designed for your ultimate comfort and is perfect for barbeques, picnics, and days spent at the beach. The classic woven webbed chair is constructed with a lightweight yet sturdy aluminum frame and features a steel support bar and steel rivets—so you can be confident that it will hold up for years of enjoyment. Best of all, the chair folds up for easy storage and transport, so you’ll always have the best seat in the house. Many camp chair manufacturers provide a “weight capacity,” which can helpful in a number of ways. At the high end of the spectrum, the burly Alps Mountaineering King Kong has a very healthy 800-pound maximum, while the lightweight Helinox Chair Zero is listed at just 265 pounds.
Because weight isn’t a major factor, you can get a well-made and comfortable camping chair at a reasonable price—starting at around $50 and reaching as much as $300 for the YETI Trailhead. Top choices from this category include the REI Co-op Skyward Chair, Alps Mountaineering King Kong, and GCI Outdoor Kickback Rocker. This review represents a combined effort of two of our senior review editors, Ethan Newman and Maggie Nichols. Not only that, but he’s spent years of his life car camping, and that means spending a ton of time in camp chairs. He has gotten even pickier over the past few years as chronic spine issues have surfaced, so he’s always on the lookout for a quality, comfortable, and supportive sitting surface. Maggie is a seasoned multi-sport athlete who’s spent years guiding folks both young and old in the great outdoors — and requires a comfortable seat from which to write about it all.
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, 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.
The Helinox Chair One is the lightest, most compact option on this list, but the Yeti Hondo Base Camp Chair, the ITA Leisure Chair, and the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocking Chair can all be transported easily, too. Recent growth in the camping chair market has led to a dizzying number of unique designs that swivel, rock, and/or recline. We included a number of fun options on our list above, including NEMO Stargaze Reclining Camp Chair (which outdoor patio furniture reclines, rocks, and swings), NEMO Moonlight (which just reclines), and GCI Outdoor Kickback Rocker. In terms of downsides, more moving parts almost always come with added durability concerns and a more involved setup, and you’re paying more for a specialized design. In our opinion, tried-and-true models like the REI Co-op Skyward, Alps King Kong, and Kijaro Dual Lock have much wider appeal, cost less, and are all most campers need.
While it seems gimmicky at first, the canopy is actually pretty nice, especially as the day heats up and shade becomes increasingly necessary. The shade is also adjustable, making both blocking the sun and getting in and out of the chair without ducking easy. It doesn’t get any more All-American than a classic web-strapped folding chair—unless that webbing is red, white, and blue.
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. Unless camp chair seats are pretty taut, they tend to round the user’s back, which can be uncomfortable for longer periods. We also wish the chair was easier to get into the bag, as all the extra canopy fabric makes packing it up an annoying task.
Walk around any campground or tailgate party, and you’ll notice the popularity of this variety of accordion-style seat. You can pick one up at just about any big-box store (sometimes for as little as $10), order one with your favorite sports team’s logo, or pay a premium for a similar model from Cabela’s or REI. Camping trips, beach days, picnics in the park, outdoor movies and theater performances, a fresh-air get-together with friends—there are countless occasions when you might use a camp chair.
Custom lawn chairs are a great way to promote your business while also giving your employees and clients a comfortable place to relax. The Caravan Sports Infinity Zero Gravity chair is yet another comfy and spacious lawn chair for those who are serious about relaxing. It reclines to 50° and locks the backrest in place easily wherever you’d like it to stay. We like that the mesh material keeps things fairly breathable as the air temperature rises.
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 outdoor patio shades 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.
Like the brand’s hammocks, the Lounger practically cradles you on all sides, with an aluminum frame that suspends the nylon seat. And unlike the similarly shaped Helinox Sunset above, the ENO includes a cup holder, two cargo pockets, and even a pillow for cushioning your head as you recline. The powder-coated aluminum frame makes the chairs very sturdy and durable. The garden chairs have a soft-to-the-touch, weather-resistant textilene top and can be adjusted into 7 positions, so you can always find the most comfortable seating position. Thanks to their lightweight construction, the chairs can be easily moved around. Our favorite low-profile lawn chair, which doubles as a beach chair, is the ITA Leisure Chair.