The Best Camping Chairs: Tested
A great camp chair can make the outdoors feel kind of like your living room — just with a lot more trees. Outdoor camping chairs are not created equal, and with so many options available, finding the right one may get confusing. Some prioritize beverage holders and back support; some simply protect your bottom from the dirt. Some pack up beautifully for hauling all your gear on your back, while others are better to stash in your trunk for lugging out during tailgates.Our team of 15 testers set out to evaluate the best camp chairs sold at the co-op. They considered a range of factors including comfort, stability and features like cup holders; they tried each chair during car-camping trips, overnight backpacking adventures, backyard naps and everything in between. So whether you’re planning a long trek through the woods or an easy night around a campfire, chances are good we’ve found just the throne you’re looking for. All that’s left to do now is kick back.Buying AdviceWhen looking for a camping chair, consider your use for it first, then its design.UseAre you going to take this chair backpacking? If you are, weight and packed size matter. If you’re going to use your chair car camping, picnicking, festivaling and backyarding, then weight and packed size aren’t as important as comfort and stability.In our lineup, the Crazy Creek Hex 2.0 Original Chair is the only chair specifically designed to be light and small enough to sneak into an overnight pack. The NEMO Stargaze Reclining Camp Chair, REI Co-op Outward Low Lawn Chair, Kelty Low Loveseat, GCI Outdoor Compack Rocker Chair and GCI Outdoor Zero Gravity Chair are exclusively for frontcountry pursuits.DesignNext, consider the design of the chair. If space is an issue, either in storage or in the back of your vehicle, you’ll want a chair that packs up into a smaller case like the NEMO Stargaze Reclining Camp Chair. If space isn’t an issue, then consider double chairs like the Kelty Low Loveseat or a recliner like the GCI Outdoor Zero Gravity Chair.For backpacking, foldable frameless chairs like the Crazy Creek Hex 2.0 Original Chair don’t provide the comfort or support of a legged chair, but they’re more versatile.To learn more, read How To Choose a Camp Chair.MethodologyFor the last several years, we've enlisted a team of 15 member-testers to stop moving and start chair testing. They logged a heroic amount of reclining to evaluate the best camp chairs sold at REI.Our testers camped in the Tetons, picnicked along Washington’s Snoqualmie River, roasted s’mores in Idaho’s Big Holes, hauled their gear through Wyoming’s Gros Ventre Mountains and chilled in their yards. After a season of hard sitting, each tester scored every chair on comfort, stability, portability, ease of use and durability. We averaged their scores to come up with this list of our favorite chairs. The NEMO Stargaze Reclining Camp Chair, Kelty Low Loveseat, Crazy Creek Hex 2.0 Original Chair and REI Co-op Outward Low Lawn Chair scored high in all categories, relative to their intended uses (car camping versus backpacking). The GCI Outdoor ComPack Rocker Chair and GCI Outdoor Zero Gravity Chair scored high in most categories.
