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.
One tester has owned this chair for several years and many camping trips without a hiccup. The two cupholders, two side compartments, and mesh back pocket are convenient for keeping beverages, magazines, phones, or s’mores ingredients within reach. Double camping chairs, like the Kelty Low Loveseat above, can be a nice choice for couples. Most have two armrests and an open double-wide seat for two, although some resemble two single chairs fused together with a middle storage compartment or cup holders between them.
A comfy outdoor chair makes a big difference in relaxation levels, and with a variety of affordable patio chair options you can easily find the right combination to suit your space and needs. We look for cup holders, reclining lock-outs, canopies, trays, accessory pouches, and headrests. We like cupholders that fit standard 12-ounce cans securely, adjustments and joints that worked smoothly, and anything else that made our experience with the product more enjoyable. The pistons force the user forward into an upright position, almost tipping forward, and the rocking motion doesn’t feel nearly as natural as a regular rocker.
But with a vintage-style look, it’s not too sporty to serve as full-time backyard seating. We also let two boys, ages 1 and 5, play with them and sit on them in the backyard for six months. After all that, we concluded that the REI Co-op Camp Chair – Kids’ is the best choice for anyone who wants to buy a practical, portable outdoor chair for a small child. The canopy quickly and easily transforms into a carrying case—just wrap it around the chair and snap it closed with two plastic buckles, and you can carry the whole thing on your back like an oblong backpack. We brought this chair to a dense Los Angeles neighborhood to watch Fourth of July fireworks.
The Flexlite Camp Boss here slots in right in the middle, combining a near-ideal mix of weight, comfort, and durability for many campers. It is pricier by $20 and heavier by a significant 1 pound 3 ounces, but we consider the Camp Boss the more approachable and well-rounded pick. Thoughts of camping chairs may conjure up images of $10 specials out front a big-box retailer, but let’s reorient ourselves to a slightly higher standard.
The Timber Ridge Zero Gravity Lawn Chair also features a convenient cup holder and small table, so you really don’t have to move a muscle. And no need to pack it up when you’re done relaxing—the powder coated steel frame and padded polyester seat are durable enough to withstand whatever weather Mother Nature is serving. We also consulted Jessica Foster, Home Depot’s online merchant for direct fulfillment for patio furniture. “Your choice of lawn chair will typically always come down to personal taste and style,” she says.
We got some admiring nods en route to the celebration—and we had one of the more comfy seats at the show. The camp-style chairs, like the ALPS Mountaineering King Kong, Coleman Cooler Quad, and Kijaro Dual Lock, generally score the highest as they all packed into their own included carrying bags. In the Kijaro’s case, you can skip the bag, as the chair itself has a shoulder strap on the frame that works well in conjunction with its namesake outdoor patio furniture locking mechanism holding it closed in transit. However, its folded length is nearly 4 feet, which isn’t very compact nor convenient. We gave the Lawn Chair USA Webbing Chair a high score here because of how light it is (around four pounds) and how flat it folds. Some of the other chairs, especially the zero gravity chairs, are best as patio furniture, as they don’t pack down that small and typically weigh 15 or more pounds.
We’ve carried and sat in each model to help bring you the details you need to make a confident purchase decision. You can store your patio furniture sets in the garage, shed, basement, or in your car. It’s about using the space wisely and finding creative ways to fit everything in storage. Dometic made a name for themselves in the vanlife and overlanding communities with their class-leading electric cooler collection, but their latest “GO” series takes aim at the upper end of the camping market. The chair is made with heavy-duty 600-denier fabrics, sturdy aluminum legs, and beechwood armrests that add to the high-end, streamlined look. As its name suggests, the GO Compact Camp Chair also folds down quickly and easily for transport with a relatively streamlined shape for storing in a full trunk.