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By Kyle Fitzgerald and Kalee Thompson Automatic Sliding Glass Door
After new testing, we still love the Coleman Cooler Quad Chair for most outdoors situations. But we also have picks offering better support, higher weight capacity, and greater portability.
Stumps, stools, boulders, and picnic tables are fine for sitting briefly outdoors. But if you want to kick back and stay comfy, the right camping chair can make all the difference.
Since 2016, our testers (with different body types and physical needs) have subjected camping chairs to multiple camping trips. We chose the Coleman Cooler Quad Chair as the model with the right combination of comfort, durability, usability, and price for most campers.
We also found options for campers looking for something a little different in a chair, including one with more support, a heavy-duty chair, a light one for backpackers, a chair with a built-in canopy, and a pick for kids.
Bodies differ, so not everyone will agree on what feels comfortable. But we look for chairs that make the most people the happiest.
To see how the chairs we recommend hold up, we keep using them, season after season, to sit out in the sun—and sometimes rain.
To make sure chairs are easy for most people to use, we ask our paid-tester panelists to unfold them, set them up, and fold them up again.
Not everyone will buy a chair because it has a cupholder or a mesh seat, but some people might, so we include those details.
Kyle Fitzgerald, an associate staff writer for Wirecutter, has lived in Southern California, Washington State, and his home state of Vermont. He’s camped throughout those regions and everywhere in between, toting his gear to mountains, forests, beaches, and deserts. Wherever he goes, a crucial piece of his camping setup is a stable, comfortable chair.
Kalee Thompson is the senior editor heading up Wirecutter’s kid coverage. When she wrote the first version of this guide, Kalee lived in Southern California, where she tested chairs on three group camping trips.
In fall 2023, we asked a panel of paid testers with a wide range of body types, dexterities, and mobilities to examine our picks and other camping chairs and to share their perspectives. We’ve incorporated their feedback into this review.
If you’re planning a car-camping trip, you’ll probably want to bring camping chairs. And in situations where you need something that’s easy to move and set up (think backyard fire-pit hangs and playground birthday parties), camping chairs can also be reasonably priced, casual (albeit less comfy) alternatives to patio furniture. They’re also ideal for sporting events, field trips, outdoor concerts and movies, and picnics in the park.
If you’re looking for highly specialized or ultra-lightweight chairs for backpacking, our recommendations are probably not for you. We also don’t have suggestions for couch-style or loveseat chairs (we’d like to look at those someday, though).
We opened, closed, carried, and sat on almost two-dozen highly reviewed chairs, taking them on camping trips and subjecting them to a group of paid testers with a variety of body sizes, physical needs, and comfort preferences. We considered six main factors:
A (cautionary) note about specs: Specs are a good starting point, but they can be deceiving when put up against real-world testing. Here’s an example of why we don’t (only) depend on specs:
This time-tested classic is reasonably priced, roomy, and dependable enough to last for years. It’s not our lightest, most comfortable, or toughest pick, but it’s close enough, and it’s reasonably priced.
If you’re unsure which camping chair to buy, you can’t go wrong with the classic Coleman Cooler Quad Chair.
It’s durable and comfortable for a range of campers. The Coleman Cooler Quad has been our pick since 2016, through numerous camping trips and several testing sessions. That’s because it’s among the most durable and comfortable chairs we’ve tested. It’s large enough to accommodate a wide range of body types, and its steel frame supports up to 325 pounds.
It’s light and easy to carry. Weighing about 8 pounds, the Coleman chair is lighter than most traditional models, so it’s easier to grab from deep in a car trunk or to carry for long distances. Like others in its category, this chair comes with an over-the-shoulder carry bag, but some testers found it was light and compact enough to carry without the case. It’s as simple to set up as any chair we tested.
It’s widely available, and it’s affordable. Coleman is a well-known brand, and the Cooler Quad Chair is easy to get just about anywhere: at Amazon, sporting-goods stores, and big-box retailers. It’s more affordable than other chairs we tested of similar quality. And most other chairs in its price range don’t match its quality, features, or reputation.
It has thoughtful storage features. Testers preferred the Coleman chair’s thoughtfully placed mesh storage pouch over those of its competitors. This pouch is big enough to stow gear like a phone, book, or tablet. Of the chairs we tested, the Coleman chair was the only one that came with a built-in cooler bag, which can hold four standard-size beer or soda cans. The chair also has the round mesh cupholder found on most chairs of this type.
Senior editor Kalee Thompson, who wrote a previous version of this guide, has been regularly using the Coleman chair she originally tested in 2016. Aside from the color fading and the cooler pouch deteriorating, her chair has held up to years of backyard hangs and camping trips. In summer 2023, she bought a newer Coleman Cooler Quad Chair to compare to her 2016 model, and she found them to be more or less the same.
Several Wirecutter staffers have owned the Coleman chair for years, using it on camping trips, in backyards, and at sporting events. For the most part, it’s held up well, but one common quibble is that the seat bottom begins to sag after several years of use.
Weight: 8.2 pounds Weight capacity (stated, not tested): 325 pounds Warranty: one year
This is the sturdiest camping chair with the toughest materials you can buy. It’s also heavier and pricier than the Coleman Quad Cooler chair.
The ALPS Mountaineering King Kong is the toughest camping chair you can buy, thanks to its heavy-duty steel frame and reinforced materials.
It’s sturdier than any other chair we tested. No other chair in our testing pool—except perhaps the extremely pricey Yeti Trailhead—came close to matching the King Kong’s build quality. Its steel frame doesn’t wobble when you get in or out. And the 600-denier polyester seating fabric is tougher and more reinforced than that of any other chair we tested (the term “denier” refers to the thickness of the fibers in a fabric; the higher the denier number, the stronger the fabric). Our testers consistently said the King Kong chair was the most heavy-duty-feeling model of all the chairs we tested.
It has the highest weight capacity and largest seat of any chair we tested. Out of all the chairs we tested, this chair’s capacity—800 pounds—is the highest (the next-highest weight limit is 500 pounds). With its spacious seat width, this chair also offers more room than any other model we tested. And its backrest extends higher up than those of other chairs; this is nice for taller folks or people who like a good slouch with some head support.
It’s extra-supportive for people with joint issues. Testers with knee and hip issues reported that when they were getting in and out of this chair, its armrests felt more stable than those of any other model. So they felt comfortable leaning onto the frame for extra support.
It can hold a lot of supplies, and it’s easy to carry and set up. The King Kong chair has two cupholders and intuitively placed storage pouches under each armrest; unlike the Coleman chair, though, this one doesn’t have a cooler pouch. There’s also a mesh pocket behind the backrest, to hold things you don’t need to access quickly. This chair comes with a sturdy carrying case, with an over-the-shoulder strap, and it’s simple to expand and fold up accordion-style.
Weight: 13 pounds Weight capacity (stated, not tested): 800 pounds Warranty: one year
Thanks to its supported seat, this is the most comfortable camping chair. It is, however, more expensive than the Coleman chair.
This chair offers the same comfort, but it has a wider and deeper seat, a taller backrest, and a higher seat height than its smaller sibling.
The Kijaro Dual Lock Chair is the most comfortable chair you can get for the price.
It has the most comfortable and supportive seat shape of any chair we tested. The Dual Lock chair has a firmer backrest and seat bottom than the competition. And it avoids the slouchy shape of most traditional camping chairs, which can sag to create a hunch-and-slouch posture. Testers consistently ranked this chair as one of the most comfortable models (typically second to the Yeti Trailhead, which costs almost four times as much). The few testers who didn’t like it often preferred the Kijaro Dual Lock XXL Chair, which costs a little bit more but provides a roomier seat.
It’s stable and solid. The Dual Lock seat’s name comes from a locking mechanism that secures the chair when it’s folded or expanded—releasing the lock is a matter of pushing a button on one of the legs. As a result, the chair feels grounded and less wobbly than its competitors. This was especially reassuring for testers with knee or hip issues, who noted that they felt confident using the Dual Lock seat’s armrests to stand up and get out of it.
It’s easy to carry. This is our only pick with a cross-body carrying strap attached to it: If you prefer not to bring its carrying case, you can still sling it around your shoulder. Its locking mechanism also ensures the chair doesn’t spontaneously expand while you’re carrying it.
It’s affordable. This chair costs slightly more than the Coleman Cooler Quad Chair, but it’s still a budget-friendly option. It delivers a solid baseline of build quality, comfort, and reliability that we didn’t find in other, similarly priced chairs.
It comes in a larger version. Some testers preferred the Dual Lock XXL because it has a higher back and deeper seat: One 5-foot-4-inch participant liked that she could rest her head against its seat back, and her 6-foot-1-inch husband said the XXL supported higher up his back than the regular-size Dual Lock seat.
It has mesh ventilation. Unlike the seats of our other traditional-chair picks, the Coleman Quad and the ALPS Mountaineering King Kong, this chair’s seat has mesh ventilation, which is nice for warmer and sweatier days.
Weight: 9.5 pounds (regular version), 11.8 pounds (XXL version) Weight capacity (stated, not tested): 300 pounds (regular version), 400 pounds (XXL version) Warranty: one year
This chair’s big canopy provides ample sun protection at a campsite or sporting event, and it doubles as a backpack-strap-equipped carrying case. It is, however, our heaviest pick.
The Renetto Original Canopy Chair is the best chair with a built-in canopy.
It’s ideal for sunny weather. On our inaugural chair-testing excursion, a camping trip in California’s Joshua Tree National Park, the beating sun made temperatures in the high 70s feel like the mid-90s—and the shaded Renetto chairs were consistently the first seats our testers snagged. For many owners we’ve talked to, it’s been an essential chair for watching sporting events or any other time you’ll be in the direct sun for hours, like cookouts, picnics, birthday parties, and field trips.
It’ll keep you cool and comfortable. The canopy is big enough to block most, if not all, sunlight any time of day, and the chair’s seat has a strip of breathable mesh down the middle for airflow. Senior staff writer Lauren Dragan said the Renetto is her most comfortable camping chair.
It’s easy to set up and break down. Despite the Renetto chair’s weight and bulk, our testers found it simple to set up and adjust. 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.
After years of intermittently using the Renetto chair, one staffer said it has held up great. Another said it’s been an essential chair in their life and that it is still going strong after countless soccer games, birthday parties, beach trips, and school events.
At over 15 pounds, the Renetto chair is big and heavy (almost twice as heavy as the Coleman Cooler Quad Chair).
Weight: 15 pounds Weight capacity (stated, not tested): 400 pounds Warranty: one year
You can stow this featherlight, compressible chair in a backpack or even a work bag. But it’s not as comfy as our other picks.
The Helinox Chair One is the best chair for anyone who needs a lightweight, portable chair.
It’s the lightest, most portable chair that is still comfortable. The Helinox Chair One weighs about 2 pounds, compresses smaller than a 2-liter bottle of soda, and is our most lightweight pick. It's not the lightest chair we tested, but it is the one that struck the best balance between a low weight and comfort, with a roomier seat than the competition (except for the Moon Lence) and a strong and supportive frame. Other chairs we tested sacrificed too much comfort in order to shave mere ounces off of their weights, and we don’t think the trade-off was worth it. Keep in mind that lightweight chairs won’t be nearly as comfortable as traditional camping chairs, so take the word comfortable with a grain of salt.
It’s easy to set up. The Chair One has a 600-denier polyester and mesh seat and aluminum legs, which are linked with shock cord (like what you’d find inside high-end tent poles). Simply snap the legs into their slots and stretch the rectangular seat onto the resulting frame, and you have an upright chair that’s small and light enough to consider bringing on a backpacking trip, or even sliding into a large purse or laptop bag for an after-work outdoor movie or concert.
It has a surprisingly high weight capacity. The Chair One is rated to hold up to 320 pounds—more than any other lightweight chair we tested aside from the Moon Lence.
Weight: 2 pounds Weight capacity (stated, not tested): 320 pounds Warranty: five years
A functional cupholder, a convenient carry strap, and durable fabric distinguish this kids’ chair from similar seats. But keep in mind that your kid will eventually outgrow this one.
After years of testing and regularly using the REI Co-op Camp Chair - Kids’ chair, we think it’s the best choice for anyone who wants to buy a practical, portable outdoor chair for kids ranging from toddler age to 7 or 8 years old
It’s comfortable and durable. The REI Co-op chair’s polyester seat material feels both more forgiving and more durable than the thinner material on many other kids’ chairs. It holds up to 150 pounds. Compared with cheaper chairs of its kind (like those from Walmart), the REI Co-op chair functions better and will last much longer.
It has better cupholders. The box-shaped cupholder is a little roomier than the round cupholders on the Coleman and the L.L.Bean Base Camp chairs—better for stubby water bottles or mugs of hot chocolate around the campfire.
It’s easy to carry. The 4-pound, steel-framed REI chair has an attached carry strap, rather than a carry bag (which the other chairs have). After a couple of camping trips, we concluded that a strap is more convenient than a bag—it’s quicker and easier for a kid to grab the chair and go, without parental help.
After eight years of consistent use by senior editor Kalee Thompson’s two young boys, the REI Co-op Camp Chair is, she reports, faded and worn but still holding up.
Weight: 4 pounds Weight capacity (stated, not tested): 125 pounds Warranty: one year
If you need a low-to-the-ground chair: Most of our testers found the REI Co-op Camp Low Chair to be the most comfortable low camping chair. With a lot of low chairs, getting in and out requires a squat that can unnerve even those who have healthy knees and hips. This chair's sturdy frame and higher seat height made that precarious dance just a little bit easier. It’s heavier than its competitors and not as easy to fold, but it has a carrying strap attached to the frame (something its competitors didn’t have). This chair’s weight capacity is 250 pounds—less than that of the ALPS Mountaineering Rendezvous low chair.
If comfort is the top priority—and you like spending money: The Yeti Trailhead Camp Chair should deliver on both fronts. According to our testers, it was far and away the most comfortable chair. However, most of them recoiled when they saw the $300 price tag, which seems excessive even by Yeti’s standards, but so far we haven’t found anything as comfy. It supports up to 500 pounds (not as much as the King Kong chair). And it comes with a five-year warranty, which is better than for most chairs.
If you’re looking for a rocking chair: Consider the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker. It’s reasonably priced and fairly comfortable, depending on your body size. However, testers close to 6 feet tall complained that the seat was too shallow, uncomfortably hitting the underside of their thighs. They also said the top of the seat back pressed awkwardly on their shoulder blades and upper back. In addition, this chair is not easy to carry.
If you’re looking for a budget lightweight chair: Consider the Moon Lence Camping Chair. It’s the comfiest lightweight chair we tested, with a seat that’s just as roomy as that of our lightweight pick. Many testers appreciated the arrows printed on the Moon Lence chair’s legs (the arrows made this chair one of the easiest ones to assemble). It has the highest weight capacity rating (400 pounds) of the lightweight chairs, and it felt surprisingly stable on uneven ground. However, its frame did not feel as sturdy as the Helinox One’s, and we can’t vouch for its longevity. (The version we tested did not have a listed warranty.)
Most of our testers found the REI Co-op Skyward Chair to be one of the least comfortable chairs in our testing pool. People who did like it tended to have smaller body types, so if you find that other camping chairs are too big for you, the Skyward might be a good fit. At a little over 7 pounds, it’s also the lightest traditional chair we tested—but it had the lowest weight capacity (250 pounds). It’s currently low in stock, but REI tells us this chair will be widely available again over the summer.
Similar to the Coleman Cooler Quad Chair in size, the Ozark Trail Oversized Mesh Camp Chair with Cooler was far less comfortable, with rough-feeling polyester that was obviously of lower quality. After six months of frequent use, the stitching along one arm had come unraveled, and the small straps holding up the back of the armrests had both ripped in half.
The GCI Outdoor Everywhere Chair was once our low-to-the-ground pick, but it’s more difficult to get in and out of than the Camp Low chair, and its lightweight design sacrifices a good deal of solidity and durability.
The ALPS Mountaineering Rendezvous chair supports 300 pounds (more than its competitors support), and its armrests can double as supports for getting in and out of the chair. But our testers said this was the least comfortable low model.
The REI Co-op Flexlite Camp Chair and the Flexlite Air (its featherweight sibling) are lighter than any other chairs in their category, but they felt less steady. We blame the crossbar design, which runs front to back rather than side to side; this creates a lot of wobble from right to left, especially if the chair is not on perfectly even ground. Its base design is the same as for other variations, the Flexlite Camp Dreamer and Flexlite Camp Boss.
Although the Helinox Chair Zero is lighter than our lightweight pick, the Helinox Chair One, most testers thought it was less comfortable. For many, it squished their hips too much.
Many testers found other chairs more comfortable and easier to put together than the Nemo Moonlite Reclining Camp Chair. This is also the most expensive lightweight chair we tested, and we think the Chair One is a better value.
The material on our kids’ chair pick feels both more forgiving and more durable than the stiffer material on the Coleman Kids Quad Chair. The cheaply constructed Walmart chair had a cupholder that was too small for a soda can or a hard-plastic or metal water bottle.
The cupholders on the L.L.Bean Kids’ Base Camp Chair aren’t as roomy as those on our picks, and they’re not as adept at holding stubby water bottles or mugs of hot chocolate.
GCI Outdoor makes several rocking chairs, and we plan to try more of them to see if they’re any better than the Freestyle Rocker, which we weren’t enthusiastic about.
Kijaro recently debuted its Elite Dual Lock Chair, which is supposed to be an upgrade to our pick, the Kijaro Dual Lock. The Dual Lock remains in stock, but we’ll be checking the Elite to see what’s different.
Moon Lence released a new generation of its Portable Camping Chair; this new version has a redesigned base and more mesh ventilation than its predecessor. It comes with a five-year warranty for its frame and a two-year warranty for its fabric; this rivals the warranty for our top lightweight pick. Renetto licenses its patent to a company called Kelsyus, which makes cheaper versions of the chair. However, they don’t have all of the same features. There are also chairs that are hybrids between categories, such as the Nemo Stargaze Reclining Camp Chair, which comes highly rated and recommended. We’re planning to look at all of these chairs.
This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.
Kyle Fitzgerald is an associate staff writer covering outdoors and travel gear. He grew up hiking and skiing in Vermont, and he has camped and backpacked throughout the West Coast and South America. He has also driven across the country seven times.
Kalee Thompson is the senior editor heading up the team responsible for health, fitness, baby, and kid coverage at Wirecutter. She has previously been a writer on the emergency prep and outdoor beats and is the author of two non-fiction books: Deadliest Sea and The Border Within.
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