If you don’t want to sit on the ground while camping, you are in luck: there are literally hundreds of different camp chairs to choose from. The problem is that there are too many options when it comes to camp chairs. Here, I’m going to break down the best camping chairs by type, including the best upright, lounge, rocking, low and double camp chairs.
Also Read: Best Kids Camping Chairs
Best Upright Camp Chairs
This is probably what comes to mind when you think of camping chairs. The classic design is a folding chair with four separate legs. They usually have arm rests with a cup holder in the arm.
Upright camp chairs are the best option if you prefer to sit up. They are also usually in one piece, so upright camp chairs are the fastest and easiest to set up. There are tons of cheap options to choose from.
Overall Best: REI Skyward Chair
Quick Review:
- Weight: 7lbs 3oz
- Open Size: 20×31.25×31”
- Folded Size: 7×33”
- Seat Height: 10.5”
- Weight Limit: 300lbs
- Pros: This camp chair is incredibly durable and sturdy. The mesh material is very breathable, so your back doesn’t end up sweaty. There is webbing in the chair to reinforce the fabric, but positioned in a way which is very comfortable. It has a cup holder and an extra drawstring pocket.
- Cons: The only real drawback is that the seat height of the chair is just 10.5 inches. That’s great if your kids occasionally steal your seat, but not great if you are tall.
Available at REI
Best Extra Large: Alps Mountaineering King Kong
Quick Review:
- Weight: 13lbs
- Open Size: 38x38x20”
- Folded Size: 7×14”
- Seat Height: 18”
- Weight Limit: 800lbs
- Pros: The seat width on the King Kong chair is 24.5”, so it really lives up to its XL label. With an 800lb weight limit, you don’t have to worry about it failing on you. It’s also an incredibly comfortable chair because of the extra supports around the shoulder and butt area. The fabric version is most comfortable but holds water. The mesh version is better for hot weather or if quick-drying matters to you.
- Cons: As you’d expect from an XL camp chair, the King Kong is heavy at 13lbs.
Available at Amazon, REI and Campsaver
Best for Back support: Yeti Trailhead Camp Chair
Quick Review:
- Weight: 13.3lbs
- Open Size: 30x25x36″
- Folded Size: 10x8x43”
- Seat Height: 16.75”
- Weight Limit: 500lbs
- Pros: Unlike other camp chairs, the fabric on the Yeti Trailhead doesn’t sag under your weight. This makes it great for back support and upright sitting. The crossover frame adds extra support, so it’s incredibly comfortable. The setup is quick and easy. You can expect good quality from Yeti products and there’s a 5 year warranty. This is a good option for large people since the seat is so wide and it has a high weight limit.
- Cons: It’s expensive! It’s also heavy and fairly bulky when folded.
Available at Amazon and REI
Budget Pick: Coleman Broadband Mesh Quad Camping Chair
Quick Review:
- Weight: 6.1lbs
- Open Size: 21.3×31.1×35.8”
- Folded Size: 5.5×5.9×35.4”
- Seat Height: 18”
- Weight Limit: 250lbs
- Pros: For a cheap chair, the Coleman Broadband is fairly sturdy and durable. The seat height is also higher than others (the Amazon Basics is just 14”) and the mesh fabric back makes it great for hot weather.
- Cons: This isn’t the most comfortable camping chair. And expect the fabric on the carrying case to tear and fray quickly.
Available at Amazon, REI and Campsaver
Best Lounge Camp Chairs
Lounge camp chairs are designed so the back reclines slightly back. This is great for reading, stargazing or simply relaxing. They tend to be much lighter-weight than folding camp chairs and pack down smaller. The tradeoff is that this design doesn’t have armrests and there are usually many pieces to put together. Most are low-back, and the lack of head support can be very uncomfortable.
Overall Best: ENO Lounger DL Chair
Quick Review:
- Weight: 4lbs 10oz
- Open Size: 32x23x37”
- Folded Size: 7x7x24.5”
- Seat Height: 3” and 10”
- Weight Limit: 250lbs
- Pros: The ENO lounger is lightweight yet doesn’t cost a fortune like other lightweight camp chairs. It’s wide triangle-shaped base also makes it sturdier than other lightweight chairs. There are some nice features too, like the two seat height settings, cup holder and side pockets. The tall back means it’s more comfortable than most lounge chairs.
- Cons: The folded chair is hard to get back into its bag. The pillow on the back is also too set to high for short people, so might hit your head at an uncomfortable spot.
Available at Amazon, REI and Campsaver
Best Ultralight Pick: Helinox Zero Highback
Quick Review:
- Weight: 1.5bs
- Open Size: 20.5×21.5×32.5”
- Folded Size: 5x5x16”
- Seat Height: 6.5”
- Weight Limit: 265lbs
- Pros: If you need an ultralight chair for backpacking, this one is great. It’s insanely lightweight yet the aluminum frame is still sturdy. The fabric is also sturdy and won’t tear easily like other UL gear. The high back makes it more comfortable than the low-back Helinox chairs.
- Cons: The Helinox Zero is narrow and very low to the ground. It’s also quite expensive.
Available at Amazon, REI, Campsaver and Campmor
Sturdiest: Mission Mountain S4 Chair
Quick Review:
- Weight:4.4lbs
- Open Size: 21.6×23.6×29.5/31.5”
- Folded Size: 14×17.5×2.7”
- Seat Height: 5”/12.5”/14.5”
- Weight Limit: 264lbs
- Pros: There are two height settings for the chair. Adjusting the height is easy, especially because of the guidelines in the chair legs. It’s incredibly well-made and feels sturdier than other lounge-type camp chairs. The wide-set legs means you don’t have to worry about toppling over. The chair fabric has pull tabs which makes getting it on easier.
- Cons: While it’s easy to put together, the frame has 5 pieces which need to be assembled. There’s no high-back option so no place to rest your head. It wish the adjustable seat height had more than a 2 inch difference between settings.
Available at Mission Mountain
Best Adjustable Back and Reclining Camp Chairs:
Can’t decide between an upright or lounge-style camp chair? Then get an adjustable position camp chair. The downside is that there aren’t too many options, they tend to be pricy, and most don’t have features like cup holders.
Overall Best: Eureka Highback Recliner
Quick Review:
- Weight: 12lbs 4oz
- Open Size: 34x24x46.5”
- Folded Size: 39.5×7.5×6.5”
- Seat Height: 18”
- Weight Limit: 300lbs
- Pros: The back of this camping chair can be reclined back. There are three positions in total, with one of the positions being completely upright. The seat is high off the ground and large so it’s suitable for bigger people. The construction is also very sturdy and it’s quick and easy to fold. There’s mesh on the back for ventilation.
- Cons: The biggest issue is that the Eureka recliner is heavy. It’s also fairly bulky when folded.
Available at Amazon, Campsaver and Campmor
Best Lightweight Option: Nemo Moonlight
- Weight: 1lb 14oz
- Open Size: 26x20x20”
- Folded Size: 4×14”
- Seat Height: 10.5”
- Weight Limit: 300lbs
- Pros: not insanely expensive, UL, lifetime warranty, easy to put together – cord throughout the frame. Very comfortable. No fabric at sides, so comfortable even for *most* bigger people. Fabric won’t cut into skin.
- Cons: very low to the ground, adjusting takes some practice. If you have a big butt the straps might hit you and be uncomfortable
Available at Amazon, REI and Campmor
Budget Pick: Redcamp Reclining Camp Chair
Quick Review:
- Weight: 9.5lbs
- Open Size: 33×41.5×23” (upright w/o footrest)
- Folded Size: 9.5×35”
- Seat Height: 15.5”
- Weight Limit: 220lbs
- Pros: It’s very cheap, reclines in two positions and has a foot rest.
- Cons: As expected from a cheap camping chair – especially one with such a low weight limit — the Redcamp isn’t very durable. Usable seat width is only 21”, so not for big people. The seat back is approximately 25”, so it’s best for short people. Tall people might not be able to rest their heads on the back. Also note that the upright position isn’t completely upright. Nor is there a completely flat position.
Available at Amazon
Best Camp Rocking Chairs and Swinging Chairs
These are true glamping chairs which other a lot of comfort. There are a few ways that these chairs can work. One is with a spring mechanism that allows the seat to move while the frame stays still. These tend to be the most comfortable because they have armrests and allow for upright sitting.
The second type of camp chair which rocks is a “hammock” chair. These have a solid frame with a bucket/hammock-style seat attached to it. If you like to lounge back, these are a great option. They aren’t good for back support or anything that requires upright seating, such as sitting in front of a campfire.
I do not recommend camping rocking chairs which have curved feet. These perform terribly on bumpy camp ground! Also avoid any camping rockers which have to be tied to trees. It’s hard to find a sturdy branch in the exact right place.
Overall Best: Nemo Stargaze Hammock-Style Recliner
Quick Review:
- Weight: 7lbs 15oz
- Open Size: 41x37x27”
- Folded Size: 5×6.5×6.5”
- Seat Height: 12”
- Weight Limit: 300lbs
- Pros: This camping chair is incredibly comfortable, especially since it has armrests and the back is tall enough to rest your head against in all positions. It’s also very well-designed with straps so you can adjust the positioning. Setup is stupidly easy and quick.
- Cons: It’s expensive!
Available at Amazon, REI, Campsaver and Campmor
Budget Rocker: GCI Kickback Rocker Chair
Quick Review:
- Weight: 10lbs 10oz
- Open Size: 32.5×31.7×27.2”
- Folded Size: 39×7.9×5.9”
- Seat Height: 17.1″
- Weight Limit: 250lbs
- Pros: This is an incredibly comfortable rocking chair. The seat height is perfect for allowing you to stretch out your feet while rocking. GCI makes a few other rockers, but the seat position on this one is the most comfortable. Compared to similar rockers, it folds down very small and isn’t too heavy. It’s also very affordable.
- Cons: It doesn’t come with a carrying bag. It’s also not the most durable chair (not surprising considering the cheap price). Don’t exceed the weight limit!
Available at Amazon, REI and GCI Outdoor
Budget Hammock Chair: KingCamp Swinging Chair
Quick Review:
- Weight: 10.3lbs
- Open Size: 38×27.1×47.2”
- Folded Size: 9x9x35.4”
- Seat Height: 22”
- Weight Limit: 300lbs
- Pros: It’s an affordable and comfortable hammock rocking chair. It’s very roomy and can fit larger people easily.
- Cons: The cup holder is in a stupid position. Anything you put inside the holder might annoy you while sitting in the chair. It’s also not very durable (again, not surprising for a cheap camp chair). The high seat height means it isn’t good for short people.
Available at Amazon
Best Low and Legless Camping Chairs:
These camping chairs either sit low to the ground or directly on the ground. Because they don’t have legs, they are lightweight and compact. They are also good for children (no worrying that your kids will topple off a too-high chair into the campfire!). But it obviously can be difficult to get in/out of such a low chair.
Best Lightweight Pick: Hex Original
Quick Review:
- Weight: 1.3lbs
- Open Size: 33×15”
- Folded Size: 4×33”
- Seat Height: 0”
- Weight Limit: 250lbs
- Pros: This is a cool lightweight, compact solution which allows you to sit anywhere. It’s surprisingly comfortable, especially since you can tilt the chair back. The straps allow you to adjust the position. They make a few other versions of this legless chair, such as one with a higher back.
- Cons: It’s fairly pricy for what’s essentially a few pieces of fabric and straps. Also be warned that it’s narrow!
Available at Amazon and REI
Budget Pick: Cascade Mountain Tech Low Profile Chair
Quick Review:
- Weight: 7lbs
- Open Size: 20x20x21”
- Folded Size: 26×8”
- Seat Height: 9”
- Weight Limit: 250lbs
- Pros: Just pop the chair open – no need to attach any poles or do setup. Despite being so cheap, the chair seems durable and sturdy. The fabric is mesh, so it’s great in hot weather and doesn’t hold water. And it is AFFORDABLE.
- Cons: I wish it had arm rests, a pocket and cup holder. It’s also fairly heavy for a low chair.
Available at Amazon
Best Double Camp Chairs
Also called camping loveseats, these camping chairs are designed for two people. They are great for cuddling in front of the fire. Since they share some of the same poles, they fold smaller than two separate camp chairs. However, you sacrifice an armrest.
Overall Best: Mountain Summit Gear Loveseat
Quick Review:
- Weight: 15lbs
- Open Size:5x37x25”
- Folded Size: 37x9x6”
- Seat Height: 17.7”
- Weight Limit: 500lbs (300lbs per seat)
- Pros: Surprisingly affordable. It’s sturdy enough and packs down nicely.
- Cons: It’s a bit heavy and I wish there was a mesh fabric option.
Available at REI and Campsaver
Budget Pick: Coleman Quattro Lax Double Quad Chair
Quick Review:
- Weight: 11.6lbs
- Open Size: 52x41x29.5”
- Folded Size: 32.8×8.8×7.0
- Seat Height: 14.5”
- Weight Limit: 225lbs per seat
- Pros: It’s compact, lightweight and quick to set up. There are pockets in back plus cup holders on each armrest. It folds down fairly small.
- Cons: This is not designed for large adults. It’s best for children or one child plus a medium-sized adult.
Available at Amazon and Campsaver