The 5 Best Camping Chairs of 2023 Reviews by Wirecutter

Leader Accessories has been manufacturing high-quality canopy tents and other outdoor equipment for more than three decades. We tested a few tents over the years during camping trips, but the one that impressed us most is the Leader Accessories 10×10 Pop Up Canopy Tent. The portable canopy is lightweight and equipped to handle multiple camping accessories that will help keep you dry and mosquito-free. Outdoor furniture is not one size fits all, so think carefully about your unique needs before committing to a style.

We prefer a deeper seat that lets us recline and relax, like the one found on our favorite model, the Big Agnes Skyline UL, and the luxurious Big Agnes Big Six. Comfort is decidedly lower in foam chairs — we noted that the PowerLounger curled our shoulders in and dug into our underarms the least. Comes with the same compact bag with a shoulder strap for carrying.

Even after regularly using this chair for six months, it’s just as plush and comfortable as ever. It has more than enough room for two people — and perhaps a pet — to lounge. (If you want even more room, Kelty also makes a party-sized couch with plenty of space for three people.) Sturdy, padded fabric forms a supportive high back and adjustable armrests. The low height instantly turns the ground into a footrest, and the seat is wide enough to provide leg support that makes you feel like you’re reclining. Unlike our camping chair review, this review is designed specifically for portable chairs that can be carried into the backcountry or during hikes. We analyzed packability and weight for this metric, knowing that a chair would have to be pretty compact to make it into an already heavy pack on your next trip into the backcountry.

The Kijaro Dual Lock Camping Chair has everything you need for a convenient and comfortable stay in the wilderness. Equipped with a locking feature that ensures it stays taut, this chair immediately impressed us with its standout comfort and sturdiness. The firm-yet-cozy seat is supportive enough to sit in for hours, and we were particularly pleased by how supportive the armrests were compared to other chairs with a similar design. You don’t always find comfortable over-sized chairs, and this chair works for everyone in my family. And after regularly using the chair for six months (and leaving it out in the rain on occasion), it’s still in great condition.

Sometimes we may be willing to learn how to operate a more complicated piece of gear when the benefits balance out the struggle, but often we want to be able to pick it up and have it work. Setting up these backpacking chairs is by no means difficult, but some models have the setup dialed in. The Big Agnes Skyline UL Stool incorporates a modern backpacking chair design into stool ozark trail camping chair form. The wide, scooped seat offers plenty of support and space for your rear, unlike some of the small tripod stools that have the unfortunate appearance of being swallowed up. The wide, 4-legged design with hubless poles enables this seat to be comfortable, stable, compact, and one of the lightest we tested. We’ve tested close to 40 different models over the past 10 years.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Core 10×10 Instant Shelter is attractively designed with features that are perfectly suited for use at the beach. It can be a little bit heartbreaking to find a gorgeous relaxation spot — with nowhere to hang up your favorite hammock. Thanks to Eagles Nest Outfitters, you can have the comfort of hammock lounging without needing trees, trying to transport a clunky free-standing ozark trail lounge chair hammock, or being beholden to the location of trees on your campsite. We love this chair for its incredible comfort, the DL Lounger features a high back topped with a cushioned headrest, a slight recline, and breathable fabric that practically begs you to take a nap in it. You can set the legs at either a 3- or 20-inch height, and there are two storage pockets and a cup holder for your lounging convenience.

Although it doesn’t come with a carrying bag, the chair has two built-in handles. The Coleman chair does have a unique folding design that we did not find very intuitive, but it worked smoothly once they got the hang of lifting up the sides of the seatbed to collapse the chair. For car campers looking to simplify their dining routine, it’s a nice addition to your gear collection. The Kelty’s polyester seat cover manages to meld a cloud-like cushion with a supportive feel that’s kind to your back after a long day of roughing it. Adjustable armrests are equipped with insulated cup holders that can be expanded to fit massive water bottles and oversized mugs. No one was surprised to see this chair pass our durability test with flying colors.

If you’re willing to try something a bit unique, a heavy-duty steel frame and sturdy fabric means your investment in this chair should pay off for a lifetime of outdoor relaxation. However, since many campers prefer chairs at a traditional height, the Kelty Lowdown narrowly missed winning our Best Overall pick. With a peak ozark trail camping chair height of 111 inches, this pop up canopy tent has enough height to house a traditional cabin tent for double the camping protection. A 2-person sleeping tent might even allow you to comfortably fit a couple of camping chairs in the screen house so you can relax mosquito-free with your cup of coffee in the morning.