7 of the best budget camping chairs to buy in 2023

The Renetto chair usually comes in between 8 and 10 colors and is rated to hold up to 350 pounds. Portable outdoor chairs are also helpful for anyone who doesn’t have the room or budget for permanent backyard furniture. And they can save your back, make it easier to juggle a picnic plate and a cold beverage, and generally help you to relax comfortably outdoors.

Comes with the same compact bag with a shoulder strap for carrying. Today’s specialty backpacking chairs are impressively small and light. They’re also far more expensive and significantly less comfortable than typical full-size camp chairs. We recommend buying this type only if you intend to carry your chair long distances, whether you’re backpacking or trekking across Central Park. If you do need a fits-in-a-knapsack chair, we recommend the Helinox Chair One.

We love that setup is quick and easy, because no one needs to struggle with poles after sweating it out on the trails. Its light weight also impressed — when we threw it around to assess its durability, the chair basically sailed like a feather. REI’s Co-op Flexlite Air Chair is perfect for the minimalist traveler. The 1-pound seat comes with a miniscule stuff sack that can easily be slipped into a backpack or suitcase. We also loved that setting up and breaking down the aluminum frame and seat cover is conveniently intuitive.

“With almost star reviews, this Ozark Trail lantern is a must-have,” Bergamotto said. Because people use outdoor chairs for an array of purposes and have different preferences when it comes to comfort, it was almost impossible to choose just one best chair. We did select our favorite upright chair for car camping and tailgating, and then additional low-to-the-ground, ultra-lightweight, and canopy picks, as well as a great chair for kids.

If you’re looking for something a bit more subdued, that might be a little off-putting to you. We don’t regard any of these as outright deal-breakers, and at least where the storage issue is concerned, there’s an easy DIY fix. In the sections that follow, we’ll tell you everything this well-priced chair has to offer, and we’ll be quick to point out its shortcomings. That way, you’ll have all the information you need to decide for yourself if this is the high weight capacity camp chair you’ve been looking for.

It’s so small and lightweight to bring around, you can even throw it into a backpack or tote bag. The 4-pound, steel-construction REI chair has an attached carry strap, rather than a carry bag like the other chairs. After a couple of camping trips, we concluded that a strap is more convenient than a bag—quicker and easier for a kid to grab the chair and go, without parental help. The ozark trail canopy REI chair is rated to hold up to 150 pounds, the same as the L.L.Bean and Walmart chairs. We think the REI chair is most appropriate for toddlers and kids up to about 7 or 8 years old, though reviews reveal that some small adults have found this to be their favorite seat. It comes in gray or blue, and as of this update it gets 4.7 out of five stars from reviewers on the REI site.

The built-in swivel cup holder is the perfect size for use with various-sized drink bottles and cans. This lightweight low-profile compact mesh chair is made from durable polyester fabric and mesh wrapped around a steel frame for long-lasting comfort and convenience. The constructed steel frame will support up to a 300-pound weight capacity.

When we set up a dozen chairs around the campfire without comment, people consistently claimed them from largest to smallest. Good design with a small pocket to place your cell phone or snacks near the cup holder. Sturdy arm rests and sits a little higher from the ground, making it a great choice for taller people.

There’s even a bottle opener attached to the inside of the cooler to cover all the bases for chillin’ and grillin’ outside. On the back is an elastic slot and Velcro bands to secure an overhead umbrella, and underneath the seat is a strap that collapses the chair for easy transport. These Ozark Trail camp chairs are perfect for taking with you to kids’ sports games, camping trips, firework displays, or simply having them around so you can lounge in your backyard. Keeping in mind that good portability is key for outdoor chairs, we broke down and packed each for transport, testing their carrying cases and any and all straps and handles to judge the placement, size, and design. This affordable, durable, comfortable chair is tailored to those who like their refreshments. The cooler pocket fits four standard cans and zips up to insulate your beverages of choice.