The REI chair’s polyester seat material feels both more forgiving and more durable than the thinner material on the Ozark Trail Kids’ Folding Camp Chair from Walmart. 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. We found that the cheaply constructed Walmart chair had a cupholder that was too small for a soda can, or any of the hard-plastic or metal water bottles that the kids we know brought on a camping trip.
We got some admiring nods en route to the celebration—and we had one of the more comfy seats at the show. Before we tried the Renetto Original Canopy Chair, we had never considered buying a shade-equipped camp chair. The shaded Renetto chairs were consistently the first seats snagged at a beautiful coleman canopy but harshly exposed Indian Grove group campsite. The Coleman camping chair is big and durable, and of all the upright chairs that our panel of campers tested, it was the most comfortable. By far, the best thing about this chair is how easy it is to set up — it just folds outwards like an accordion.
The fully cushioned seat and back mean you’ll enjoy hours of relaxing comfort. “We use these every week for our kids’ games and practices,” wrote one five-star reviewer. They went on to share that “the carrying pouch is sturdy, the chairs are wide and comfy, and the cup holder [and] side cooler [are] so convenient.” Always have a cold drink within easy reach at the campsite, tailgate, or kids’ ball game thanks to the cooler built into the armrest of the Coleman® Camping Chair with Built-In 4-Can Cooler. If you’re wondering what all goes into the perfect camp chair, our buyer’s guide can answer similar questions and more. Those in the market for a new chair can head our top picks of the season for side-by-side comparisons of the latest and greatest models available.
At least you probably won’t be carrying it terribly far, and it’s not awful over short stretches. If you aren’t sure what exactly it is you’re looking for in your next chair beyond carrying capacity, take a look at our buyer’s guide for more information on the state of the industry. Also, be sure to check out our top picks of the season for an in-depth comparison between the best of the best. There are plenty of draws to the Cooler Quad, but by my figuring, none are more compelling than the price tag. But generally speaking, you can have one of our favorite chairs for less than 40 dollars. The cooler itself is an easy-access zippered pouch that hangs from the bottom of the left armrest.
We think the REI chair functions better and will last much longer than the similar chair from Walmart. But the price difference is significant—and after six months of near-constant outdoor use, the Walmart coleman chair chair was still in decent shape. But after half a dozen excursions, we found—as we had with the Renetto Original Canopy Chair—that having a chair you can easily carry without a bag is preferable.