Like competing chairs, the Chair One has a nylon and mesh seat and aluminum legs, which are linked with shock cord (the chair legs are made out of the same material as high-end tent poles). Wherever you need a seat, you’ll want your chair to be easy to set up. These are usually portable options that not only travel well but store easily when they’re not in use.
We got some admiring nods en route to the celebration—and we had one of the more comfy seats at the show. The Renetto Original Canopy Chair, a cleverly designed specialty seat, is ideal coleman electric cooler for anyone who wants sun protection and doesn’t mind a heavier, bulkier chair. Despite the Renetto’s weight, our testers found it easy to carry and simple to set up and adjust.
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. Enjoy extra room and ruggedness as you relax at the campsite, BBQ or picnic with a Coleman Quad-Style Arm Chair. Relaxing so much can make you thirsty, but with the oversized, insulated cup holder, you can keep a drink close at hand. While you sip on your favorite beverage, the fully cushioned seat and back only adds to your relaxation. When the fun is done, the chair easily folds up into a carry bag for easy transport and storage.
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. 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 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.
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.
REI’s Flexlite Chair has been replaced by an entire flock of Flexlite chairs; the one that is the closest to replacing the original Flexlite in the lineup is the Co-op Flexlite Camp Chair. The design, size, and weight is nearly identical, but the nylon fabric has been replaced with polyester. 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.