The Wonderland camping chair has a polyester fabric seat treated to be water repellent, and the steel tubing feels noticeably sturdy. While the chair is too heavy to take with you on a hike, the carry strap and lock-in clip make it easy to sling over your shoulder to and from different locations. 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 hammock, or being beholden to the location of trees on your campsite.
However, if you’re setting up camp for an extended stay, having home-furniture level comfort — and a whooping 500-pound weight capacity — could be worth the extra effort in transport. Plus, though the chair is large even when folded up, its spacious backpack carrying case with cushioned, adjustable shoulder straps makes dealing with the size and weight much easier. Since the breathable mesh is also quick-drying, you can feel free to plop down in a wet bathing suit and leave the chair out during afternoon rain showers.
And although its thinness may cause you concern, it has proved to be durably and sturdy after months of use. The right armrest has a mug-compatible cup holder, while the left armrest’s unique drop-down pocket can be secured with a drawstring to make sure your valuables stay put. The pocket is especially handy for keeping track of your phone or other small items you want to access easily. After six months of use, we love storing this chair in our car trunk for easy access. The included stuff sack has both a handle and a shoulder strap for hands-free carrying. This wider and longer set will provide support for larger adults with the same upright style as the traditional bagged camping chair.
For a classic fold-up camping chair, the REI Co-op Wonderland stands as a great mixture of comfortable and durable. In regards to comfort, I noticed almost immediately the slight wider seat that gave me enough room to actually adjust my body around to find the right spot. The wooden arm rests also happen to feel significantly better than most made of fabric or plastic.
Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). The cupholders on the L.L.Bean Kids’ Base Camp Chair aren’t as roomy as those on our picks, and they are not as adept at holding stubby water bottles or mugs of hot chocolate. We think the REI chair functions better and will last much longer than the similar chair from Walmart.
The seats should be at least partially water resistant and treated to stand up to harsh UV rays. You can stow this featherlight, compressible chair in a backpack or even a work bag. Select a chair with a built-in canopy, which will give you a little ozark trail lounge chair patch of cool at any campsite or cookout. She has written feature stories for publications like Outside Magazine, SkyLife Magazine, Playboy, Frommers, INSIDER, and more, and contributes couples travel and honeymoon content for TheKnot.com.
Camping chairs are a fairly broad category of products, and your average outdoor retailer likely has options ranging from stool-style chairs to luxurious two-person loveseats. To help you narrow your search, we tested and evaluated all types of portable outdoor seating, from ultralight camping chairs and plush recliners to two-seaters and swings. We tested one chair at a time, starting by setting them up for use and paying close attention to whether there was any guesswork or fumbling involved in assembly. To see how comfortable it was to use the chairs for extended periods of time, we sat in each for minutes, making sure to evaluate any extra features like tables, coolers, and cup holders.
For hikers and walk-up campers, smaller, lighter chairs are the obvious choices to keep in mind. If you’re using the chair for the beach, weather and UV resistance will help it last longer. 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. The GCI Outdoor chair also has a pocket built into the back that can hold a phone or a book. This chair comes in green or blue and is rated to hold up to 250 pounds.