The length makes it less ideal for stuffing in the trunk, though it’s still more than doable. While previous iterations made us think twice about durability, we experienced no issues during our recent testing period. Time to ditch those chairs that promote slouching and experience the comfort of ergonomic and upright support the Kijaro is known for. Finally, we sent the chairs out to put them to the test on real campgrounds, hikes, and other outdoor events. Testers provide periodic updates to report on the chairs’ performances over the course of six months.
But the price difference is significant—and after six months of near-constant outdoor use, the Walmart chair was still in decent shape. 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 patch of cool at any campsite or cookout. Sign up for our newsletter to stay updated on our latest posts then visit our Facebook page and Instagram to join the community conversation.
ozark trail camping chairIn real-world conditions, you’re often packing up fast to try to get ahead of crowds or traffic. So you can easily misplace a carry sack on a dark night in a crowded field, especially if you’re in a large group or have a lot of stuff. At a fireworks show and at the beach, we appreciated a chair that was ready to go without even 30 seconds of hassle. The Everywhere Chair closes like a book—simply lift the padded strap and go. 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 but harshly exposed Indian Grove group campsite.
It has a 300-pound capacity which is about average for this group, but it feels very solid and stable even when jumping into it. And though we don’t recommend leaving your chair out for full seasons of UV exposure, this is one of the few models we’ve actually done this to. After over a year and a half of sitting outside in a high-elevation environment (5000 feet above sea level), the only difference in this chair is a slight fading of the canvas-like material. Another camp chair that features a perforated and breathable material that also resists damaging UV rays is the Yeti Trailhead.
To properly test these chairs’ ability to stand up to real-life abuse, we stood on them and plopped very heavily into them. And some chairs had some creaky results that made us question how long they would last if consistently treated this way. We also scrutinized every seam, pole joint, and material to see any wear and tear or potential flaws.
Despite these small melted holes, the fabric showed no other signs of strain or wear. If you prefer a less slouchy, flatter, and more supportive seat, the Kijaro Dual Lock locks into place, stopping the seat from sagging. The GCI Comfort Pro has a similar shape and design, but it lacks the locking mechanism of the Kijaro and so is slightly less supportive because of it.
We also think the Helinox Sunset Chair is surprisingly comfortable, offering a high back and supportive shape that increases rest day comfort while lounging around in camp. Comfort is our most highly weighted metric, accounting for 40% of the overall score for each camping chair. After all, deciding to buy a chair instead of sitting on a log or the ground means you probably value comfort.
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 found this model to be slightly more comfortable and easier to pack than other, similar chairs.
What follows is a comprehensive discussion of our in-depth findings from months of lounging. If your chair has pole legs, just make sure that you bring along a ground sheet if you may be encountering soft surfaces like sand. We were downright giddy over this spacious, cleverly designed outdoor loveseat. The two-seater slips in and out of a slot in the wrap-up, tote-style carrier, which can be expanded to fit other gear for storage and double as a dog mat when the chair is in use. When it comes to comfort, the Kelty Low Loveseat was one of the most outstanding during our test.
Outdoor furniture is not one size fits all, so think carefully about your unique needs before committing to a style. Shorties (like yours truly) may be uncomfortable in seats that are too high to rest their feet on the ground while their backs are flush against the chair. A few of the lightweights we tested were cozy enough to sleep in for some campers, while others found them to be too narrow to comfortably fit their shoulders. If lumbar support is a must, it could be worth transporting a bit of extra weight to have a super sturdy chair on your site.