During the summer season, camping ranks as one of the top outdoor activity for most of us. It is a fun activity for not just individuals or groups of friends, but also a great way to spend quality time with the family. The feeling of getting a few days off from your regular work routine, sunbathing, taking a dip or fishing in the lake, and drinking hot chocolate by the campfire is something that can give you the much needed relaxation.And with camping, comes all the gears that we take with us to make our outdoor adventure fun and more importantly, comfortable. One of the most important pieces of camping equipment yet often forgotten is the camping chair. Anyone who has ever been camping will know that this for a fact that the chair is a highly-sought item.
Camping is an ideal way for the adventurers to spend time exploring nature. After a long day in the wild, nothing is quite as relaxing and blissful as kicking back at your camp, and although rocks and stones may offer great make shift furniture, they don’t compare in any way to the comfort you get from camping chairs. Camp chairs offer the perfect place to relax; whether you just want to seat back and watch the kids play around the beach or enjoy a drink around the campfire.
When people think about camping chairs, what first comes to mind is something that’s compact and takes very less time to set up. However, with the many advancements in camping gears over the past few years, these two features are now only the basics. You can now find a wide range of choices with each providing a different level of comfort, portability, ease of assembly and durability, convenience to make your camping trip a pleasant and relaxing one.
In this article, we’ve narrowed down categories and choice to help you guide through the process of finding that perfect camping chair for your next camping trip.
Types of Camping Chairs
In general, camping chairs can be categorized into two main types: traditional or regular and compact/portable.
Regular or Traditional
The regular or traditional models, are relatively designed to be higher from the ground and weighs more (10-15 lbs for some). These bulky chairs are less portable but more comfortable.These camping chairs are perfect for t trips that don’t involve multiple stops such as car camping or tailgating so weight is not an issue but still demand a lot of comfort.For regular camping chairs, durability is a must. These chairs don’t come in cheap, but they offer optimal support and stability, and comes packed with numerous features such as cup holders, storage pockets, padded headrests, reclining capacity and leg rests for the high end versions.
High-end camping chairs, as their name suggests, come with a lot more features for comfort and convenience. They provide amazing support and strength in addition to providing features such as reclining ability, leg rests, rocking function, cup holder, and more. Though these chairs would be perfect for hours of lounging, they are not the best choice for backpackers, but can be used by car campers and tailgaters.
Compact/Portable Camping Chairs
Portable and compact chairs tend to sit lower on the ground, and are smaller and lighter. These chairs are usually made with aluminum legs, seat backs and arm-rests. Perfect for reading and lounging in the beach without straining your back and neck for long periods. But the beach can get hot so chairs with mesh back can be considered to allow increase airflow to keep you cooler. A wide base and feet design along with a sand cover are ideal to prevent these chairs from sinking in the sand.
Minimal Design
Minimal camping chairs are designed only with the core purpose in mind – to provide you with a place to sit and therefore do not come with all the other components like those in the traditional models. Folding stools and folding seats are perfect examples of minimal camping chair models. Due to their minimalistic design, these chairs are perfect for backpackers, also because they don’t usually spend a lot of time sitting down.
High-end camping chairs, as their name suggests, come with a lot more features for comfort and convenience. They provide amazing support and strength in addition to providing features such as reclining ability, leg rests, rocking function, cup holder, and more. Though these chairs would be perfect for hours of lounging, they are not the best choice for backpackers, but can be used by car campers and tailgaters.
Camp Chair Materials
When it comes to chair legs, most of the models in the market are made of aluminum, mainly for its strength.
The actual seats of most camping chairs are usually made of nylon or foam. Nylon is a material known for its durability, easy maintenance, and water resistance. As a result, camping chairs made from this material can withstand wet weather camping as well.
Some models are made with closed cell foam padding, which makes them more comfortable. These models also provide extra support, even when the chairs have no legs, yet providing proper cushioning.
The material of the camping chair you choose is also important to make sure that it suits your camping location and conditions.
Capacity
Another vital feature to consider when choosing the perfect camping chair for your next trip is the chair’s capacity. You need to look at the maximum weight the they can hold.
You need to find a camping chair that is designed to accommodate more than the person’s weight, for durability and comfort. On the other hand, if you are looking for a camping chair for kids, go for something smaller and less elevated from the ground.
Portability
The ability to easily pack, move and set up the camping chair is another essential feature you should look for in a good camping chair.
If you go for the traditional models, you will be able to carry them easily during car, RV, or boat camping trips, as they come with a carry case and a strap, as mentioned before.
If you are thinking about hiking or walking a long trail to reach your campsite, minimal chairs like a folding seat or folding stool would be the perfect choice because you can easily fold and strap them to your backpack.
And when it comes to high-end chairs, you need to make sure that your camping destination is quite established and easy to access, so you don’t have to worry about its size, weight and portability.
Price
Similar to any other camping gear, camping chairs are also available in a wide range of prices from under $10 to a couple hundred dollars. In most cases, you will get what you pay for in terms of features and comfort.
Additional Features
In addition to the features discussed above, there are others that can further enhance your comfort level when using a camping chair. Some of these features include:
- Canopies
- Storage pockets
- Wheels
- Detachable footrests
- Head pads
- Extended pads
- Bottle opener
- Cooler
- Umbrella
The price, portability, size, and other similar aspects of the chair will differ based on the number of additional features it offers.
The best way to choose the perfect camping chair is too prioritize a list of your needs to narrow down what’s best for you. Make sure that you choose one that will last you a good amount of time.
Kerry Beavers
July 30, 2022
Hi we have the treckology high back ultra lightweight chairs. I ordered the sand cover /ground sheets from Amazon but they don’t and had to return the item. Which are the ones that fit
Many thanks