For the past few weeks, we have been testing out camp chairs in Montana, a difficult task that mainly involves sitting and enjoying a cold beer while gazing out upon the majesty of Lone Peak. What we learned is that different chairs excel at different tasks. Some are better suited for car camping and others might be better for travel. Below, we check out five of our favorites and what we enjoyed about them.
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Voted Best Overall
Price: $100
Weight: 3 lbs 10.4 oz / 1.6 kg
Between its portability and comfort, the CLIQ Chair was widely regarded by testers as the favorite. It folds up to about the size of a water bottle, but still feels rock solid and spacious enough for sitting. It even passed our unintentional wind test where someone accidentally leaves the chair on the lawn during a Rocky Mountain summer storm and it doesn’t blow into the lake.
Voted Best Travel Chair
Price: $42
Weight: 1 lb 10.4 oz / 750 g
The lightest of the chairs we tested, the YIZI-LITE is so compact that I was able to stash it in the water bottle pocket of my airport carryon bag. It’s far more comfortable than the JFK terminal seats, but you will get some odd looks. This chair rides very close to the ground, putting you just a few inches above the grass. Some testers had some issues getting up out of it, although to be fair we were also doing our Hard Seltzer reviews the same day.
Voted Most Luxurious
Price: $220
Weight: 7 lb 2 oz / 3.23 kg
An easily transported swinging chair is a dream that the NEMO Stargaze has turned into reality. Testers noted that the Stargaze can be a bit awkward for larger people with the armrests at an awkward angle. It also come with two cupholders, but they are not placed well. At the price point, you will want to try one out if possible in person before buying to make sure it fits your style.
Voted Kids Favorite
Price: $59.95
Weight: 1 lb 11 oz / 765 g
A notable contender to the best travel sized camp chair, the Flexlite is some high quality seating that’s on par with the YIZI-LITE. The $20 price difference and less breathable fabric notched it to a runner-up award, but with the tweens in our testing group, the Flexlite overwhelmingly won high marks as their favorite.
Voted Most Likely to Start a Conversation
Price: $110
Weight: 15 lbs / 6.8 kg
At 15 pounds this massive dual seater is so big that you might have to leave the second person to fit it in the car. We kid, of course, but all jokes aside, this chair is a serious commitment and most likely only used if you are car camping next to to your vehicle. On the plus side, the Low Loveseat is so unique that it’s a genuine conversation starter as well as the best beverage holders of all the chairs.