Best Camping Chairs

We reviewed lightweight backpacking camping chairs across packed weight, packed size, seat height, weight capacity, and setup ease. All five picks are designed to fold into a carry bag and pack into a backpack rather than strap to the outside of a car. The threshold we used for backpacking-worthy: under 3.5 pounds packed.

The feature buyers overlook most often is anti-sinking feet. Standard camping chair legs are narrow poles that sink into soft ground, sand, mud, or damp soil, within minutes of sitting down. Anti-sinking feet use a wider base plate that distributes weight across more surface area. If you use these chairs at beach camps, riverside sites, or soft forest floors, anti-sinking feet change the experience significantly.

Seat height determines comfort for extended sitting. Most ultralight camping chairs seat you 10 to 14 inches off the ground, which is low enough that getting up takes effort for anyone with knee issues. If you plan to sit for meals, campfire evenings, or watching events, a chair with a higher seat position, even at a small weight penalty, is worth the trade-off.