Camping is all about being active, exploring and getting in touch with nature and your inner self. But after spending the whole day on your feet, once you go back to your camping spot you’ll want to sit down and relax. And what better way to do so than leaning back in a comfortable camping chair with a nice cold beer in your hand? Trust me, the right chair can really influence your overall camping experience. So for the sake of your relaxation and chillax hours, here’s what you need to consider when setting out on the quest for the perfect camping throne.
Types
- Minimal – It is usually made out of plastic and has no seat or back rest cushioning. Because of this, these chairs are quite light-weight and compact and mostly suitable for short backpacking trips. However, bear in mind that if you’re looking for a higher level of support and comfort, they won’t deliver.
- Regular – This one is the perfect representation of the image that springs to mind whenever you think of a camping chair. A small chair with aluminium legs, arm rests and most importantly – a back rest. This type of folding chairs for camping are also easy to transport and provide the much needed comfort. Place it right under the awning and you have created yourself a nice relaxation area when camping with your caravan.
- Luxurious – This one is like bringing a recliner from a living room to a camping site. These are the most elaborate type of camping chairs with features like leather armrests and back rest, a mechanism for adjusting, a built in storage, a cooler and what not. Due to the high-end materials used for this kind of camping chair, it is the most expensive out there, it weighs a lot and is difficult to transport.
Weight Support Capacity
Supporting your weight is the first and foremost requirement you should look for in all types of folding chairs for camping. Because they are built to be compact, the materials that most of them are made of are usually light. Make sure to check the chair’s specs when browsing online, or when at a store, remember to ask the salesperson about this. The typical folding camping chair can support up to 100 kg. In the end, it all depends on who is going to use it. You can choose a sturdier one for you of a regular size, but if you have children, you should look for smaller ones which are more portable and will save some space in the back of your vehicle.
Material
You might want to take your camping chair to the nearby lake or river to fish or to just bask in the sun. Keep in mind that the chair must be light for transporting it from one place to another. A portable but strong camping chair has aluminium legs and frames to support your weight but the rest is usually made out of light material. Coated rip-stop nylon offers everything you should look for in a camping chair – durability, smoothness and comfort. But if you’re planning on using it for water-based activities, you should perhaps look for one made of closed cell foam padding which does not absorb water.
Additional Features
- Cup/Bottle Holder – Personally, I love to lay back in my camping chair with a bottle of cold beer. But holding your drink for too long is not much pleasant. For that reason, camping chair manufacturers came up with a great idea – designing chairs with a built in cup or bottle holder! Besides this, many of them come with an additional space which can also function as a small table for your snacks. Quite convenient!
- Arm Rest – This can be a real game changer for a camping chair. Not many of them feature armrests, but if you come across one, consider yourself lucky. The padding offers additional comfort for your hands after performing demanding manual activities, such as chopping firewood or spending the whole day fishing.
