Whether you’re heading out to the backcountry for some backpacking opportunities or camping in designated sites, we’ve got the perfect camp chair for you. Outdoor festivals and beach trips are nothing with these amazing chairs. We’ve put together this backpacking chair buying guide to help you choose a backpacking chair that is perfect for your outdoor lifestyle! But before we get started looking at all of these chairs, we need to make sure we know some of these things.
Weight Capacity
This is how much weight the chair can hold. If you exceed this, you might break the chair or render it unusable, and we wouldn’t want that to happen! So make sure you get one with the right capacity.
Carry Bag
Most of the chairs on our list will come with a carrying bag that makes it easier to take it with you in your gear. These often keep the chairs together and folded into more manageable sizes.
Type
The main types of camp furniture we’re going to be talking about are either chairs, which are traditional, or the three-legged stools that are smaller, but have no back to them. It’s a personal choice which one you choose.
Material
This refers mostly to what material the seat is made out of. Polyester is a favorite, and heavy-duty polyester and nylon are both used in the creation of tents as well, so you can expect quality.
Size
The dimensions of the chair when folded up. For the most part, the extended size isn’t going to matter if you’re backpacking. Instead, you need a chair that folds down small enough for your bag.
Chair Weight
This is how much the chair weighs, perhaps the most important factor when buying a backpacking chair. More weight means that you’re going to be miserable when you consider that you’re taking your life on your back.
Top 10 Backpacking Chairs
That should be all you need to know about backpacking chairs! Now, we can get to the backpacking chair reviews. We’ve compiled a list of all of the best chairs so that you are only seeing the products that are worth your time – such as our top pick and budget pick. The rest of our list is full of comfy, lightweight chairs, so take a break from your camping trip and read through it!
Wildhorn Terralite Chair
Get ready for the summer with this amazingly light backpacking chair. This chair itself has a packed weight of only two pounds and can sit someone who weighs up to 350lbs. That’s pretty amazing if you ask us! The secret is the aircraft-grade aluminum poles – they weigh less than regular metal poles, are completely rustproof, and are perfect for carrying large loads! The seat cover is a mesh and fabric patchwork that’s comfortable and breathable for those hot days on the trail. And not only that, you can set it up just about anywhere. The feet are extra-large and textured, allowing you to sit pretty in this chair and it won’t sink into any surface – including sand. That’s stellar technology! Plus, it weighs only two pounds overall, which is perfect for your backpacking adventures. The carrying bag will make it easy to go with all of your other gear for a more comfortable backpacking experience.
- Weight Capacity: 350 lbs
- Carry Bag: Yes
- Type: Chair
- Material: Mesh and cloth
- Size: 17 x 4.7 x 4.7″
- Chair Weight: 2 lbs
TravelChair Slacker Chair
Our pick for the best cheap backpacking chair goes to this 3-legged stool by TravelChair. It comes in at just under two pounds, and yet it can hold someone who is up to 275 lbs. It’s so much easier to travel with a small, lightweight chair like this! The fabric of the seat is a ripstop polyester blend that is used in many tents and backpacks, so it’s just as durable as the rest of your gear. Plus, all of the connectors to the metal frame are stable and heavy-duty enough that you won’t worry about it ripping off. The oversized nylon feet will help it stay on the surface of any sand or mud, making your experience that much better! All of the metal parts are also coated with a rust-resistant powder so you can use it even in moist environments. It’s a durable camping chair that will serve you well on all of your outdoor adventures!
- Weight Capacity: 275 lbs
- Carry Bag: No
- Type: 3-legged stool
- Material: Polyester
- Size: 11 x 11 x 18″
- Chair Weight: 1.9 lbs
Moon Lence Camping Chair
Moon Lence makes this amazingly comfortable mesh and oxford cloth chair. The capacity and size make it one of the best backpacking chairs for sale. When you’re out on long trips in the backcountry, you want a chair that’s going to be both sturdy and lightweight. If it breaks, you’re out a chair – and if it’s too heavy, there’s no reason to even bring it with you. Thankfully, this chair by Moon Lence is extremely durable, well-made, and light enough that you won’t even notice you’re carrying it. It comes in green, dark blue, black, red, orange and yellow, so you can get one that’s going to match the rest of your camping gear. The aluminum alloy frame can hold up to abuse on the trail, while the oxford cloth seat won’t easily rip. No matter if you’re using it for camping, hiking, or festivals, you’ll get some great use out of this comfortable chair.
- Weight Capacity: 242 lbs
- Carry Bag: Yes
- Type: Chair
- Material: Oxford Cloth
- Size: 14 x 5 x 3.5″
- Chair Weight: 2 lbs
ALPS Mountaineering Tri-Leg Stool
ALPS Mountaineering makes some of the best ultralight backpacking gear available, and this three-legged camping stool is no different! The frame is powder-coated to reduce rust and other wear and tear, while the fabric of the seat is made of durable polyester that is resistant to tearing. There is a shoulder bag that comes with the stool so you can easily transport it to your campsite – but if you’re backpacking, you can also use the included strap to attach it to your gear. Don’t give up on comfort for the sake of weight! Now you don’t have to. It folds down really small so you can get it in with the rest of your stuff and still have a comfortable place to sit down and rest your feet at the end of the day’s hike. The steel frame is sturdy and can support up to 250 pounds. That’s pretty amazing for how light it is!
- Weight Capacity: 250 lbs
- Carry Bag: Yes
- Type: 3-legged stool
- Material: Polyester
- Size: 14 x 14 x 16″
- Chair Weight: 2 lbs
Trekology YIZI GO Chair
If you are looking for an ultralight backpacking chair that can also double as your companion at outdoor events, the beach, or just regular camping – you’re in luck! The Trekology YIZI GO is a great, high-quality chair that can do all of that and more. Its durable poles and easy-to-clean seat make it a great choice for long trips into the backcountry. The poles are shock-corded, so it’s constructed much like a lightweight tent is. That’s pretty amazing! It’s available in red, green, black, blue, and yellow, so you’ll always have the color that you want. Besides that, the height of the chair is adjustable! Do you need to get closer to the fire? You can still sit in your chair, just adjust the height and you are good to be roasting marshmallows with everyone else. It’s got great lower back support after those long days on the trail, and the breathable mesh takes it to the next level!
- Weight Capacity: 300 lbs
- Carry Bag: Yes
- Type: Chair
- Material: Polyester
- Size: 11 x 4.3 x 6″
- Chair Weight: 2 lbs
Sportneer Camping Chairs
These light backpacking camp chairs by Sportneer come in a two-pack! For one low affordable price, you can get two of these amazing portable camp chairs in matching colors! If you don’t need two, they also have a single-chair version which is the same great chair. It only weighs 2 pounds, which is amazing because it can support up to 350lbs. It folds down small to fit into the carrying bag, which you can easily take on the go with you if you’d rather carrying it that way. The seat is low and the back is high, which is perfect for relaxation after a long hard hike. The aluminum shock-corded poles make it super easy to set this chair up, and it’s incredibly sturdy when it is set up! They are made of a premium aluminum alloy so that you are guaranteed quality and ease of use. Why suffer being uncomfortable on the trail when you don’t have to?
- Weight Capacity: 350 lbs
- Carry Bag: Yes
- Type: Chair
- Material: Nylon
- Size: 14.25 x 5.25″
- Chair Weight: 2 lbs
Sunyear Backpack Chair
Sunyear makes some of the best backpacking chairs on our list. They are completely collapsible and pack down small enough to easily get back into the carrying bag and fit perfectly alongside all of your other gear. It won’t be a hassle to carry at all! We love that there’s an included carrying case so that you can take it with you easily. It’s got a deep seat design that is super comfortable, and the soft mesh panels help to keep you cool even on the hottest of days. All of the poles are made of aircraft grade aluminum alloys and are shock corded so they are easy to collapse and to put together when you’re setting up. It’s a great choice for any outdoor event, but the lightweight feature makes it especially great for backpacking trips or long camping trips where you might be staying away from your car. We love how comfortable this seat is!
- Weight Capacity: 250 lbs
- Carry Bag: Yes
- Type: Chair
- Material: Nylon
- Size: 13.78 x 4.33 x 4.72″
- Chair Weight: 2 lbs
G4Free Portable Chair
This chair from G4Free is an amazingly portable chair that you’ll love to get to take with you on all of your long hiking trips. It’s super comfortable and will support you – and you’re really going to enjoy that you remembered to bring it with you. It’s made of oxford cloth, which is a breathable, waterproof material that will help you stay cool even on those really hot days. The aluminum legs are super sturdy and help the chair hold up to 200 pounds. It’s so easy to use, take, and store – and all with your comfort in mind. You can hang the carrying bag on your chair when it’s set up, making it perfect to hold all of your accessories, extra water bottles, or to keep cell phones safe in the mud or on the beach. It’s great for all sorts of outdoor activities, including concerts, festivals, and tailgate parties! We love this chair and you will too!
- Weight Capacity: 200 lbs
- Carry Bag: Yes
- Type: Chair
- Material: Oxford cloth
- Size: 14 x 4″
- Chair Weight: 2 lbs
MARCHWAY Camping Chair
This sturdy MARCHWAY camping chair comes in a variety of colors – including green and purple, which we hadn’t seen before we started this list! We love that level of customization. It’s simple to set up with shock-corded poles reminiscent of tent poles. The seat is made of high-quality ripstop nylon, so you can be sure that it’s not going to tear or give out on you. It’s ergonomically designed so that you can get the highest level of comfort available and not be in pain from standing up from a low position. The poles are aluminum and corrosion-resistant while still being ultralight. This 2-pound chair can hold up to 250 pounds without breaking a sweat! Use it outside for a barbeque, or pack it away in the back of your car just in case you’re ever in a position to need it. It won’t weigh you down and it doesn’t take up much room.
- Weight Capacity: 250 lbs
- Carry Bag: Yes
- Type: Chair
- Material: Nylon
- Size: 14.2 x 5.2″
- Chair Weight: 2 lbs
LetsFunny Camping Chair
This camping chair by LetsFunny comes in a beautiful cyan color that we didn’t see on any of the other chairs on our list! We love that! It’s got a heavy-duty construction with aluminum alloy frames and shock-corded poles for easy assembly and breaking down. And it has to be durable – it can hold up to 330 pounds before the poles really start to feel the weight. The seat is made of incredibly durable Oxford cloth that won’t rip easily or stain, and it’s also breathable and ergonomic so that you stay comfortable no matter how hot it is or how far you’ve walked that day. It’s good for all types of outdoor activities, including hunting and motorcycling, because it only weighs 2 pounds! It’s an easy addition to any gear that you already have. Don’t sacrifice your comfort because of other, bulky chairs that you can’t take with you! It’s the perfect seat for you!
- Weight Capacity: 330 lbs
- Carry Bag: Yes
- Type: Chair
- Material: Oxford cloth
- Size: 14 x 5″
- Chair Weight: 2 lbs