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Do you like to go hiking, fishing or camping in nature? In nature you can experience a lot and also move a lot, but you also need a break sometimes.
Especially on long hikes, when fishing or camping, a seat is welcome in between or for longer periods. But benches are not available everywhere.
It is worth buying a camping chair so that you can take a break independently of public park benches or sit down to fish at a body of water.
There are inexpensive models. Most are quite light and easy to set up and take down. In our big camping chair test 2023 we introduce you to different camping chairs. We give you background information and criteria that you can use to find the right camping chair for you.
Summary
- Camping chairs are great for a range of outdoor activities such as fishing, music festivals, or more classically, camping.
- There are several types of camping chairs, differing significantly in size as well as carrying capacity and ergonomics. At least they all have one thing in common; they are easy to transport and relatively quick to set up and take down.
- Many modern models are also designed to conform, so cup holders, footrests and headrests are now standard.
The best Camping Chair: Our Picks
![Vango Goliath Padded Camping Chair - Smoke/Black, X-Large [Amazon Exclusive]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41Rm3Umj7uL._SL500_.jpg)
Guide: Questions you should ask yourself before buying a camping chair
To find the right camping chair, you should know in advance what it will be used for and what features you expect.
However, so that you can be as sure as possible, I have summarised all the important information for you below.
What characterises a camping chair?
For this reason, almost all available models have a relatively low weight. For longer journeys, for example when hiking, a high weight of, for example, 15 kg or more is extremely unconventional, so that a low weight is a must.
It is also designed to be relatively quick to set up and take down. Both when camping and on the balcony, a quick set-up is an advantage and is therefore considered comfortable by many people.
Of course, there are several variants of camping chairs that differ, among other things, in that they can be assembled and disassembled in different ways.
The material also plays an important role; most models are either made of fabric or a light metal. The material therefore has a great influence on both the weight and the robustness.
Since these chairs are designed for outdoor activities, many products are also characterised by their weather resistance.
A camping chair is primarily characterised by practical features for leisure activities such as camping, hiking or festivals.
In addition, the trend is towards conformity as well as wellness, so many manufacturers are working to market camping chairs that are as comfortable as possible.
What are the uses of a camping chair?
Several features are important for camping or hiking. Therefore, always check before buying whether the respective product also fulfils these requirements in order to avoid unpleasant surprises.
In this area, a camping chair is important that has a particularly low weight so that it can be transported without great effort.
In addition, it should be weather-resistant, for example, so that it does not rust in the long term in the event of unexpected rain. You should also pay attention to robustness. Low-quality feet can rapidly become a bottleneck in stony terrain.
For festivals or campfires, it’s more a matter of personal preference. Although a certain degree of robustness is a prerequisite due to the ground, it is up to you whether conformity is the top priority or whether it should simply be a chair that serves its purpose.
For the balcony, for example, these properties are less of an issue, as the surface is harmless and the chair can be quickly moved indoors/ in the flat in case of bad weather.
However, the focus here is obviously on conformity. Therefore, a product that has a soft seat and, for example, a drink holder is a good choice.
Decision: What types of camping chairs are there and which is the right one for you?
Basically, you can distinguish between six different types / kinds of camping chairs:
- Folding chair
- Folding chair
- Director’s chair
- Helinox chair
- Camping stool
- Relax lounger
What are folding chairs and what are the advantages and disadvantages of folding chairs?
The folding chair is the most common type. As the name suggests, it is a camping chair that can be quickly folded up and down.
Folding chairs are not as robust, so most models can hardly carry more than 100 kg.
What are folding chairs and what are the advantages and disadvantages of folding chairs?
Folding chairs, as the name suggests, fold up and down, so they are relatively quick to set up.
In addition, they are usually equipped with an armrest, which is often accompanied by a drink holder.
What are director’s chairs and what are the advantages and disadvantages of director’s chairs?
Director’s chairs have a much more complex design than other types and are therefore particularly robust.
In addition, the feet, which are built in the form of crossed struts, ensure a high degree of stability.
Another feature is the low weight, which is even less than that of folding chairs.
What are Helinox chairs and what are the advantages and disadvantages of Helinox chairs?
This design allows the chair to be folded extremely small so that it can be stored in a space-saving way. Due to their robustness, they are also designed for heavy weights. For this reason, they are particularly popular among hikers.
What is a camping stool and what are the advantages and disadvantages of camping stools?
A camping stool is basically a stool that can be set up or folded, depending on its design. Due to its nature, it saves the most space; some models are hardly bigger than a pencil case.
However, it does not have a backrest, which can lead to back pain for some people. In addition, it is notoriously not very robust.
What is a recliner and what are the advantages and disadvantages of recliners?
A recliner is a chair that has an area for putting the feet down and has been designed in a way that allows the person to lie down like a recliner.
Here, conformity comes first, so it is best suited for the balcony or for an evening around the campfire.
Buying criteria: Use these factors to compare and evaluate camping chairs
In the following we would like to show you which factors you can use to compare and evaluate camping chairs. This will make it easier for you to decide whether a particular camping chair is suitable for you or not.
In summary, these are:
- Robustness and stability
- Compliant
- Assembly and disassembly
Robustness and stability
A good product is characterised by high stability and a certain degree of robustness. This means that the chair stands securely and firmly even on uneven terrain, and it does not suffer from a heavy weight even over long distances.
These can be determined according to two factors:
- The construction
- The material
To address the first point; regardless of the variant, good camping chairs are constructed in a professional manner and thus guarantee above-average support for their class.
But the variant is also important; director’s chairs, for example, are inherently more stable and robustly constructed than folding or collapsible chairs.
To address the second point; as already mentioned, most products are made of fabric or a light metal. Folding chairs, for example, are usually made of fabric.
These guarantee less support than aluminium, for example. However, they also differ from each other
Models with a tear-resistant material such as polyester are always preferable to a material such as cotton.
Products with a light metal frame such as aluminium are suitable for hiking and camping; they are stable and have a long service life.
The seat and head area, on the other hand, is usually made of a fabric to ensure a certain degree of conformity.
Comfort
Of course, the best comfort cannot be achieved if the seat or, as the case may be, the reclining and backrest surface is made of a hard material. Therefore, these areas are made of a fabric in almost all products.
For this reason, the basic rule is: the softer the fabric, the more pleasant it is to use.
However, the material alone is not the decisive factor for conformity. The construction plays a role that should not be underestimated.
Camping stools, for example, offer almost exclusively practical benefits, while the relaxation lounger is only designed for conformity.
However, if you want to acquire a camping chair that can be used almost anywhere as well as providing a comfortable seating position, the Helinox chair as well as the director’s chair is an excellent choice.
Assembly and disassembly
For some people, conformity as well as other criteria such as robustness are most important, so they don’t worry about assembly.
However, if you want a camping chair that allows for quick and easy assembly and disassembly, it is advisable to take a closer look at the respective product.
Folding chairs are not least known for their easy handling and quick installation. This saves you time and allows you to concentrate more on other things. Moreover, even a layman will have no problems setting up and dismantling.
However, keep in mind that models of the same type also differ in terms of installation. For example, a folding chair is not just a folding chair.
Trivia: Interesting facts about camping chairs
Camping chairs are true all-rounders when it comes to travelling, camping and the like. Their design makes them quicker to set up than conventional chairs, as well as lighter and more space-saving.
What is the normal weight?
The weight of camping chairs depends on the material and size. While the stool variant still has the lowest weight (300 – 500 grams).
Folding and folding chairs weigh a little more, even if the figures are rather low. On average, they weigh about 2 – 5 kilograms.
Director’s chairs are about lighter and range from 1.5 – 4.5 kilograms.
Helinox chairs are robust and offer great conformability. Weights of sometimes less than one kilogram are not uncommon.
Relax loungers offer the greatest conformity and also have the largest seating or, in this case, lying surface. The weight here is around 4.5 – 8.5 kilograms.
History of the camping chair
An exact beginning cannot be determined, as the classification has not existed for long. Variants such as the folding chair or the folding chair, on the other hand, have been known for a long time and are today largely assigned to the camping chair category.
The Tripolina was a folding chair invented by the Englishman Jospeh B. Fenbaz at the end of the 19th century. It was a folding chair made of wood with metal swivel joints and animal skin covering.
Before the Second World War, it was built in Libya by the Italians and was used in particular on beaches as a camping chair. One of its special features at the time was its great stability. In 1960, the industrial designer Ludovico Magistretti brought a fabric-covered Tripolina version onto the market.
Folding chairs are considerably older, with the first records dating back to ancient Egypt. But folding chairs were also in demand in the Roman Empire. The curular chair of theRoman magistrates and the seat of the emperor were also folding chairs.
In the Middle Ages, the folding chair was used particularly often. It was also considered a liturgical piece of furniture. From the 15th and 16th centuries, it was often used in combination with side and back rests. Nowadays, the folding chair is mainly used in the garden and camping.
Image source: unsplash.com / The Digital Marketing Collaboration
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