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A Guide On How To Choose The Best Camping
Camping chairs aren't just for camping - they're also great for fishing, BBQs, parties, picnics, school concerts, sports days, the garden, watching outdoor sport, music and movies by moonlight. A portable chair can make all this so much more comfortable so you can sit back, relax and unwind. This Buying Guide outlines the key things to consider to make choosing a camping chair easier.
What is the best camping chair?
- We're all different with different needs and wants, so the chair that's best for one person might not suit you. The best camping chair for you depends on your unique needs:
- Where you'll be using the chair (at the beach, on rainy days, on cold or really hot days?)
- How comfortable you want it to be (are you prepared to spend more for extra comfort?)
- How often you'll be using it (only an hour here or there or for hours on end each time?)
- If you have health issues (do have a bad back or sore knees that make getting up hard?
- How tall you are (the height of the chair needs to be compatible with your height)
- Who will use the chair (it needs to be strong enough to support the heaviest person's weight)
- Whether you want extra design features (cup holder, side table , head rest, foot rest, pockets)
- How far you want to be able to carry it (it needs to be light enough for you to carry that far)
- How compact you want it to be (how much space do you want it to take up in the car?)
- How easy it needs to be to set up (in a couple of seconds or longer if it's for a few days?)
- How long you want it to last (for a few hours here and there, or for many years of camping?)
This Buying Guide explores all this to help you choose the best camping chair for your needs.
What chair should you buy for camping?
Camping chairs are much more compact than the outdoor chairs you use at home, taking up a lot less space in your car and making packing everything into the car easier.
1. Types
What are the different designs of camping chairs?
Camping chairs can broadly be classified as:
- Basic
- Stools
- Compact folding chairs
- Beach chairs (super low so it sits just above the sand)
- Mid-range
- Folding chairs that usually come with a bag so they're easy to carry.
- Director's chairs (normal chair height)
- Bench seat
- Moon chairs
- Kids chairs
- High chairs
- Luxury
- Super comfy with head, leg and arm rests - the ultimate way to unwind.
- Recliners
- 2 and 3-seater loungers
- Rocking chairs
- Hammocks
The chair price tends to increase as you move from basic to mid-range to luxury designs.
2. Use
Think about how you'll be using your chair. How far will you have to carry it? How many hours or days will you be sitting in it for at a time? How comfortable do you want it to be?
What's the best camping chair for:
- Backpacking
- Stools and compact folding chairs.
- They're small and light so easy to carry.
- Perfect for cooking and sitting by the fire.
- Camping
- Fold out chairs and benches are great for short-term camping trips.
- Recliners and loungers are bigger and heavier so suit longer glamping trips.
- Fishing
- Stools, folding chairs and recliners .
- Their size and weight varies.
- Arm and back rests keep you comfortable while waiting for the fish to bite.
- Outings
- Stools and folding chairs are great for any kind of outing.
- An easy-to-carry bag makes them perfect for events and get-togethers.
- The Beach
- Beach chairs are great for reading and low to the ground so won't blow away.
- Hammocks, recliners and loungers are great for longer stints at a beach house.
- Festivals
- Beach chairs, stools and folding chairs are great for festivals.
- If you're carrying the chair there, think about how heavy it is to carry.
Shop Our Camping & Hiking Range
3. Size & Weight
Who's going to use the chair - now and in the future?
It needs to be:
- Strong enough for anyone who may sit in it (check the chair's maximum weight).
- The right size for the person who'll sit in it (higher chairs are better for taller people).
- Light enough to be carried as far as you need to carry it (just to the car or for 20 mins?)
- The right height so it's easy to get in and out of (especially with knee or back problems).
- The right height to fit under your camping table (if you have one or are getting a table.
4. Set-Up Simplicity
How easy do you want setting up and packing the chair to be?
- Little stools and compact chairs simply pop-out in a a few seconds.
- Folding chairs and recliners are heavier, harder to carry and take longer to set up.
5. Parts
The 9 Parts of a Chair
Padding
- Chairs with cushioned padding are more comfortable.
- Can take a while to dry if your padded chair gets wet.
- Can provide lumbar support if you have a bad back.
Rests
- A head rest, leg rest and/or arm rests for extra comfort and support.
- Head rests can be removable or adjustable.
- Leg rests can usually be moved up and down or removed entirely.
Cup/wine glass holders
- Holds your drink so it doesn't get knocked over.
- Can be insulated to keep your drink nice and cold.
Side table
- Perfect for your drink, plate, book or magazine.
- Can take the place of a big, bulky camping table.
Pockets
- Handy storage that keeps everything organised.
- Perfect for your phone, sunscreen and bug spray.
Cooler Bag
- Keeps your drinks and snacks within easy reach.
- The ultimate in convenience for fishing trips.
Carry Bag
- Most camping chairs come with a carry bag.
- A bag with a strap makes the chair easy to carry.
- Fill the carry bag with sand and it's a beach pillow!
Frame
- Creates the chair's structure and strength.
- A stronger chair is sturdier and lasts longer.
- Aluminium's lighter than steel, but steel's stronger.
- Powder coated steel lasts longer than regular steel.
- Cross-bracing creates extra strength.
- Some frames have the ability to recline.
Fabric
- Covers the frame and contributes to your comfort level.
- Some fabrics can handle getting wet better than others.
- Should be fast-drying if used around water or on rainy days.
- Chairs with an open weave shed water and dry faster.
- Mesh ventilation increases air flow and keeps you cool.
- Light colours won't get as hot in the sun as dark colours.
- Nylon is thin and light and deteriorates with sun exposure over time.
- Polyester is thicker, handles sun exposure better and lasts longer than nylon.
- Weight
- The fabric's thickness is given in denier (D).
- A lower denier is lighter but less durable.
- Higher denier fabrics are longer lasting.
- Durability - RipStop fabric helps prevent rips so your chair lasts longer.
6. Quality
When you're weighing up which chair to buy, think about quality versus cost:
- Nylon chairs are the cheapest but they won't last as long as polyester.
- Basic and mid-range stools and folding chairs are cheaper than recliners.
- Recliners are the most expensive but are also extremely comfortable.
When it comes to how much you should spend on a chair:
- If you'll only use it for a few hours every now and then, a cheap one should do the trick.
- Cheaper chairs don't last as long as chairs that cost more, so you get what you pay for.
- If you want to camp in comfort, it's worth spending a bit more on a good-quality chair.
- Comfort is the difference between an enjoyable and an unforgettable experience.
What is the most durable camping chair?
Compare the materials used for the frame and fabric to determine which of the chairs you're interested in will last the longest.
How much are camping chairs?
Anaconda chairs range from $10 to $230, and the majority of Anaconda's camping chairs are $25 to $100.
When you go to the camping furniture section on the Anaconda website, you'll see tick box filters down the left hand side of the page. Using these filters makes working out which chair to buy easier and faster because you can choose to filter the chairs you see by their:
- Categories - so only recliners, chairs and stools, or kids chairs are shown.
- Price - so you only see chairs that are within your budget on the page.
- Deal - so you only see all the chairs that are on sale or at clearance prices.
- Colour - so you only look at chairs in the colours you like.
- Brand - so you can find specific brands like Spinifex, Dune 4WD and Oztrail.
Other Camping & Hiking Essentials
Check out Anaconda's range of Camping & Hiking products available online or visit your local store.
