20 BEST Camping Chairs of 2023

There’s nothing like sitting out by a campfire under the stars in your trusty camp chair. If you’re looking for the best camping chairs for chillin’ outside, the choices can be overwhelming. There are thousands of options to choose from!

As someone who’s currently living the vanlife, and who’s spent the better part of a decade hiking and camping, I’ve spent a significant portion of my life sitting in camping chairs. I’ve used cheapo Walmart chairs, overbuilt luxury recliners, and ultralight backpacking stools. I’ve tested dozens of different chairs, and I’m picky when it comes to comfort and functionality.

Finding the right camp chair is a very subjective choice. You need one that fits you comfortably and that works for how you want to use it, whether that’s lounging outside your RV or hiking deep into the backcountry.

I’ll show you the 20 best camp chairs I’ve found, and help you decide which is best for you.

For decades, all camp chairs looked pretty much the same: folding x-shaped metal frames with floppy fabric seats, backs, and armrests. If you were lucky, you might get a cupholder. They weren’t that comfy, were big and bulky, and you had to carry them in stupid shoulder bags that always seemed to rip.

In 2012, Helinox changed all that by inventing the most lightweight, portable camping chair ever using a collapsible design inspired by tent poles. The original Helinox Chair One is still one of their best-selling products, and they’ve expanded their lineup to include a huge range of lightweight, packable, and functional camp furniture.

For a chair to make our top pick for the best overall camping chair, it needed to be extremely comfortable, small when packed away, sturdy, and easy to use. The Helinox Sunset Chair is all of that in a stylish, compact (and pricey) package.

The Sunset Chair far outperforms standard chairs in comfort. Rather than the typical saggy seat and back, it supports your body comfortably. The high-back design lets you lean back, and the seat height is high enough to be easy to get in and out of but low enough that you can stretch out your legs.

I also love the headrest pillow holder that gives you an option for even more support and comfort for your head and neck.

This Helinox chair has built-in side pockets that are perfect for smaller items like keys, wallets, and flashlights, though you won’t be able to fit a cup or anything larger in there.

The innovative design also makes it very…