My quest for a comfy camp chair. (1 Viewer)

[Kofoed]

I had an old school folding chair, with the replaceable webbing and real wood arm rests. Then some jack ass burned it.

So, after several attempts with the sling-type chairs, they are out. They cause me to slouch and that really irritates my back and neck and are out. I have one of the recliner type chairs, which is not all that comfortable and way too bulky.

I tried the MacCabee (now Mac Sports) aviator and it is really nice.

Amazon.com : The Aviator Portable Armchair in Black : Camping Chairs : Sports & Outdoors

But I finally found the one. It has a higher back, and it NOT a sling chair.

Kiljaro dual lock chair

Amazon.com: Kijaro Dual Lock Folding Chair (Cayman Blue Iguana): Sports & Outdoors

It comes with a "soft" arm rest or a "hard" arm rest version. I bought one of each, and the are equally comfortable. They are bulky and a bit flimsy, but the price is right to stock up.

 

[murf]

My favorite is this chair:Earth ultimate fishing chair, fishing chairs from Innovative Earth Products

Being over 6 foot I can recline the back and have comfy head support. I can nap in this thing

 

[richardlillard1]

I tried the ones from ALPS Mountaineering and while they were extremely comfortable, the durability left a lot to be desired as neither of them made it six months. They also don't sell or send replacement parts, but will send you a replacement if you contact them and jump through a couple hoops.

I like the costco director's chairs, but I still want something comfier than that.

 

[Dr Gil]

ARB Sport camping

 

[Hornd]

Heard great things about the Helinox.
Super Light, Super Comfortable.
Not cheap but if you look you can find a Generic Knock Off, I think Amazon

Personally I have a 2 pack of the Aluminum Director Chairs from Costco. They are nice but not the most comfortable.

 

[scrapdaddy]

Old school lawn chairs....Chairs

 

[TXLX100]

I had an old school folding chair, with the replaceable webbing and real wood arm rests. Then some jack ass burned it.

So, after several attempts with the sling-type chairs, they are out. They cause me to slouch and that really irritates my back and neck and are out. I have one of the recliner type chairs, which is not all that comfortable and way too bulky.

I tried the MacCabee (now Mac Sports) aviator and it is really nice.

Amazon.com : The Aviator Portable Armchair in Black : Camping Chairs : Sports & Outdoors

But I finally found the one. It has a higher back, and it NOT a sling chair.

Kiljaro dual lock chair

Amazon.com: Kijaro Dual Lock Folding Chair (Cayman Blue Iguana): Sports & Outdoors

It comes with a "soft" arm rest or a "hard" arm rest version. I bought one of each, and the are equally comfortable. They are bulky and a bit flimsy, but the price is right to stock up.

Kijaro is awesome chair for the money. Looks like they will last me about 2-3 years too with pretty heavy abuse. Muuuuucccchhh better than the $5-10 chairs.

 

[Corey]

Old school lawn chairs....Chairs

Now that brings back memories from the 60s and 70s.
I still have a nice Zip Dee clone or something that was close to that name from the late 80s early 90s.
It folds like those, but no webbing, all fabric, and wood handles.

Found it from 2008, the last time I used it.

 

[Kofoed]

Heard great things about the Helinox.
Super Light, Super Comfortable.
Not cheap but if you look you can find a Generic Knock Off, I think Amazon
View attachment 1465215

Personally I have a 2 pack of the Aluminum Director Chairs from Costco. They are nice but not the most comfortable.

I have the REI version which has the base rotated 90 degrees, so you don't feel like you are tipping over backward when you lean back. Being light and compact, it is good for me for day hiking to a lake to fish....otherwise too small, low and flimsy for camp lounging

 

[kbahus]

Old school lawn chairs are the only way to roll. You can pick them up cheap from garage sales, they are super light weight, don't sink in the sand, and are super comfortable. If space is a concern, strap them to the spare tire or the roof rack. If they get damaged or stolen you will only be out the $5 bucks you paid for them too.

 

[kybishop]

I have a few different ones depending on what I am going to be doing and how I am traveling.

Have a couple of these GCI trail slings. Real light and small, used them when I used to go backpacking. Don't think they make them anymore.

Have several of these. Real comfy. Legs tend to sink in the soft stuff. Pretty well made, more for car camping or outdoor get togethers.

My brother has one of the older LL Bean camp chairs that had large feet and ventilated seat bottom and back. Really nice chair. I don't think they make it anymore. Like this;

I agree with the old school lawn chairs comment. I dig anything retro. I like the old vintage beach chairs myself.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Old school chairs here. Garage sale finds for under $3
Ace for webbing Frost King® Lawn Furniture Re-Webbing - Green with White Stripes (PW39G) - Outdoor Furniture Replacement Parts - Ace Hardware

The big thing is they are freaking light, the origami style steel chairs weigh a ton. No big deal until you want to hike down to the lake or have to carry them down to the community campfire. The uber light circa 1970-80 aluminium chairs shine for that stuff.

 

[chudly]

I have a chair from mountain summit gear which I love and always gets snatched up when out camping. It's called the low boy beach chair. I picked it up from REI but I no longer see it there. I like it cause it has the cupholder and arm rests unlike most of the low chairs out there.

Can't find it on amazon either but I did find these which look very similar!
Actually I think this is from the same manufacturer. the legs are identical to what I have.
Amazon.com : TravelChair Frenchcut Steel Folding Beach and Camp Chair, Lime : Camping Chairs : Sports & Outdoors

This one looks pretty good as well
Amazon.com : Kelty Lowdown Mesh Camp Chair, Smoke/Paradise Blue : Sports & Outdoors

non mesh version
Amazon.com : Kelty Lowdown Camp Chair - Smoke / Paradise Blue : Sports & Outdoors

This style chair has easily been the most comfortable for me and great for lounging around the camp site!

a bit of detail::

it's slightly reclined which is what makes it so comfortable instead of sitting completely upright.

 

[george_tlc]

The problem with most of these chairs is that the feet/crossbars etc are held with cheap rivets into plastic blocks. With time the rivets break (can be replaced with bolts and nylocs) and sometimes the plastic blocks break. They seem to all be built by the same cheap factory or the cheap factory next door to the other cheap factory...

The lawn chairs are pretty simple to repair (though of course they also rely on cheap rivets to hold various pieces together). Repairs are pretty easy if you have some spare bolts and nylocs with you.

Yes, I keep spare bolts/nylocs with me - nothing worse than a 2 - 4 week trip away from towns/shops and having a broken chair...

cheers,
george.

 

[4WD Swagman]

The problem with most of these chairs is that the feet/crossbars etc are held with cheap rivets into plastic blocks. With time the rivets break (can be replaced with bolts and nylocs) and sometimes the plastic blocks break. They seem to all be built by the same cheap factory or the cheap factory next door to the other cheap factory...

The lawn chairs are pretty simple to repair (though of course they also rely on cheap rivets to hold various pieces together). Repairs are pretty easy if you have some spare bolts and nylocs with you.

Yes, I keep spare bolts/nylocs with me - nothing worse than a 2 - 4 week trip away from towns/shops and having a broken chair...

cheers,
george.

Yup.

Any of you guys used one of these?

American Camp Chair | Hand crafted for people who enjoy the outdoors

It's based on the Fenby patent "paragon" chair of the 1880s which is the granddaddy of the various tubular steel "umbrella" chairs being churned out by the thousands in Chinese factories. No plastic here - the plastic blocks of which George speaks above were originally folded steel brackets.

Timber, steel and canvas trumps plastic, nylon and thin-wall base metal tubing any day.

Of course, the price on these is a killer. Better to make your own I reckon

 

[NMC_EXP]

For me sling chairs fall under "not even maybe".

Modern fairly rigid folders are heavy and bulky.

It's either an old school lawn chair or a simple folding stool. Just bought two Coleman folding stools and we'll see how they hold up.

I bought a Creedmoor folding stool/gear bag combo 25 years ago and am still using it to lug 20 lbs of gear up and down a rifle range and hold up my 250 lbs. These things are built tough:

SERVICE RIFLE STOOL

If my Coleman stool can't hack it, I'll buy another Creedmoor stool.

 

[Corey]

Yup.

Any of you guys used one of these?

American Camp Chair | Hand crafted for people who enjoy the outdoors

It's based on the Fenby patent "paragon" chair of the 1880s which is the granddaddy of the various tubular steel "umbrella" chairs being churned out by the thousands in Chinese factories. No plastic here - the plastic blocks of which George speaks above were originally folded steel brackets.

Timber, steel and canvas trumps plastic, nylon and thin-wall base metal tubing any day.

Of course, the price on these is a killer. Better to make your own I reckon

Yes, I have one of them I bought from Mike at Autohome when they first came out.
It is one of the most comfortable chairs I have sat in.
I also have a nice Blue Ridge Chair Works one, I like it too.
The Blue Ridge Chair | Blue Ridge Chair

 

[poseidon]

We have had a set of the previous version of these for several years now. They are pretty heavy but super comfortable and well built. We have them on our back deck now and they get used several times a week. I don't see them on the manufacturers website but Amazon still has them.

Amazon.com : ALPS Mountaineering Riverside Chair : Heavy Duty Folding Chair : Sports & Outdoors

 

[Corbet]

I just got a Kermit Chair. Kermit Chair Company | The Original Touring Chair | Motorcycle Camping Chair

It's super comfortable to sit in and quality is very good, but is too low to the ground for my liking. They offer leg extensions that I may try out. Or let my son have it and get something else. I've been eye balling that American Camp Chair posted above. But it's pricy and does not fold down very small. The Kermit Chair is small enough folded to consider taking it backpacking.

 

[surfpig]