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Camping, Bushcraft & Survival

Camping Equipment: How Do I Choose The Best Camping Chair?

Camping chairs are a key part of camping equipment, but which one should you buy?

Camping chairs are a key part of any camper’s camping equipment. Photo: iStock

Camping chairs are one of the most important yet often forgotten pieces of camping equipment. Anyone who has ever been camping will know that a chair is a highly sought-after item.

When you’ve spent a long day pacing around a festival or hiking through the wilderness, you don’t want to sit on the ground and get your pants dirty. Especially if you are at a UK campsite and the ground is damp.

Camping: Here’s Everything You Need To Know

So what should you look for in a camping chair? There are a whole range of shapes, sizes and prices available in camping shops. It all depends on where you will be camping and how much you want to spend.

Generally there are three different types of camping chairs: traditional camp chairs, portable camp chairs and backcountry camp chairs.

TRADITIONAL CAMPING CHAIRS

These tend to be large and bulky, but they are definitely the most comfortable camping chairs. Traditional camp chairs sit higher off the ground and have good back support. If you are travelling in a campervan, you will want one of these chairs.

They aren’t great however if you are hiking any distance with your camping equipment, because they are too cumbersome to carry far. You can even get ones with side tables and heated seating pads!

VANGO HAMPTON RELAXER CHAIR

Photo: Vango

Price: £75

Vango’s Hampton Relaxer chair is new for 2017. It’s a fully reclining lounger camping chair for the camping pros among you. It is super comfortable with a padded headrest, plus it is made from durable DuoWeave material which means it will last you for years to come.

KINGCAMP MOON LEISURE CHAIR

Photo: KingCamp

Price: £25

If comfort is top of your priority list, check out this moon camping chair from KingCamp. It is so comfortable, you won’t want to ever get out of it. The moon chair is made with a lightweight steel frame and it comes with a bag, so you can collapse it down and store it away in your campervan. Colour wise, you can pick from blue, red or green, plus it is reasonably priced at just £25.

PORTABLE CAMPING CHAIRS

These are smaller and lighter than traditional camping chairs. They tend to fold up a little quicker and are much easier to cart around the place, which is important when it comes to camping equipment. You wouldn’t take one of these camping chairs on a backpacking trip, but you would carry a portable chair further than a traditional chair.

QUEST TRAVELLER KENT WRAP AROUND CHAIR

Photo: Quest

Price: £30

If you want a comfortable but light and portable chair, check out the Quest Traveller Kent. It’s a wrap-around chair, similar to the moon chair above but more portable. It is compact in size – just 80cm x 15cm – and folds away easily into a handy carry bag.

VANGO ORMOND CHAIR

Photo: Vango

Price: £12

For something a little more lightweight and compact, try the Vango Ormond chair. It is a camping stool rather than a chair but does offers some back support. The main bonus with this chair is it is very portable, you can just sling it on your back. Unlike a backpacking chair, it is comfortable and keeps your bum off the ground.

BACKPACKING CAMPING CHAIRS

Backpacking chairs are the lightest and most compact chairs of all. This is because they are suited for backpackers who will be carrying all of their camping equipment on their backs. They aren’t as comfortable as the chairs above, but they are the only option if you are travelling on foot.

THERMAREST TREKKER CHAIR KIT

Photo: Thermarest

Price: £30

Thermarest are the kings of comfort when it comes to camping equipment. If you have ever tried one of their sleeping mats, you will know what I mean. The Trekker chair kit is a clever combination of the two. It’s actually a chair sleeve that turns your NeoAir mattress into a seating pad during the day. Great if you are travelling super light and don’t want to cart a full chair with you.

HELINOX GROUND CHAIR

Photo: Helinox

Price: £85

Don’t fancy a seat pad? Helinox have made a backpacking chair that has revolutionised the way backpackers sit on the trail. It’s a super lightweight aluminium alloy chair that weighs just half a kilogram. It is very comfortable and easy to put together once you’ve got the knack. The downside is it is expensive, but many campers say the cost is totally worth it.

Make sure you also take a look at our guides to camping stoves, winter sleeping bags, winter tents and women’s camping equipment.

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