The Best Camping Chair
A tank of a folding chair: an 800-lb-rated frame that survives years of campfires, tailgates, and abuse while staying genuinely comfortable. · Updated June 26, 2026
ALPS Mountaineering King Kong
★star.shop pickWirecutter pickReddit favoriter/BuyItForLife favorite
Pros
- Massively overbuilt frame rated to 800 lbs — owners report 8-10+ years of heavy use
- Wide, deep seat that's comfortable for big-and-tall folks; some say you can practically lounge in it like a hammock
- The chair everyone at camp keeps trying to steal — comfort that converts skeptics into buyers
- Repairable in practice: most failures are just a loose screw you can swap
- Backed by Wirecutter and overwhelmingly recommended across r/camping, r/CampingGear, and r/BuyItForLife
Cons
- Heavy and bulky when folded — strictly a car-camping chair, not for backpacking
- Takes up a lot of room in a packed vehicle; some owners leave it behind for that reason
- Classic bag-chair seat is fabric, which can break down faster if left in the sun and elements year-round
Minor nitpicks
- Fabric seat isn't field-replaceable like old aluminum webbed chairs
- $80 feels steep to some for a folding bag chair
The other picks
- RedditNemo Stargaze Reclining Camp Chair — Cited repeatedly as the most comfortable chair people have ever sat in — reclines and swings like a hammock, but pricey and bulky
- RedditHelinox Chair One — The go-to lightweight, packable pick when portability matters or for light backpacking
- RedditKelty Low Loveseat — Beloved two-person 'camp couch' for couples and lounging, though too low for eating at a table
- r/BuyItForLifeKermit Chair — USA-made oak-and-canvas chair prized as a true buy-it-for-life option, though expensive and direct-order only