Top 9 Backpacking Chairs for 2024
Compact and easy-to-carry seating options for backpacking, overnight camps, and any situation where a fallen tree or damp terrain isn’t suitable.
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A great camp chair is perfect for relaxed, easy seating at the park, beach, backyard, or campsite. While it might seem like an indulgence for serious wilderness adventures—often overlooked by weight-conscious hikers and ultralight backpackers—we’re always glad to bring one on short UL trips or car camping excursions. Thanks to advancements from trusted outdoor brands, it’s now simpler than ever to find a cozy, well-made camping chair that barely adds bulk or weight to your pack.
Continue scrolling to see our top selections for the best backpacking chairs. If you’d like to understand more about backpacking seating choices before making a decision, read on for a brief guide on key features to consider when choosing your ideal backpacking chair.
Field Mag’s Best Selections:
- Top Ultralight Backpacking Chair:
- Most Reliable Backpacking Chair:The Big Agnes Skyline UL Chair is a lightweight, compact seating solution designed for outdoor adventures. With its minimalist frame and durable materials, it offers comfort and portability for campers and hikers. The chair’s ultralight construction makes it easy to carry, while its sturdy design ensures reliable support in various terrains. Ideal for backpacking trips, the Skyline UL Chair combines convenience with functionality for those who prioritize efficiency in their gear.
- Top Reclining Backpacking Chair:The Nemo Moonlite Chair offers a lightweight and compact design, ideal for outdoor adventures. Its durable construction ensures reliability, while the ergonomic shape provides comfort during extended use. Perfect for camping, hiking, or relaxing in the backyard, this chair combines portability with functionality. The Nemo Moonlite Chair is designed for those who seek both convenience and performance in their gear.
- Top Choice for Versatile Backpacking Chairs:
- Most Compact Backpacking Chair:The Kelty Camp Chair
- The Lightest Backpacking Chair Available:The Therm-a-Rest Z Seat cushion
- The Most Distinctive Backpacking Chair:Sea To Summit Air Chair
- The Lightest Backpacking Chair Available:The Therm-a-Rest Z Seat cushion
- Top Backpacking Stool:Hillsound BTR Seat
What Defines an Ideal Backpacking Chair?
Weight
The primary specification to focus on is the total packed weight of our camping chair. Aim for the lowest possible figure—under two pounds is an ideal target. While an ultra-lightweight or low-weight camping chair may offer slightly less comfort compared to a full-size version, it still surpasses sitting on a rough log or compacted campsite surface.
Compactness
Even the largest backpacking packs have their capacity limits, making it essential to evaluate how compact a camping chair becomes when packed. When stored in their provided stuff sacks, a slender and elongated packed shape allows the chair to fit effortlessly into an external backpack pocket or be secured to a backpack’s daisy chain using web straps or shock cord.
Design and Functionality
When choosing the perfect camping chair, weight and packability are the top priorities, but the design and functionality should also align with your requirements. For instance, some chairs offer a seat height that keeps you slightly elevated, while others act as insulation against damp or chilly terrain. If relaxation is your goal, pay attention to the backrest’s recline angle—certain models may even feature a headrest for added comfort.
Top 9 Backpacking Camp Chairs for Outdoor Adventures
Top Ultralight Backpacking Chair:
Helinox’s ultralight folding camp chair stands out for its comfort, portability, and minimal pack weight. The chair features a lightweight aluminum frame with a durable ripstop polyester seat, designed to resist tears while supporting up to 265 pounds (the model increases this limit to 320lbs). For those with extra space and weight capacity, Helinox provides a range of accessories to enhance functionality, including options like and an . The brand’s updated ($170) version of the ultralight chair adds just six ounces but offers an extra seven and a half inches of back support—a worthwhile upgrade.
Most Durable Backpacking Chair: Big Agnes Skyline UL Chair
It’s no surprise that the trusted Colorado tent manufacturers also produce an exceptionally sturdy and cozy lightweight backpacking chair. The key to their chair’s design is the curved, lightweight aluminum poles, which create a steadier seating experience and a frame that assembles seamlessly without the need for heavy, plastic connection hubs. Made from ripstop polyester with a waterproof finish, it stays dry during sudden rain and can hold up to 275 pounds.
Weight:1 pound 11 ounces
Seat Height: 15”
Price:$150
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Top Reclining Backpacking Chair: Nemo Moonlite Chair
Lightweight camping chairs rarely offer adjustability, making Nemo’s version a pleasant surprise. Simply tweak the tension of the dual webbing straps to find your ideal reclining position and unwind! Underneath, a frame crafted from round and ovalized aluminum tubing delivers the perfect balance of flexibility and support, accommodating up to 300 pounds. Additionally, the chair’s prominent “feet” tips prevent it from sinking too far into softer ground.
Weight:1 pound 14 ounces
Seat Height: 10.5”
Price:$160
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Top Choice for Versatile Backpacking Chairs:
America’s leading outfitter has gained valuable insights into the design of its products, which explains why their one-pound camping chair has earned our top spot as the best overall choice. The foldable REI Flexlite Air Chair offers many of the same qualities as competing models, including a lightweight aluminum frame and a ripstop nylon seat, but at a significantly more affordable price. While the 250-pound weight capacity may deter some buyers and suggests a less sturdy build, it remains an excellent pick for numerous outdoor enthusiasts.
Best Compact Backpacking Chair: Kelty Camp Chair
Forgive us for stretching the traditional idea of a chair with Kelty’s legless camping chair. This compact, flat-packing ground seat features closed-cell foam padding for comfort and relies on internal composite stays to maintain its shape. Ideal for turning a log into a cozy spot or serving as a low-profile beach chair on sandy shores.
Most Innovative Backpacking Chair: Sea To Summit Air Chair
Chances are, you’re already carrying an inflatable sleeping pad along with your sleeping bag, which could double as a camp chair if you had this clever “chair” from Sea To Summit. Weighing just 8-10 oz more in your pack, the Air Chair holds your foldable inflatable or closed-cell foam sleeping pad to form a comfortable seat. While sitting, you can effortlessly adjust the reclining angle using two tensioning straps that extend along the chair’s length.
Best Ultralight Backpacking Chair: Therm-a-Rest Z Seat
For the ultimate minimalist backpacker seeking a dedicated seat without sacrificing lightweight performance, the Z Seat from OG Seattle camping mattress brand remains unbeatable, thanks to its featherlight 2 oz weight. The closed-cell foam sit pad folds in the signature Z shape, mirroring its larger counterpart, the Z-Lite Sol, and its compact size is barely larger than a standard one-liter water bottle. Word has it that a particular Field Mag gear reviewer even relies on theirs to add comfort to a home office chair.
Top Affordable Backpacking Chair: Trekology Yizi Lite
To say the least, Amazon offers an overwhelming variety of products. Although we can’t guarantee the durability of this portable, lightweight camping chair, its compact folded dimensions, low weight, and affordable cost are hard to overlook. Even with its questionable 200-pound weight limit, the chair includes practical additions such as a side pocket and a ground sheet for better stability on uneven terrain—features often sold as extras.
Weight:1 pound 10 ounces
Seat Height: 9.8”
Price:$57
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Top Backpacking Stool Choice: Hillsound BTR Stool
Disclaimer: While a stool isn’t technically a chair, we decided it deserved a spot on our list. This backpacking stool is crafted by Hillsound, a Vancouver-based company, and its product acronym perfectly captures our sentiment about camp seating: Better Than a Rock. Available in both 14” and 17” sizes, the stool meets the comfort and weight preferences of every ultralight backpacking enthusiast.
Weight:12.2 to 14.1 ounces
Seat Elevation: 14-17”
Price:$85-90
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Discover everything you need to know about every kind of camping chair in our comprehensive Camping Chair Deep Dive!
