Camping Chairs

Camping Chairs 

I was taught camping in more of survivalist style that would shun even the talk of something like camping chairs.   Instead, we were taught to use a squatting position similar to the position a catcher would assume to allow us to “sit down”.   This served its purpose by keeping my backside dry from rain and the ground; however, it was murder on my knees.   I still don’t know why a catcher would want to do this for 9 innings!   Now, as I have gotten older my interest in camping has adjusted more from a man versus nature mentality to a comfort and enjoyment of nature mentality.   This has led me to the conclusion that camping chairs are a welcome addition to any camping site.

They are great for taking a load off and sitting around the campfire.   These especially come in handy around lunch and dinner as these tend to be closer to your customary eating position at home in a chair at the dinner table.

Camping chairs have several varieties which range from ones that do not have any back support at all to ones that have recliners and foot rests.   The prices are just as broad as they can range from anywhere between $20 to $100.   You can find a good working model for $40 to $50.   All the models are made of a polyester fabric which is resistant to water and tearing.   The frames are either made of steel or aluminum and have a folding frame designed to make them easier to store.   Finally, they all tend to be lightweight with a weight range of 2 to 20 lbs depending on the features and size of the camping chair.

To help you with your decision making process, I have included a number of tips to help you find the best one of the list of camping chairs available:

1.    Do not choose fancy ones with extended foot rests or recliners.   These are overkill and because of the additional working parts you will have more added weight to carry and a greater risk the camping chair will break down or lose a part.   You can just as easily set your feet up on a log or a cooler if you need a foot rest.   Also, the top of a cooler can double as a good table or place to lay out cooking food and equipment.

2.    Does it provide good support for your back and relatively comfortable?   There are a number of camping chairs that provide you with good comfort and support.   No need to go with a chair that has a rigid back, choose one that is comfortable to sit in.

3.    Choose one with a strong base.   Avoid anything that looks like it belongs on the beach.   These tend to be less durable and you don’t want the chair to break on you while camping.   I personally prefer ones that have a steel base and can open up and close by simply pulling apart or pushing together the ends.   These types usually come with a drink holder as well which can be handy although this is a non-essential.

4.    Easy to Get In and Out.   I also recommend choosing a chair that is easy to get in and out of.   Anything with a deep base would be bad as you will often have to get up to tend to the fire or adjust the cooking of some food.   Plus, if it is hard to get into the chair, you will end up wasting time trying to use it.

5.    Lighter is better.   Camping chairs are a minor addition to your camping equipment and for this reason, I would get chairs that weigh under 15 lbs.   Anything more than this and you are likely paying for additional features you really don’t need.

These tips should be enough to pick you a winner.   If you haven’t seen or used camping chairs in a while, I think you will be really impressed with some of the new designs and their functionality.   It is definitely a great idea to have a good camping chair when you camp.    They will help give your body a rest and save your knees.

*To get information on camping air mattresses, take a look at Camping Air Mattress.