Types of Camping Chair: How to Choose the Right One
· Updated
There is no single best camping chair, only the right one for how you travel. If you drive to the pitch and park beside your tent, comfort wins and weight barely matters. If you carry everything on your back, every gram counts and a chair that packs to the size of a water bottle earns its place. Get that trade-off right and the rest is detail.
This guide covers the main types of camping chair, what each weighs, how small it packs, and the features worth paying for. It is part of the complete UK camping gear guide from Camping Sites in Britain, where you can find and compare campsites, caravan parks and glamping across the UK.
The one decision that matters: car camping or backpacking
Choose your chair by how it reaches the pitch, not by how it looks in the shop. A car camper can happily carry a 3kg padded recliner because the only carry is from boot to tent. A backpacker walking 15 miles to a wild camp needs a chair under 1kg that disappears into a rucksack. Almost every other feature follows from this.
As a rule, comfort and weight pull in opposite directions. Bigger frames, thicker padding, higher backs and cup holders all add bulk. Compact chairs strip those away to save weight and pack size. Decide which side you sit on before you compare models.
The main types of camping chair compared
Six chair styles cover almost every camper. The table gives typical weights and pack sizes so you can match a type to your trip before reading the detail below.
| Type | Typical weight | Pack size | Best for | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic folding chair | 2.5kg to 3.5kg | Long and slim, boot only | Car camping, festivals | Good |
| Low or moon chair | 3kg to 5kg | Bulky, boot only | Campfire lounging | Very good |
| High-back recliner | 3.5kg to 6kg | Large, boot only | Long relaxed sits, naps | Excellent |
| Compact packable (Helinox style) | 0.7kg to 1.1kg | Fits a rucksack side pocket | Backpacking, bikepacking | Fair to good |
| Three-legged stool | 0.5kg to 1.2kg | Very small | Fast, light, minimal sits | Basic |
| Recliner with footrest | 4kg to 8kg | Very large, boot only | Relaxing at a fixed pitch | Excellent |
Classic folding chairs
The classic folding chair is the default for a reason: it is sturdy, sits at a normal height and costs very little. Most have a fabric seat on a steel or aluminium frame, armrests and often a cup holder in one arm. They weigh 2.5kg to 3.5kg and fold flat or into a long tube bag. They are ideal for car camping and festivals, where you want a proper seat and do not care about pack size. Steel frames cost less but weigh more; aluminium versions shave off some weight for a little more money.
Low and moon chairs
Low chairs sit you closer to the ground, which suits campfires, beaches and anywhere you want to lean back and relax rather than sit upright at a table. Moon chairs are the padded, bowl-shaped version, deeply comfortable and popular for long evenings outside. Both are heavier and bulkier than a standard folding chair, so they belong in the boot, not on your back. A lower centre of gravity also makes them stable on soft or uneven ground.
High-back recliners
A high-back recliner is the most comfortable seat you can bring to a pitch you drive to. The tall back supports your neck and head, and many models recline through several positions so you can sit up for dinner or lie back for a nap. Expect padded fabric, a headrest and a weight of 3.5kg to 6kg. These are for campers who prioritise comfort and have the boot space, not for anyone counting grams.
Compact packable chairs (Helinox style)
Compact packable chairs are what changed backpacking. A shock-corded aluminium frame clips together and a fabric seat hooks over it, giving you a real chair that weighs under 1kg and packs down to roughly the size of a 1-litre bottle. The Helinox Chair One is the original and best known, at about 0.89kg, and dozens of similar designs now exist at every price. They sit lower than a folding chair and take a moment to assemble, but for backpacking, bikepacking and anywhere pack size matters, nothing else comes close. If you are building a light kit, they pair naturally with the rest of your lightweight camping gear.
Stools
A three-legged stool is the lightest and smallest seat going, often under 700g. There is no back and no armrests, so it is a perch rather than a lounger, but it gets you off wet ground in seconds and packs to almost nothing. Stools suit fast, light trips, anglers and anyone who only sits briefly. If comfort over a long evening matters, look elsewhere.
Chairs with footrests
Chairs with a built-in or attached footrest, including zero-gravity recliners, are the armchairs of the campsite. Raising your feet takes pressure off your legs and back, which is bliss after a long walk. They are the heaviest and bulkiest option, commonly 4kg to 8kg, and only make sense at a fixed pitch you drive to. Zero-gravity models tilt into a near-flat, weightless recline that many campers find better than a lounger.
Weight ratings: check before you sit
Every camping chair has a maximum user weight, and it is worth checking rather than assuming. Most standard chairs are rated to around 100kg to 120kg, heavy-duty models to 150kg or more, and some ultralight packable chairs to only 90kg to 120kg because the slim frame saves weight. Exceeding the rating risks a bent frame or a collapse, so match the chair to the person, and if you are between figures, size up. Reinforced frames and wider legs also help on soft ground, where a narrow leg can sink and tip.
Features worth paying for
Features add comfort and convenience but also weight, so pick the ones that suit your camping. The list below covers what you will actually see on the shelf.
- Cup holders: standard on folding and director style chairs, genuinely useful, and they add almost no weight. Rare on packable chairs where every gram counts.
- Insulated seats: a padded or fleece-lined seat holds warmth, which is worth having for cold-weather and shoulder-season camping alongside your thermal clothing for cold-weather camping.
- Rocking function: curved bars or sprung feet let the chair rock gently. Relaxing round a fire, but heavier and only for firm, level ground.
- Reclining and headrests: multiple recline positions and a padded headrest turn a seat into a nap spot. Adds weight and bulk.
- Side pockets and organisers: handy for a phone, book or head torch, and they weigh next to nothing.
- Armrests: padded or hardwood arms add comfort. Backpacking chairs often drop them to save weight.
Matching the chair to the trip
The right chair depends on the trip, not on a single winner. For car camping and festivals, a classic folding chair or a high-back recliner gives the most comfort for the money. For campfire evenings, a low or moon chair is hard to beat. For backpacking and any trip where you carry your kit, a compact packable chair or a stool is the only sensible choice. Comfort is easy on the ground you can reach a pitch by comparing seats near the best sleeping mats for comfort, since the same car-camping-versus-backpacking logic applies to both.
Whichever you choose, a good chair only matters once you have somewhere to pitch it. Browse and compare thousands of sites across the country in the Camping Sites in Britain directory.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best type of camping chair for backpacking?
A compact packable chair such as a Helinox-style design is best for backpacking. These weigh under 1kg and pack to roughly the size of a 1-litre bottle. If you want even less weight, a three-legged stool under 700g is the lightest option.
How much should a camping chair weigh?
It depends on the trip. Car camping chairs typically weigh 2.5kg to 6kg, which is fine when you only carry them from the boot. Backpacking chairs should sit under 1kg, and stools can weigh as little as 500g.
What weight can a camping chair hold?
Most standard camping chairs are rated to 100kg to 120kg. Heavy-duty models support 150kg or more, while some ultralight packable chairs are limited to around 90kg to 120kg. Always check the maximum user weight before buying.
Are expensive camping chairs worth it?
For car camping, a mid-priced folding chair is usually enough. The extra cost of premium chairs mainly buys lower weight and smaller pack size, which matters most for backpacking. Pay for the weight saving only if you carry the chair.
What is a zero-gravity camping chair?
A zero-gravity chair reclines into a near-flat position that lifts your legs level with your heart, spreading your weight evenly and easing pressure on the spine. They are very comfortable but heavy and bulky, so they suit fixed pitches you drive to.
Do camping chairs work on soft ground?
Chairs with wide feet or a lower profile work best on grass, sand and mud, because narrow legs sink and tip. Low and moon chairs are the most stable on soft ground. Some chairs offer wide foot caps to spread the load.
The short version
Pick your chair by how it gets to the pitch. Car camping rewards comfort, so choose a folding chair, recliner or low chair without worrying about weight. Backpacking rewards a light, packable chair or a stool. Check the weight rating, add only the features you will use, then find your spot in the Camping Sites in Britain directory.
