Quest for the Perfect Camping Chair

I'm on a quest to find the perfect camping chair so you don't have to. I'm trying out a range of popular chairs testing for comfort, portability, and price.

The MEC Base Camp Chair is everything I hoped it would be. It sits high. I don't need to squat below 90 degrees to get in or out. It's wide enough that my strong thighs aren't pinched on the sides. This is definitely my chair of choice for bigger bodies loving the outdoors. It is bulky and heavy when collapsed so definitely a front country camping item. It's $94 CAD but on sale right now for $70.

The Walmart or Canadian Tire brand Deluxe Camp Chair is a great chair. At under $12 CAD you can't beat the price. I'm always annoyed at how straight the back is though. Sitting in it can feel like you're at church. My thighs also often get pinched at the sides. It's light and folds up easily.

I was surprised by how much I liked the Helinox Chair Zero High-Back chair. It's set on a nice reclined angle. It has a relatively narrow seat that I fill right up. It also sits very low so you have to be able to do a partial squat to get in and out. It also tends to sink into softer ground. It collapses into a small bag and weighs 1lbs 8oz. It's portability has meant I carry it around with me way more than I expected.

The Helinox Chair-One is a good all around camp chair. It has a bit more room for the caboose than the high-backed version. It's set at a nice reclined angle, but still sits low to the ground and sinks into soft ground. This one weighs just over 3lbs.

The MEC Senate Seat is the first camping chair I owned. It's the most versatile seat of them all and can be used for back support on the ground, on your cooler, on a canoe, the combinations are endless. It's portable and can open up flat to be used as a kneeling pad or soft surface to stand on. I strongly recommend having this as an addition to any camping chair options you currently own.

Happy sitting!