Camp Chairs

What separates a chair that lasts from one that doesn't

A bargain chair feels fine in the store aisle and quits by its second summer, when the fabric sags, the frame racks, and the cupholder splits. Paying a little more up front on frame and fabric is what buys a decade in the bay instead of a yearly replacement. Weigh these four things before you commit.

• Weight rating and frame. Check the stated capacity and match it honestly to who sits in it. Steel frames carry more and cost less; aluminum saves weight if you carry the chair any distance.
• Fabric and stitching. Sun is what kills camp chairs. A tight-woven, UV-resistant seat with double-stitched seams outlasts the thin polyester on bargain chairs by years.
• Packed size. A chair that folds slim tucks into the bay beside the rest of your gear. Padded quad chairs are comfortable but eat space fast once you own four of them.
• A hammock as a second seat. A packable option like the Lippert parachute-nylon hammock weighs almost nothing and strings between two trees when you'd rather lie back than sit up.

Fill out the setup with the extras here, like the Camp Casual mugs and cutlery for around the fire, and pair the seating with a folding table so there's somewhere to set a plate. Closing the awning in against bugs? A screen room gives the chairs a room to sit in.