Best Reclining Camping Chairs

Let us find out the best reclining camping chairs. For a quick run-down, the five picks are laid out in the review sections below, each with its highlights, pros and cons.

If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I'll bet they'd live a lot differently - Bill Waterson

It's never too late to dip your toes into the lake of self-discovery, all you need to do is find out where your lake is. And the best way to find your lake is by sitting under the stars, gazing up at the majesty of creation in a reclining camping chair.

As crazy as it may sound, the most profound discoveries always arrive when you're ready for them. Being really ready and open to the infinite possibilities they offer means you have to be relaxed and completely at ease.

That's why those revelations creep in while you're whiling the hours away in a reclining camping chair. Because when you're sat in one, miles from anywhere, alone or in the company of good friends and family, that's when you're ready for the universe to show you who you really are.

And that's why we've come up with a list of five of the best reclining camping chairs. So that you can marvel at the heavens, and when that moment arrives, you'll be ready for it. Are you ready to find out who you are?

Then let's begin.

Our top five reclining camping chairs reviewed

These five chairs take quite different routes to the same goal. Some recline into a single fixed angle, some lock into several positions, and one lets you find your own angle without any locking system at all. They also differ a great deal in packed weight and in how much weight they will carry, and those two numbers often decide whether a chair suits your trip.

The lightest of the group weighs just six pounds, while the heaviest is around twenty-seven pounds when folded. The weight limits run from two hundred and twenty-five pounds up to three hundred and fifty pounds. One entry is a set of two chairs, which changes the maths if you are camping as a pair.

If you want to widen the search beyond recliners, our guide to the best camping chairs covers the wider field, and the comparison with a footrest model in our reclining camp chair with footrest article is worth a look too. Now, the chairs themselves.

ALPS Mountaineering Escape Chair

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Highlights: Detachable footrest, and easily folds up into the supplied carry bag.

There are few brands as in tune with your needs in the great outdoors as ALPS. They were founded just over a quarter of a century ago to bring superior outdoor equipment to the consumer at a realistic price. And that's exactly what their Escape Chair does.

Innovative, imaginative, and clever, the Escape is an easily portable chair that folds and snaps into position. Then, when you're finished with it, it can be folded away and put back in the easy-to-carry bag it comes in. Light, durable, and incredibly comfortable, it's a perfect camp chair to ease into. After a long day, while sitting in the ALPS, you can let all of your cares and worries slowly, but surely float away.

The ALPS even has a detachable footrest. So if you're aching from hiking the trails all day, you can put your feet up and just lose yourself in the Escape. If there was ever a more aptly named reclining camping chair, we've yet to find it.

Pros

• Made from powder-coated tube steel, the Escape is light, tough, and strong. Folded away and ready to carry, it weighs just ten pounds. So it won't overburden you while you're hiking and won't take up any discernible room in the back of your RV or truck.
• Thanks to its clever design, it's also very comfortable. The sling-style seat and the raised feet make it the sort of chair you could happily drift off in, as long as the coffee in your hand doesn't keep you awake.
• Did we mention that it has a removable footrest? We did? Well, we're going to mention it again. Because just like that song about New York said, some things are worth saying twice. And the Escape's footrest is one of those things.
• It's also so pocketbook-friendly that you'll be tempted to buy two of them.

Cons

• It's not a recliner in the truest sense of the word, as you can't adjust the position of the Escape. It's got one position and that's already reclined. So, while that might be an issue for some, we prefer to think of it as the Escape doing all of the hard work for you.
• There is another problem with the Escape, and that's its upper weight limitation. It's only made to hold campers and would-be recliners who weigh up to two hundred and twenty-five pounds. If you're heavier than that, you might run into a few problems with this chair.

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GCI Outdoor SunShade Recliner Chair

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Highlights: A good-sized cup holder and recline capability.

GCI has a core set of tenets that they rigidly adhere to when they design their products. They have to be portable, durable, easy to set up, and fit in with their customer's lives. That's what their SunShade Recliner was made to do and be, and that's exactly what it is.

It has a three-position reclining system that allows you to find the one that's just right for you. The tension bar lock that it uses means it's simple to lock it into place when you do. If you fancy an ice-cold beverage, or even something warmer, the GCI SunShade has you covered. It has its own cup holder and the bag that holds and carries it also converts into a pillow when the chair is in use.

It's a perfect way to escape from the worst of the sun's rays. The shade it comes with has a UPF factor of fifty and will shield you from heat and glare. UPF simply describes how much ultraviolet radiation a fabric lets through, and you can read more about the rating on Wikipedia's page on sun protective clothing. And when you're ready to pack up and go? It's as easy to fold and put back into the storage bag that it comes with as it is simple to set up. For those hot days when you just want to lounge around in the sun, the ideal way to do just that is in GCI's SunShade recliner.

Pros

• Easy to set and simple to put away, the SunShade recliner weighs an incredibly light ten pounds when it's folded into its storage bag. You'll be able to take it anywhere and everywhere with you and you'll barely even notice that you're carrying it.
• If you're anything like us, you'll love spending lazy afternoons in the afterglow of the sun. And the SunShade will let you do that, safe in the knowledge that it'll protect you from the most harmful elements of the sun.
• Like all GCI products, it has a limited lifetime guarantee which ensures that if it does fail due to a manufacturing error, you'll be covered. You'll either get a new SunShade recliner or your money back.
• It has three separate reclining positions and a drink holder. That's the sort of comfort that every camper and hiker needs on their side.

Cons

• It's only available in one color, which isn't exactly fetching or glamorous. While we love the comfort that the SunShade provides, we're not sold on its color scheme, and we're not sure that we could live with it long term.
• It's also beset by a weight limit. The SunShade will cope admirably with any recliner that weighs up to two hundred and fifty pounds. But it will struggle with anyone heavier than that.

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Portal Oversized Mesh Back Zero Gravity Recliner Chair

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Throughout their entire twenty-five-year history Portal has embraced a simple philosophy: to make you feel at home wherever you are. They've done this by thoroughly embracing design and innovation and using both to create durable, comfortable camping chairs.

Take this chair for example. It epitomizes everything that Portal holds dear and believes in, and has been made to accommodate everyone from the smallest to the largest of campers. Its locking system will allow you to recline in any position up to one hundred and seventy degrees. And its breathable mesh back is connected to a series of padded rests for extra comfort. It even has an additional pillow and lumbar support. So you'll be able to completely relax and let the world drift past while you're sat in Portal's Zero Gravity recliner.

It also has its own foldable side table that has a cup holder and enough space for your phone or a book. When you need to escape the rat race and find that perfect chair to rediscover yourself in, Portal has you covered. We could happily spend days sitting in this chair, and chances are, you could too.

Pros

• It's a fully adjustable recliner that'll let you set any position you want to, and that you're comfortable in.
• It can be folded away when you don't need it, so it'll be equally at home in your yard or on a camping trip. Wherever you want to go, the Portal will go too.
• Like the other recliners on our list, the Portal also has an upper weight limit. But this time, it's three hundred and fifty pounds. Which makes it an ideal camping recliner for just about everyone.
• The additional lumbar support it provides is a real bonus. If you're plagued by back issues or just get the odd twinge every now and then, you'll know exactly why that matters. The lumbar region is the lower part of the spine, and it's the part that tends to complain first after a long time in a poorly shaped seat; Wikipedia's article on the lumbar vertebrae explains the anatomy.

Cons

• It's not the most portable of recliners, and when the Portal is folded and ready to be moved, it weighs in at around twenty-seven pounds. It isn't what you'd call light, but then again it is one of the most comfortable recliners on this list. So, its fate depends entirely on what's more important to you. Comfort or portability.

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Nemo Stargaze Recliner Luxury Chair

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Highlights: Fully adjustable aircraft-grade aluminum frame, not only is this chair durable but also lightweight.

Nemo calls the Stargaze the next generation in camp comfort, and we'd be hard-pressed to argue with them. Made to help transform the camping experience into the height of luxury, the Stargaze is the next level of camping comfort. And it's a technological miracle of campsite engineering.

A suspended air rocking and reclining chair, the Stargaze lets you lean back to discover your own naturally comfortable, reclined position. And it does it without needing to use a rocker or locking system. Its fully adjustable aircraft-grade aluminum frame means that the Stargaze is durable and strong. It can be set up on any surface and will be stable and level regardless of where you set up camp.

Ridiculously popular, it usually sells out as fast as any stockist can get their hands on it. It has found a level of well-deserved fame and infamy among the camping set. And as well as having a drinks holder and interior pockets to hold things like your keys and wallet, it weighs just six pounds. That's a lot of comfort for very little baggage.

Pros

• Whatever position you like to recline in, the Stargaze is able to accommodate you. This chair will let you find your own comfortable place.
• Its fully adjustable frame is strong and light and means it's able to find its footing on whatever surface you decide to camp on. The Stargaze is a go-anywhere, do-almost-anything camping recliner.
• It only weighs six pounds when it's folded down and stowed in its storage bag. But when it's set up and ready for action, the Stargaze will happily accommodate up to three hundred pounds.

Cons

• All of the Stargaze's engineering excellence and innovation come at a cost. It's a reassuringly expensive camping recliner. But if you want the best, you'll have to pay for it.

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Best Choice Products set of two steel mesh zero gravity reclining chairs

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Highlights: Designed to feel like you're floating on air, these chairs are very comfortable.

If you're going to be getting away from it all or spending some serious time by your yard or by your pool, you're rarely going to be doing it on your own. Sometimes, two is better than one. And that's why Best Choice decided to release a pair of camping recliners instead of just a single chair.

Featuring a fully reclinable locking system, these lightweight, strong reclining chairs are fully foldable and able to go wherever you want them to. Designed to feel like you're weightless and floating on air, each chair has a headrest for a little more comfort. The chairs are also fixed to their frame with a bungee system which means they're pretty much indestructible. And when you've found whatever position suits you best, their foldaway tables are one of those extras that you'll love. They ensure that you can keep a drink and your smartphone or tablet close for those moments when you need them the most.

They may not be the prettiest chairs that you'll ever see, but they are some of the most comfortable and practical that you'll ever sit in. And that's what really matters, isn't it?

Pros

• They're comfortable, durable, and practical. And the Best Choice Zero Gravity chairs are incredibly affordable and offer a fantastic alternative to far more costly name-brand recliners.
• We're fans of the Zero Gravity feel that these chairs use. Once you've tried it, it's hard to find anything that even comes close to achieving the same level of decadent luxury.
• And the fully adjustable reclining system that's part and parcel of their design means you can relax the way you want to, rather than being forced to relax in the way that the chair dictates that you should.

Cons

• They're not the lightest or most portable of recliners when they're folded. Again, it all boils down to comfort or portability, and which of the two is most important to you.

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Reclining camping chairs buying guide

What is a reclining chair?

A reclining chair is a chair that reclines when the occupant lowers the back of the chair, often by way of a set of manual controls. The household version has its own entry on Wikipedia's page on recliners if you want the full background.

More often than not, as the back of the chair is lowered, the front of the chair is raised. Reclining chairs are also often known as recliners and usually have an adjustable headrest, lumbar support, and an independent footstool.

Most modern recliners can assume a nearly completely horizontal position. This makes them eminently suited to air and train travel, especially in first-class compartments.

What is a reclining camping chair?

A reclining camping chair is a portable, lightweight, and durable version of a more traditional reclining chair.

They are designed to provide the same level of comfort and stability as their more conventional forebears. Camping recliners allow their users to have a little home comfort in the most unexpected of places.

Using vastly different designs to achieve their objective, they are, nonetheless, all made to attain a similar goal. It is a comfortable chair that lets whoever sits in it recline and relax to their heart's content.

Weight limits, packed weight and the comfort trade-off

Two numbers on every product page deserve more attention than the colour or the cup holder: the rated weight limit and the packed weight. The weight limit is the most the chair is designed to carry, and it is worth staying comfortably under it rather than sitting right at the edge, because a chair works hardest at its joints and fabric when you drop into it or shift around.

Packed weight matters for a different reason. A chair that lives in the back of a truck or RV can be as heavy as you like, but a chair you carry from a parking spot to a lakeside pitch is a different matter. That's the real trade-off in this group. The heaviest chair here is also among the most comfortable, while the lightest asks you to pay more. The Best Choice pair sits in the middle on price but is not the easiest to carry.

I'd argue most people over-buy on portability. If the chair only travels from car to campsite, comfort should win, and a few extra pounds will never be noticed. If it has to ride on your back, flip that around.

If you or someone in your group needs extra support to get in and out of a seat, our piece on adaptive outdoor equipment is a useful companion read.

Setting up and looking after a recliner

A few habits will help any recliner last. Set the chair up on ground that is as level and firm as you can find, clear of sharp stones and roots, and make sure any locking bar or tension lock is fully engaged before you lean back. Sit down smoothly rather than dropping into it.

Shade fabric and mesh both dislike being packed away wet, so let the chair dry before it goes back in its bag, and wipe off dust and grit that can wear at joints and fabric over time. Keep the chair clear of the campfire, because sparks and nylon do not mix, and think about where you place it relative to your cooking area and walkways at night, when it's easy to trip over a low recliner.

For more on keeping a campsite comfortable and hazard-free, see our camping safety tips, and check the rules for the place where you're staying through an official source such as the National Park Service.

Which reclining camping chair is the best one for me?

That depends entirely on what you want it for and what your budget is.

If you're just looking for a recliner to relax by your pool or in your yard, then we'd always recommend the Best Choice Products Zero Gravity recliners.

They're incredibly comfortable, practical, and durable and for the money that you'll pay for them, are staggeringly good value.

However, if you're looking to go a little further afield and your budget is a little bigger, then without hesitation, we'd point you in the direction of the Nemo Stargaze.

Not only an astonishing feat of camp-based engineering, but it's also exceedingly comfortable, light, and strong.

This is everything that you'll need from the reclining camping chair that'll accompany you on all of your adventures.

So, all that's left is for us to wish you well once you've chosen your reclining camping chair. And hopefully, we'll see you around a campfire somewhere down the road.