The camp chair: outdoor sitting has never been easier

In the beginning, there was the Eureka Curvy Chair, and people looking for a comfy seat for camping, for concerts, for tailgating were happy.

Then, apparently, our desire for an indoor seating experience outdoors grew. And while the Eureka Curvy Chair continues to be a favorite, it now has company. Lots of company …

Eureka Curvy Chair with Side Table. First, let us not dismiss this stalwart of sitting. It’s no wonder this chair has long been a favorite of soccer parents and tailgaters everywhere, what with its day-long-tournament comfort and side table for holding drinks and snacks. Still a good seating bet, especially for the economically minded.

GCI FirePit Rocker. Know someone who likes to sit around the campfire and rock back and forth while telling a yarn? And do you find yourself unable to focus on the yarn because you’re afraid his back-and-forth rocking will either send him over backward on his head, or fling him face-forward into the fire? The Firepit Rocker, with its patent-pending Spring-Action Rocking Technology™ lets the inveterate rocker continue to oscillate while maintaining constant contact with terra firma. Disaster-distraction-free, you’re now able to listen — whether that’s a good think or not. If you find the FirePit Rocker a little low to the ground, the highe-standing Freestyle Rocker allows easier ingress and egress.

Helinox Sunset Chair. Let’s say you’re headed to an outdoor concert, you have to park a half mile away, and who knows how much more walking you’ll need to do to find a good spot. You definitely don’t want to be lugging a heavy, bulky chair all over the place. With the Sunset Chair, you get both the comfort of a top-notch camp chair and featherweight portability. The chair’s single shock corded pole structure and 600d Polyster fabric tuck into a small storage sack and weigh just 3 pounds. Once the music begins, sit back and enjoy in high-back comfort.

Helinox Swivel Chair. A bit of a fidgeter, are you? Then enjoy the features of the aforementioned Sunset Chair (and at just 2.6 pounds) with the ability to swing left and right in the Swivel Chair.

Helinox Chair Zero. Before the Chair Zero it was pure folly to even think about bringing a campchair backpacking: in a sport where every ounce and inch of space counts, no one would even think of lugging along a beach chair. But weighing in at just 1.1 pounds and packing down to about the size of a water bottle, Chair Zero has skyrocketed to the top of many a backpacker’s luxury list. And it sits nearly a foot off the ground, meaning the odds of your trail-weary legs being able to hoist you out after sitting a spell are pretty good!

Helinox Ground Chair. Like the idea of the Chair Zero but don’t mind sitting a little closer to the ground, toting a skosh more weight (1.3 pounds total), and spending a little less cash? Check out the Ground Chair, which has many of the same attributes as the Chair Zero.

Nemo Stargaze™ Recliner. You look at the Stargaze™ and you think, “What the — ?” Then you sit in it … mmmmmm. It doesn’t have Magic Fingers (or does it?), it doesn’t come with a soothing soundtrack of waves gently breaking on the beach (we don’t think), and we’re almost (almost) certain it doesn’t transport you to zero gravity, but holy cow what a comfy chair. It swings, it reclines, it tells you a bedtime story … . And, it breaks down for easy toting. Sure, it’s a little pricey, but what price, comfort? (Luxury model includes a headrest.)

Eno Lounger™ DL Chair. Just looking at the Lounger you know it’s going to accommodate your every resting need. Before you settle in, though, make sure you’ve got your beverage (one beverage holder), snacks and crosswords (two cargo pockets), and that the leg height is adjusted to your liking, because once you go in, you aren’t coming out for a while — a long while.

Eno Lounger™ Hanging Chair. At first glance, it looks like a relaxation device from medieval times, what with its crossbars, its straps and its sling for supporting your feet. But hang it from an appropriately sturdy tree branch and you’ll quickly realize this is the vanguard of advanced relaxation technology. It’s the marriage of lull-you-to-sleep hammockry (it is from Eno, after all) with the ergonomic devotion to perfect reclining found in Eno’s Lounger Chair.