Have a seat, a guide to camp chairs

A camp chair is a great addition to you outdoor equipment list.  After a long day hiking, there's no better comfort than to get back to your base camp and be able to sit down and put your feet up.  Many people can get by with a log, stump, flat rock or just 'hunkering' down.   If your campsite has none of these natural seats available and you need to rest those aching feet and legs, then a camping chair is for you.

Camping chairs come in many different shapes and sizes.  The simplest and the lightest is just a post and seat.  Picture the seat of a bicycle and you've got the idea.  If you have a collapsible hiking staff you can throw a small saddle seat in your gear and you've got a place you sit at every resting place. These really aren't chairs in the formal sense but do a very good job in a pinch or if you need to keep it light.  The next camp chair best suited for hiking or backpacking is the folding pad.  It is padded material that is hinged to form a backrest and just set on the ground to make the seat. This very simple design has no hard structure making it very easy to carry.

The most recognizable camp chair is the simple 'X' frame seat or stool. The base structure can consist of wood or tubular aluminum and when unfolded and locked into position forms the letter 'X'.  The seat portion is any material from canvas to nylon that is stretched across the top of the 'X' to make the seat.  The bottom of the 'X' is then the chair legs.  These have been known to double as tent tables too.  When folded flat they are very easy to carry and may even be tied to your pack if you want to bring one with you on a hiking journey. 

The folding camp chair has undergone many changes in the recent years.  The old family lawn chair was once a mainstay at a large campsite.  The light tubular frame complete with armrests and backrests have been and still are, mainstays in large campsites.  Although very lightweight, their only drawback is their awkward size.  Enter the collapsible camping chair. These are derivatives of family lawn furniture. They are a masterful design that takes the best from the 'X' frame and the lawn chair and combines them.  The collapsible camp chair have backrests, armrests and some even have foot rests.  They consist of small tubes that are interconnected with locking hinges in conjunction with the fabric that form the seat and back.  Instead of folding flat like the lawn chair they fold into themselves forming a rather compact rectangle.  They may be slightly heavier than the typical lawn chair but they are much easier to pack.  

Next time you're planning a trip, decide to add a camping chair to your camping equipment, you'll be glad you did.

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