Don't forget to pack your camping chair...A camping chair is an item you can take on your camping trip that is going to help to give you some "creature comforts" of home. Naturally there is a wide array of chairs available and with many of them you can't really go wrong. However, be warned, it is entirely possible to spend far too much money at your local outfitter on chairs as well so be aware of how you're spending your money. Camping chairs are what I consider to be a gadget and because I love buying gadgets, I love buying and trying out different camping chairs. Now, I've been on more than just a few trips and I've found my favorite. They're the cheapest chair you can find out there that's portable. You find them at stores like Wal-Mart and other department type stores. I'm not sure that there is actually a name for them but I know you've seen them because they're "all the rage" these days. They're the folding type chairs that are nylon (usually available in all sorts of colours) with a folding metal frame. They make tables and love seats and recliners as well. For me, the absolute best camping chair is the cheapest version of these chairs you can find. It's just a chair that folds. It has no arm rests, no foot rests, and nothing special about it, but they are very functional on the trail. Of course if you're camping with you're family using your car or trailer as a home base then the more "exotic" versions of these chairs are quite acceptable. They certainly offer a lot of value for the money. If you're camping via hiking or paddling then the basic version is the best choice because it's not only comfortable, but it's very packable. I can remember going in to my local outfitter one day and they had a camping chair available called a "trail sling". I looked it over and thought it was one of the neatest things I ever saw. It had a thin nylon type seat area and the frame was and expandable aluminium click into place type system. They of course had one set up in the store and I of course gave it try right there in the aisle. I fell in love with it, it was cool, it was light weight, it packed to a small size, it was perfect! So I spent fifty bucks on this thing after taxes and hit the trail with my buddies. When we got to our site I pulled it out and friend all commented on the neat chair. We spent some time around the fire that night and we did I noticed that I was not as comfortable as I would have liked. After a while I went to the tent to sleep. By the end of the weekend, my new camping chair was nothing but a piece of junk. It had holes burned in it from sparks from the fire, Its' whole structral assembly had become weak and wobbly from being used on unlevel terrain and it was not very comfortable to sit in for too long. Wasted money. For around ten dollars you can buy the Wal-mart type chairs. The ones with the arms are enjoyed by my friends but personally I find them to be too large when they're packed. The armless ones are only slightly larger than the one I bought from the outfitter and they're not that much heavier. It'll fit in my backpack with no trouble at all, plus they're much more durable and far more comfortable. Click on camping chair to return to the top of the page, click on accessories to return to the last page or click camping to return to the homepage. Thanks for visiting. |
