The Kijaro Dual Lock is the best everyday camping chair here for most car campers. Kijaro publishes a 20-inch seat height, a 22-inch seat width and a 300-pound weight capacity, and Kijaro says the frame locks in the folded position for carrying and in the open position for seat and back support.
The other picks each do one job better. The NEMO Stargaze EVO-X swings and reclines, the Helinox Chair One (re) packs to 15.5 by 4.5 by 5.5 inches and 2 pounds 7.5 ounces, the Kelty Low Loveseat seats two, and the ALPS Rendezvous is the low chair for beaches, concerts and fire rings.
Camping chairs compared
| Chair | Type | Weight capacity | Seat height | Weight (maker) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kijaro Dual Lock | Folding quad chair | 300 lb | 20 in | 9.5 lb |
| NEMO Stargaze EVO-X | Swinging recliner, steel frame | Not listed here (maker figures differ) | Not published | 13 lb 12 oz minimum |
| Helinox Chair One (re) | Packable aluminum-frame chair | 320 lb | Not reliably published | 2 lb 7.5 oz packed |
| Kelty Low Loveseat | Two-person low chair | 600 lb | 13.5 in | 15.38 lb |
| ALPS Rendezvous | Low chair with arms | 300 lb | 8 in front, 5 in back | 6 lb 13 oz |
These are the makers’ published figures. Nobody sat in these chairs for this article, and a weight capacity is the maker’s limit for use as instructed, not a comfort score. NEMO’s page gives conflicting capacity figures for the EVO-X, and Helinox’s “seat height” entry matches the chair’s full height, so those cells are left without a number.
How to choose a camping chair
Start with seat height
Seat height decides who can use the chair and where. Kijaro lists a 20-inch seat height for the Dual Lock, the highest published seat height here. Helinox, explaining its taller Chair One (re) frame, says the extra height makes sitting down and standing up much easier. Low chairs trade that for a lounging position closer to the fire: Kelty lists 13.5 inches for the Low Loveseat and ALPS lists 8 inches at the front of the Rendezvous seat and 5 inches at the back. Kelty pitches its lower base as a way to avoid blocking anyone’s view at a show; if you are going to a concert or event, check the venue’s own chair rules.
Check capacity with headroom
Kijaro, Helinox, Kelty and ALPS each list at least 300 pounds; NEMO’s page gives conflicting figures for the EVO-X, so this page leaves its capacity out. Treat a capacity as a ceiling, not a target, and leave room for how hard you sit down. If you are shopping for a bigger frame, the big-and-tall camping chair picks compare 400- to 800-pound ratings and seat widths, and none of those chairs repeat here.
Match the frame to how you carry it
NEMO, Kelty and ALPS list steel frames, and Kijaro’s product page doesn’t name its frame material. Those four weigh 6 pounds 13 ounces (ALPS) to 15.38 pounds (Kelty, for two people). Helinox builds the Chair One (re) on DAC TH72M aluminum alloy and lists it at 2 pounds 7.5 ounces packed. If the chair rides in the trunk, weight matters little; if it goes on your back or a bike, it decides the purchase.
Look at packed size before trunk space runs out
Packed sizes vary widely. Helinox lists 15.5 by 4.5 by 5.5 inches for the Chair One (re), ALPS lists 27 by 7 by 7.5 inches for the Rendezvous, Kelty lists 34.5 by 11 by 11 inches for the Low Loveseat, and NEMO lists 40 by 10.5 by 8.5 inches for the EVO-X. Kijaro doesn’t publish a folded size for the Dual Lock. Add the tent, cooler and sleep kit from the car-camping checklist before deciding a big chair will fit.
1. Kijaro Dual Lock: best everyday camp chair
The Dual Lock is a folding quad chair built around one feature: Kijaro says it locks in the folded position for carrying and locks in the open position for seat and back support. Kijaro lists a 300-pound weight capacity, a 9.5-pound product weight, a 20-inch seat height, a 16-inch seat depth and a 22-inch seat width, with an open size of 26 by 35.5 by 37 inches.
The fabric is diamond ripstop polyester with a breathable mesh back, and Kijaro calls the seat no-sag. An attached side organizer has a mesh pocket and zippered storage, and there are two mesh cup holders.
Buy it if you want one chair for the campsite, the sidelines and the backyard, with the highest published seat height on this list.
Skip it if you need to carry it far; at 9.5 pounds it is a car chair.
2. NEMO Stargaze EVO-X: best reclining chair
The EVO-X is the folding member of NEMO’s Stargaze family. NEMO says its steel X-style frame deploys in a single motion with no assembly, and the seat hangs on tensioned straps so it swings and auto-reclines when you lean back and shift your weight. It has a padded headrest, cushioning at pressure points, two integrated cupholder pockets, six points of contact with flared feet, and an included roll-top carrying case.
NEMO lists the chair at 31 by 37 by 43 inches set up, 40 by 10.5 by 8.5 inches packed and a minimum weight of 13 pounds 12 ounces, and describes its best use as car camping and backyard. NEMO’s page gives two different weight capacities for the EVO-X, so this page leaves the figure out; confirm it with NEMO before buying if capacity matters to you.
Buy it if you want a chair to lounge in for a whole evening at a drive-up site.
Skip it if trunk space is tight; its 40-inch packed length is the longest published here, and it is the heaviest single-person chair on this list.
3. Helinox Chair One (re): best packable chair
The Chair One (re) is Helinox’s update of its original Chair One. Helinox says the redesigned frame is taller, making it easier to sit down and stand up, adds a side pocket, and uses a second tension line in the seat to spread weight around the frame. The frame is DAC TH72M aluminum alloy with nylon resin hubs, and the seat is bluesign-certified recycled polyester.
Helinox lists a 320-pound capacity, 2 pounds 4 ounces for the chair and 2 pounds 7.5 ounces packed in its full-zip case, which measures 15.5 by 4.5 by 5.5 inches. Set up, it stands 28 inches tall, 22.5 inches wide and 20.5 inches deep, and Helinox says it fits adults up to 6 feet 2 inches. Helinox sells rocking feet as an accessory that turns it into a rocker, and it carries a 5-year warranty.
Buy it if the chair has to fit in a backpack, a bike bag or a crowded trunk.
Skip it if you want a chair that unfolds in one piece with built-in cup holders. Helinox says it sets up on a single shock-corded pole system, like a tent frame, and that it works with the separate Helinox Cup Holder.
4. Kelty Low Loveseat: best chair for two
Kelty’s Low Loveseat is a two-person chair on one powder-coated steel frame, built lower to the ground and slightly reclined. Kelty lists a 600-pound weight capacity, a 13.5-inch seat height, 18 inches of back height above the seat, overall dimensions of 44 by 23.5 by 31.5 inches and a product weight of 15.38 pounds.
The body is 600D polyester and quilted for padding. Two insulated beverage holders adjust from cans to extra-large water bottles, the arm rests adjust, and Kelty’s Carry-Wrap carries extra gear and doubles as a padded dog mat. It packs to 34.5 by 11 by 11 inches.
Buy it if you camp as a couple, or with a dog; Kelty describes it as room for two and/or your dog.
Skip it if you want separate seats to move around the fire, or a higher seat; at 13.5 inches it sits well below the Kijaro.
5. ALPS Rendezvous: best low chair for beaches and concerts
The Rendezvous is a folding chair with arms that sits low to the ground. ALPS lists a seat height of 8 inches at the front and 5 inches at the back, a 21-inch seat width, a 15-inch seat depth and a 21-inch backrest. It has a Cool TechMesh center, a powder-coated steel frame and a carry bag, with a 300-pound capacity and a weight of 6 pounds 13 ounces. Packed, it measures 27 by 7 by 7.5 inches.
ALPS describes it for sun, campfires, outdoor concerts and the pool, and says it lets you lean back and stretch out your legs.
Buy it if you want a light, low seat for a beach day, a campfire or an outdoor show.
Skip it if getting up from near ground level is hard for you; the Kijaro’s 20-inch seat is the highest here.
Other chairs on this site
For bigger frames, the big-and-tall camping chair picks compare three chairs rated from 400 to 800 pounds by their makers. If you would rather rock, see our rocking camp chair analysis ; for a heavy-duty quad chair, see the big-and-tall quad chair analysis .
Sources
- Kijaro Dual Lock Chair
- NEMO Stargaze EVO-X Folding Reclining Camp Chair
- Helinox Chair One (re)
- Kelty Low Loveseat
- ALPS Mountaineering Rendezvous
Specifications were checked October 9, 2026. This is researched buyer analysis without hands-on testing; confirm the model, color and weight capacity on the seller’s page before ordering.
FAQ
What seat height should a camping chair have?
Pick for the job. Kijaro lists a 20-inch seat height for the Dual Lock, the highest published here. Low chairs sit much closer to the ground; ALPS lists 8 inches at the front of the Rendezvous seat and Kelty lists 13.5 inches for the Low Loveseat.
What is the lightest camping chair here?
The Helinox Chair One (re). Helinox lists it at 2 pounds 7.5 ounces packed, against 6 pounds 13 ounces for the ALPS Rendezvous and 9.5 pounds for the Kijaro Dual Lock.
Is a camping chair’s weight capacity a comfort guide?
No. It is the maker’s ceiling for use as instructed. Leave headroom for how you sit down and anything in the chair with you; the big-and-tall chair guide on this site walks through that arithmetic.