The Ultimate Guide to Portable Chairs

General Notes

• We choose what we carry based on extensive research on what's the best value to our customers (e.g., price given performance & durability features) across all the top brands. We specifically do not carry every brand & model; for details on why we do/don't carry certain items in the following What To Use & How To Choose section
• Buy prices are MSRP with tax, i.e., what you see is what you pay. Prices may differ in-store due to change in models or discounts, but this is rare. If we don't sell what we rent, we list MSRP value with tax
• Rent prices are the starting prices; enter trip dates on our Catalog to get exact prices (based on total trip length, not per day!). We also don't charge sales tax, an automatic savings of almost 10%!

	Pitched style
	Set-up poles, stretch fabric across poles, like a really easy tent!
Model
	TravelChair Joey
Buy MSRP with tax	$109
Rent	$6+
Weight	2lbs 0.9kg
Carry size & notes	2 really big burritos; could even fit in a large purse

When you rent online, we will pick a model for you. You can change the model if you pick-up in-store, subject to availability. On the Options page of our online order process, you can also select options or write-in any preferences. This section describes the majority of our models & options, but sometimes we carry others. We will only pick something else if it doesn't conflict with your choices indicated on the Options page; moreover, if there's a major functional difference (e.g., capacity), we will attempt to contact you first

Key factors

Cool zippers, new waterproofing, etc... sometimes it's easy to get lost in all the hype (over-spending happens on features). Our guide focuses on the fundamental factors you should always keep in mind (thus, this short list is similar across all items). Then only at the end do we have some questions to get you thinking about other minor features.

• Type or Style
• Price
• Capacity (size)
• Weight & size (for backpacking)

We highly recommend reviewing Type or Style first, where we review what you can use to address the Core function--a regular item you have at home may work! The other factors are secondary & depend strongly on the Type or Style you've picked.

While we encourage you to use regular items wherever possible, as an outdoor gear shop, we only carry outdoor-specific products

Type or Style

We've organized the most commonly used items people use to address the Core function below, with example images, characteristics, features, etc.

Our category name		Hard-sides	Soft-sides
		Folding style	Collapsible style	Picnic style	Pitched style
Example qualities & features	Example images
	How to set up	Just unfold or open up			Set-up poles, stretch fabric across poles, like a really easy tent!
	Seat height	Standard 18-20in* (46-51cm)		N/A; on the ground	11-16in (30-41cm)
	Seat surface material & how it sits	Hard plastic or metal	Fabric
		Flat surface. Back may be straight or angled	Surface dips slightly to accommodate weight (usually can still be used by anyone). Back may be straight or angled	Flat surface; may or may not be padded/ Back usually straight	Surface dips to accommodate weight (combined with lower height, may not be the best option for older people). Back usually angled
	Weight capacity (adult model)	500+lbs (227+kg) Usually not an issue	200-300lbs (91-136kg)**	200lbs (91kg)***	200-300lbs (91-136kg)**
Is it permitted at music festivals?*
Effect on secondary factors For a single person Capacity chair	Price	$10-20	$10-50		$60-120
	Weight	5-10lbs (2.3-4.5kg)	2-5lbs (0.9-2.3kg)	1-2lbs (0.5-0.9kg)
	Size	You'll need a vehicle to transport this	~2-3ft (0.6-0.9m) long & maybe bulkier than a camera tripod	Like a big laptop	A little smaller than a 2-liter soda bottle
			Can be slung over-the-shoulder	May fit in larger backpacks	Can fit in almost any regular backpack, or extra large purses
Rationale		Less technical & more material, no consideration for Weight & Size		More technical & less material, Weight & Size specifically optimized
Why we do/don't carry it = we rent = we sell		Not specific enough for outdoor use	There may be issues with durability & not as versatile for multiple use cases	Doesn't add that much more value than sitting on the ground, which is free	Versatile for most outdoor uses, therefore more worth the money

*Many music festivals don't allow seating that's standard height, since it may block the view for others behind you

**These chairs use more delicate materials to reduce Weight & Size. Take care if you are a larger person using a lower end model as poles may bend (even if they don't break, the chair may feel wobbly)

***This type of chair sits on the ground. If it does have a weight rating, then it means the bottom is cushioned; above this weight rating, you won't feel the effects of the cushioning anymore. If it doesn't have a weight rating, there's no cushion, just a pad between you and the ground.

Capacity (size)

There are so many types of camp chairs that start with one of the our types as a baseline and then evolve beyond, like reclining chairs, rocking chairs, love seats, chaise lounges, etc. Chairs may also seat more than 1 person, or be sized specifically for youth or kids. As you can imagine, as capacity increases, so does price and weight & size.

Weight & Size (Compactness) for Backpacking

If you're thru-hiking 20+ miles (32+km) per day, every advantage counts! In this case, size refers to compactness. You can carry more gear in the same size backpack if all of it is very compact, or for more weight savings, you can get a smaller size pack.

To reduce more weight & increase compactability, manufacturers reduce the amount of material used (e.g., fewer features, thinner fabrics, etc.) and, where possible, use more technical materials to prevent performance loss. For example, ultralight fabric used in clothing has to still be waterproof. These strategies create 2 general consequences

• Lightweight gear tends to be less durable: Sometimes, light-weight gear is just thinner & so more prone to damage (even a more technical material may not fully offset the loss in durability)
• Lightweight gear tends to be more expensive: While less materials = lower cost, the more dominating effect is often that thinner materials = more technical = greater cost

For these reasons, the lighter the gear, the more you should treat it as an investment! Is the price difference worth the weight or size savings? This depends on you & your trip.

Minor features that may be important

Here, we give you a list of questions to start thinking about minor features. We hope our approach of savings these features for last gets you to more critically think about what you need & not get caught up in the hype of what's cool and over-spend your budget.

• Does it have cup holders?
• Does it rock or recline?
• How high is the seat back (for taller people)?

These tips will really vary based on type. For example if you have a plastic or metal folding model (like the ones they use for outdoor events), a good wipe constitutes a good cleaning, and rusting can be a major maintenance concern. Whereas with the soft-side ones that have fabric & poles, you can almost treat them like a tent. Since that's more complicated, tips below apply to the soft-side type.

Repairing

We can either provide parts or repair services in some capacity for the following; check our Gear Repair page for details:

• Holes, rips, or tears
• Poles (shared shipping only)

Cleaning & Storing

Gear not in use should be cleaned & dried and then stored loose & in a dark environment, check out our entire protip on the topic here.

We have a general protip on how to store & maintain gear that we highly recommend reviewing as well. If you send us video or a good photo series, we may be able to help you evaluate your repair needs.