As you get older, you lose some of the mobility you once had. Reduced flexibility in your joints can make getting in and out of a camping chair more difficult than it once was. I’m in my mid-thirties and I’ve already started making the “getting out of the chair groan”! In this product roundup, I have pulled together the best camping chairs for the elderly.
These chairs have been chosen for their sturdiness, comfort and ease of getting in and out.
Here’s our top picks for the best camping chairs for the elderly in 2021:
- Quest Ragley Pro Comfort Chair with Side Table – Our #1 pick
- Outwell Grand Canyon Signature Chair – Best for “heavier” people
- Quechua Extremely Comfortable Folding Camping Chair – Best budget chair
- Outdoor Revolution Air Mesh Recliner – Great lightweight camping chair
- Crusader Lollie Pop Chair – Good all-round option
Below you will find out the criteria I have used to chose these chairs and some others that didn’t make the cut.
Best camping chairs for the elderly buyers guide
When choosing which camping chairs would be the most suitable for the elderly, I have taken into account various factors. These include factors such as comfort, breath-ability and ergonomic design. Below are the specifics of what I have looked for.
Ergonomic design
One of the most important things to consider when buying a camping chair for the elderly is the ease with which you can get in and out of the chair. Many older people suffer from joint pain and lower back issues and some will have had a hip replacement, making bending at the waist more difficult.
Buying a chair that is ergonomically designed to make it easier to get in and out of, as well as comfortable to sit in for a long stretch will reduce the need to keep getting up and down.
Making sure that the seat position isn’t too low, allowing for a 90-degree bend in the knee, will reduce the pressure on your lower back and make getting in and out of the chair much easier.
Breathability
Camping chairs made from a breathable material are ideal for long periods spent sitting. This is because the material will allow for proper airflow and stop the material from sticking to the skin.
For elderly relatives and friends, this will significantly increase their comfort levels and mean that they don’t need to change their position constantly in order to stay cool.
Reclining options
If you’re planning on spending all afternoon in the garden, or simply relaxing by the campfire, being able to lean back and have a rest is a great luxury.
For our elderly relatives, having a reclining option in a camping chair allows for increased comfort as well as the ability to easily kick back and have a nice afternoon nap.
Sturdy arms
You’ll probably notice that a lot of camping chairs are designed to be folded up into a small bag. Whilst this makes it easier for you to carry your chair around with you and take it to the campsite, the compromise here is that the arms of the chair are typically made from a fold-able material rather than a sturdy one, such as aluminium.
When looking for a camping chair for the elderly, it is important that the chair has strong arms. This is because when getting in and out of the chair, they will need to use the arms for stability. Cloth arms on the chair make this very difficult as they can’t support someones full weight.
The chairs we have recommended all have sturdy arms to ensure your relatives or friends can get in and out of the chair independently.
Related: Best Aluminum Folding Chairs
Best camping chairs for the elderly
1. Quest Ragley Pro Comfort Camping Chair with Side Table
The Quest Ragley Pro Comfort Chair with Side Table is our number 1 pick for the best camping chair for the elderly.
With a seat height of 46cm, the seating position will reduce the pressure on your lower back, whilst also allowing your hips to be in a more comfortable position. The seat is also fairly wide at 52cm, which should allow for most people to fit in it.
This camping chair also comes with six reclining positions, meaning that you can change position during the day for increased comfort and even have a little nap if you wish.
Having a sturdy build we believe makes this an ideal camping chair for the elderly as it is easy to get in and out of, due to the firm arms. It can also support up to 120kg in weight.
The camping chair itself weighs 7.2kg, making it the heaviest on my list of chairs. This is something you should consider as if you need to move it around this could be quite tiring.
2. Outwell Grand Canyon Signature Camping Chair
The Outwell Grand Canyon Signature Chair is my runner up for the best camping chair for the elderly.
This chair once again has a good seat height of 45cm. This seating position again will reduce the pressure on your lower back, whilst also allowing your hips to be in a more comfortable position.
This camping chair comes with seven reclining positions, one more than the Quest Ragley Pro Comfort Chair. This doesn’t really add that much extra comfort over and above the other chair as the differences between the positions is minimal.
Having a sturdy build we believe makes this an ideal camping chair for the elderly as it is easy to get in and out of, due to the firm arms. It can also support up to 200kg in weight, significantly more than the Quest Ragley.
The camping chair itself weighs 6.2kg, making it a little bit lighter than the first choice on my list of chairs. Again this is something to consider, especially if you need to move the chair around to keep in the sun.
3. Quechua Extremely Comfortable Folding Camping Chair
The Quechua Extremely Comfortable Folding Camping Chair is the third chair on my list of the best camping chairs for the elderly.
This chair packs a lot of features into a low RRP of £35, which compared to other chairs of this type, in my opinion, is a great price.
The seat height of this chair is 44cm, slightly lower than other options on this list, but still at a great height for ease of getting in and out of the camping chair.
Whilst the build quality of this camping chair is good, it is not as sturdy. Some customers have reported the material splitting along the side seams, which wouldn’t be ideal.
Compared to my top picks, the fact this only has 3 reclining positions does count against this chair, however, it is a minor problem.
4. Outdoor Revolution Air Mesh Recliner Camping Chair
The Outdoor Revolution Air Mesh Recliner Camping Chair is fourth on my list of the best camping chairs for the elderly.
This chair once again has a good seat height of 46cm. This seating position again will reduce the pressure on your lower back, whilst also allowing your hips to be in a more comfortable position.
With the chair itself weighing just 3.9kg, this is the lightest option on our list. If you will need to move the chair during the day to stay in the sun, or if you need to carry it around to where it is going to be set, this will be much easier with this chair than the others on the list.
This is once again a sturdy chair, with aluminium used for the frame when compared to steel with the others. This is what helps to keep the weight down.
With this chair supporting only up to 100kg, it is designed more for lighter-weight individuals. However, 100kg should be adequate for most elderly people.
The lack of a headrest also works against this seat, as it reduces the level of comfort. If you are planning on sitting in this camping chair for long periods, you would need something to support your head and neck.
5. Crusader Lollie Pop Chair
The Crusader Lollie Pop Camping Chair is the last on my list of the best camping chairs for the elderly.
This chair once again has a good seat height of 45cm. This seating position again will reduce the pressure on your lower back, whilst also allowing your hips to be in a more comfortable position.
Being made from a breathable mesh material increases the comfort of this chair as it is less likely to make you feel clammy. Allowing air to flow through the mesh will help to cool you down when sitting for long periods.
There is the added benefit of a headrest with the camping chair, which will take some of the weight off your neck when sitting for prolonged periods.
With this chair supporting only up to 100kg, it is designed more for lighter-weight individuals. However, 100kg should be adequate for most elderly people.
With the chair weighing 5.2kg, this chair is in the mid range in terms of weight.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for the best camping chair for the elderly, I believe the Quest Ragley Pro Comfort Camping Chair with Side Table provides the best support, comfort and reclining options. The perfect blend for a long day sitting in the sun.
Related: Why Are Folding Chairs So Expensive?
