Best Camping Chairs South Africa: A Buying Guide to Our Range

In South Africa, camping chairs do a lot of work outside of camping. They come out for braais in the back garden, picnics at the dam, sports days on the school field, and winter nights around the fire with a blanket and a glass of wine.

This guide walks through the Naturehike range of the best camping chairs South Africa has on offer, so you can pick one that suits how you actually use it.

What to Think About Before You Buy

A camping chair is a small purchase you'll keep reaching for, so it pays to think about a few things upfront.

• Weight and pack size. If you're hiking in, weight and pack size become the priority. For car camping, weight is less of a concern and you can go for something bigger and more comfortable.

• Load capacity. Check the rating. A chair rated for 100kg is fine for some users but cuts it close for others, especially when you add a bit of kit on your lap.

• Frame and fabric. Aluminium alloy frames are light and rust-resistant, which suits South African coastal trips where salt air gets into everything. Look for tear-resistant Oxford fabric on the seat, which holds up to repeated folding and rough ground.

• Comfort features. Things like a cup holder, side pocket, headrest, or wider seat can be the reason you enjoy sitting in the chair. Decide which features you'll use and which are extras you'll ignore.

• Setup and transport. A carry bag with a shoulder strap and a folded size that fits a car boot without a rearrangement make the chair easier to live with.

Lightweight Picks for Hikers and Backpackers

When you're carrying your seat on your back, the goal is small and light without ending up sitting on the ground anyway. We have a few camping chairs designed for hikers and backpackers.

• XPE Folding Foam Seat. A compact, waterproof pad that folds out flat or doubles up for a raised seat. It barely registers in a backpack and works well for trail breaks or sitting on damp ground at a viewpoint.

• Ultralight Folding Stool. Around 272g and folds down to a small package. There's no backrest, but it gets you off the ground at the end of a long hike, which is often enough.

• Mini Folding Camp Stool. An aluminium alloy frame with a polyester seat. Folds flat and slides into a daypack for hikes or fishing trips.

• Ultralight Folding Stool with Back. Around 422g with a simple backrest, which adds support on long sits around the fire. Still compact enough for a hiking pack.

These options keep weight low at the cost of padding and recline. For a slackpacking trail or a weekend hike where you're moving every day, they're the camp chairs to consider.

Folding Chairs for Car Camping and Picnics

If you're driving in, you have more room to play with and can prioritise comfort over pack size. These options sit in the middle of our range, comfortable enough for a full day at camp without taking up half the boot.

• Compact Portable Folding Stool. A small folding stool with a sturdy frame. Useful as a second seat for guests or a low option for kids around the fire.

• Light Folding Chair. A smaller take on the traditional camping chair with a 145kg load capacity. Good for the beach or a picnic at the dam, where you want a proper chair without the bulk of a recliner.

• Portable Folding Chair. A standard folding chair with a relaxed seat angle, suited to weekend campers who want something comfortable to settle into at camp.

• Portable Folding Chair (Large). A wider version of the same chair for anyone who finds standard sizing too narrow. Same easy setup, more room across the seat.

• Double Folding Chair. A two-seater for couples or for sharing with a child. Works at the campsite or as overflow seating at a back garden braai.

This group covers most weekend trips. If you're not carrying the chair on a hiking trail and you don't need full recline, this is the part of our camp chairs for sale to look at.

Reclining and High-Back Chairs for Long Days at Camp

For trips where the chair stays put for hours at a time, comfort takes priority. Our high-back and reclining options give you proper back support and a deeper seat to settle into.

• High Back Folding Moon Chair. A curved seat design that wraps around you for a relaxed sitting position. The high back supports your head and shoulders, which makes a long evening at camp easier on the neck.

• MW01 Woodgrain Folding Moon Chair. The same wrap-around moon chair shape with a woodgrain finish on the frame. Looks a bit more refined for use at home on the patio or for a glamping setup.

• Adjustable Deck Chair. A reclining option with adjustable back angles, so you can sit upright for dinner and lean back when you're done. Useful for fishing trips or lazy afternoons at the dam.

• Wide Outdoor Folding Chair. A larger chair with a wider seat and a higher back, built for longer sits without going numb. Good for car campers who want something that feels closer to a patio chair.

These chairs take up more space packed down, but for car camping or back garden use, the extra comfort is what you'll feel by the end of day two.

Matching the Chair to Your Trip

A quick way to narrow it down based on what you've got planned:

• Weekend braai or home use. A High Back Folding Moon Chair or Wide Outdoor Folding Chair gives you proper patio-style comfort that packs away when you're done.

• Family camping at a SANParks campsite. Look at the Portable Folding Chair range for the adults and the Compact Portable Folding Stool for the kids. A Double Folding Chair is a good add-on for shared seating.

• Beach day or picnic at the dam. The Light Folding Chair sets up fast and packs down small enough for the boot, with enough back support for a few hours in the sun.

• Multi-day hike or slackpacking trail. Stick to the Ultralight Folding Stool or the Ultralight Folding Stool with Back. The XPE Folding Foam Seat is a good backup for trail breaks.

• Fishing trip or long sit by the water. The Adjustable Deck Chair lets you change positions through the day, which helps when you're in the same spot for hours.

Pull Up a Chair at Naturehike

The right camping chair is the one you'll reach for first. Once you've thought about how often you'll carry it and who's sitting in it, the choice gets a lot easier.

Have a look at our chairs, stools and seats collection for the full range of camping chairs, and add the one that suits your camping style to your cart before your next trip.