A chair is one of the absolute necessities for a campsite. The prices vary, but we have found some great options that are cheaper than you would pay at an event and probably even more comfortable!
If you’ve ever found yourself sitting on wet ground or in the mud at an outdoor event, it is safe to say that you need a camping chair. Luckily, there are affordable options available both online and offline so we can avoid feeling like crap after a full day of live sets.
We’ve tried to find the cheapest high street options so you can pick one up today in a hurry and avoid paying loads more at a festival. The cheapest high street option we’ve found right now is £7 at B&M Bargains, but lots of retailers are offering “2 for £15” deals if you are buying with a mate.
We’ve also found some great premium chairs available on Amazon, offering a much better chair for less than the price of a basic one at an event.
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Camping chair tips
- Unless you’re at a really chill festival, make sure you move your camping chair inside your tent when you leave the campsite. It will definitely get stolen otherwise. It helps if you have a decent festival tent with a living area.
- If your camping chair gets soaked, stand it upside down. The water will run off and it’ll dry faster.
- Sitting with one leg over an armrest is comfy, but it’ll reduce the life of your chair.
- Letting someone sit on your knee will keep you warm but will also reduce the life of your lovely new camping chair.
Basic / Cheap Camping Chairs with cupholder and armrests
First up, the aptly named Steel Folding Camping Chair. Loads of retailers stock very similar basic chairs like these and we’ve found there’s usually so little difference between them that you might as well buy whichever is cheapest or most convenient at the time. We’ve looked at a load of more expensive chairs with extra features and comfort below, but we’ve always found these good enough quality to last for dozens of festivals and longer if looked after!
They’ll fold up into a nice bag. You’ll probably lose the bag, but try not to, because it makes it loads easier to carry into the festival. Without the bag and shoulder strap, a chair can end up requiring an extra trip to the car just to bring it inside!
A standard camping chair with a cup (i.e. can) holder and a carrying bag with a strap is often all you’re looking for in a festival chair.
Cheap camping chair price comparison
Here are the current high-street and supermarket prices for a standard folding camping chair.
- Argos: £10 each (or 2 for £15)
- B&M Bargains: £7 each
- Blacks: £10 each (or 2 for £15)
- Decathlon: £12.99 each (or 2 for £20)
- GoOutdoors: £10 each (or 2 for £15) (£5 membership required)
- Home Bargains: £7.99 each
- Millets: £10 each (or 2 for £15)
- Mountain Warehouse: £14.99 each
- Sports Direct: £13.99 each (or 2 for £22)
- Tesco: £10 each (or 2 for £16) (Clubcard price)
- The Range: £12.25 each
Amazon camping chair recommendations
Amazon stocks hundreds of basic chairs with frequently changing prices, so rather than listing them all, we have picked three specific options. All of these are usually available with Prime delivery, meaning it’s free for Prime members, and they offer a massive step up in quality compared to the £10 high street options.
The Best Budget Option: Amazon Basics Mesh Chair
If you want the convenience of Prime delivery without spending a fortune, this Amazon Basics chair is the one to get. It is slightly more expensive than the cheapest high street options, but it is noticeably better built. The mesh back panel stops you from getting sweaty when the sun comes out, and it has a built-in cooler pouch hanging off the armrest alongside the standard cup holder.
- Great value: A solid step up from the cheapest high street chairs without spending loads more.
- Cooler pouch and cup holder: Keeps a drink close by and gives you a bit of extra storage at the campsite.
- Mesh back panel: Better airflow on hot days and much less sweaty than a full fabric back.
- Carry bag included: Folds down neatly so it is much easier to carry from the car to the campsite.
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The Best Heavy-Duty Option: Vango Goliath
If you are sick of cheap chairs breaking on Saturday morning, it is time to upgrade. The Vango Goliath is an oversized, heavy-duty chair that is built like an absolute tank. It offers a much wider seat than a standard chair and padded fabric that is incredibly comfortable to sink into. It is noticeably heavier to carry from the car, but once you sit in it at the campsite, you will never want to go back to a £10 basic chair.
- Built like a tank: A much sturdier, more durable option than the usual cheap folding chairs.
- Extra roomy seat: Bigger and more comfortable than standard festival chairs, with proper space to spread out.
- Padded comfort: Much nicer to spend a full evening in at the campsite than the thin basic chairs.
- Made to last: Heavier to carry in, but far less likely to be broken by Saturday afternoon.
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The Best Lightweight Option: Helinox Chair One
If you hate lugging heavy bags from the car park, or you want a chair you can actually carry around the festival site with you all day, the Helinox Chair One is the gold standard. It packs down smaller than a loaf of bread and weighs less than a kilogram. It is expensive, but the engineering is incredible — it uses premium aluminium poles that snap together like a tent frame. It is the ultimate festival chair if you value packing light above everything else.
- Very lightweight: Ideal if you hate carrying loads of bulky gear from the car park.
- Packs down tiny: Much smaller than a normal folding chair, so it is easier to squeeze into a packed car.
- Premium build quality: Uses strong aluminium poles and feels far better made than cheap collapsible copies.
- Worth the money: Expensive for a camping chair, but brilliant if portability matters more than anything else.
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If you love the idea of a tiny, lightweight chair but want a bit more neck and back support for nursing a Sunday morning hangover, they also make a highback version. The Helinox Chair One Highback uses the same clever folding frame system but features a taller backrest, giving you proper support without adding a massive amount of bulk to your packing list.
- More back support: Gives you a much higher backrest than the standard Chair One, which makes a big difference for longer sits.
- Still packs down small: More comfortable than the regular version without turning into a huge bulky chair.
- Light but luxurious: A great option if you want proper comfort without lugging in a massive padded chair.
- Premium festival pick: Expensive, but one of the best choices if you want to pack light and sit comfortably.
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Bonus accessory: Clip-on Camping Chair Side Table
Want to be the envy of the campsite?
These clip-on side tables should fit almost any of the standard camping chairs listed above, and they are a worthy upgrade. You’ll get two solid cupholders, alongside a safe place for your phone and whatever else you’re holding onto.
This will prevent you from dropping everything you’ve left on your lap onto the floor every time you stand up.
- Fits most camping chairs: An easy upgrade for the standard folding chairs most people take to festivals.
- Two cup holders: Gives you a much safer place for your drinks than balancing them on the floor.
- Phone and snack space: Handy spot for your phone, lighter, vape, or whatever else usually ends up on your lap.
- Cheap but useful: One of those campsite extras you do not need, until you have one and wonder how you managed without it.
TheFestivals is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Image credits: Acabashi
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