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A relaxing day on the sand isn’t complete without the perfect beach chair. However, if you’re stuck with a beach chair that happens to be uncomfortable or too heavy to carry, you’ll probably take home a backache as the souvenir of your trip.
Most of us have beach chairs that are fine, but probably not the best fit for our needs. That’s because this is the kind of purchase you tend to make on the fly, buying whatever one is cheapest and in stock while you load up on sunscreen, coolers, beach towels, and beach umbrellas for your family. As someone who has lived at the beach for pretty much their entire life, I watch this happen every summer during tourist season.
Instead, take a little bit of time to consider a different chair that better suits the way you sit, lounge, and travel. We’ve done the work for you with our round-up of the best beach chairs you can find online. Some factors we took into account were: Size, durability, weight, versatility, comfort, features, materials, aesthetic, and reclining range to name a few. And let's not forget cupholders!
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When I picture a chair ideal for the little growing members of our family, my non-negotiables are comfort, functionality, longevity, and especially safety. Aside from a sturdy alloy steel frame and durable indoor/outdoor polyester, this chair has a ton of safety features that will keep your littles safe and sound while you’re enjoying the beach. These features include a removable five-points safety harness, removable sun canopy, and flared leg system to help with stability.
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Whether you are like me and you are navigating the “joys” of chronic lower back pain, or need a chair that is higher off the ground than a normal beach chair for easy sitting and standing, this simple-yet-effective high-back beach chair has you covered. The full height of the chair is 35.5 inches from the sturdy steel legs to the top complete with padded headrest. The seat height is 16 inches, which is roughly double the average height of most chairs, and makes it easy to get in and out of the chair. It’s this feature that would also make it the best beach chair for seniors, tall people, and anyone who wants to save their knees. Good to know: This seat height is also recommended for a comfortable camping chair.
There aren’t many quality beach chairs without backpack straps for easy carrying. So, finding the best backpack chair was no easy task just based on the sheer number of options. I took into consideration not only the comfort provided by the straps themselves, but also thinking about why you want a backpack chair. This chair is so feature-rich that you won’t need to bring anything else with you, which means it also takes the place of a bulky beach bag. Keeping your hands free for your iced coffee and high fives. It comes with an XL Cooler+ pouch to keep your beverages and cold snacks safe from the sun, a large rear storage net for reading material, snacks, sunscreen, and more, and a rear towel bar that doubles as support for a full reclining position.
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After looking through dozens of budget-friendly chairs, I kept running into the same issues: no cup holder, no backpack strap, only one position, less-than-ideal materials, etc. This chair is what all of the souvenir shop/grocery store/bargain chairs aspire to be. It’s tough to find a good value without sacrificing quality, enter the Quest Porta-Lite 3. Complete with an extra large cup holder with mesh bottom to allow sand to pass through, 3-position reclining, comfortable backpack straps, and an awesome price.
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Most beach chairs are ideal for most people. However, some folks need something durable, heavy-duty, and larger scale. Whatever your reason, this chair has you covered. If you’re concerned about durability against the elements and constant use, you’ll love the rust-resistant anodized aluminum frame and triple-coated/quick-dry 600 denier polyester fabric which provides a hearty 500-pound weight capacity. The armrests are just as sturdy and tough, made from four-inch wide solid hardwood with a weather and scratch-resistant coating.
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When is a beach chair not only a beach chair? When it can fold into a wagon-style storage cart—and the Mac Sports Beach Day Lounger Combo Cart exactly does that. What I like the most about a chair like this is how many situations it lends itself to. If you’re headed to the beach with your friends or family and need to bring a cooler, towels, a volleyball, sandcastle buckets, sunblock, a frisbee, a beach ball, and still have room for some sandwiches and maybe a floatie or two; you’re in luck. You can carry up to 100 pounds of cargo on two heavy duty all-terrain wheels with ease using the telescoping handle. Once you’ve arrived on the beach and unloaded the beach party, this handy cart transforms into a super comfortable lounger with 4 reclining positions, a removable headrest, and a foot rest. This chair also has a surprisingly fast breakdown and set up speed, roughly five to ten seconds once emptied. Don’t worry, it also has a relatively small folded profile once you’re ready to load it back into your vehicle.
In a perfect world, every chair would be tested for five to ten years for a hundred hours per year. However, there are reliable ways to sufficiently judge a beach chair to choose one that’s high quality and will last a long time. Selecting a durable, weather-resistant frame and fabric are first and foremost. Steel is fantastic for longevity, and aluminum guarantees strength and that it’ll be lightweight. Powder coating or treated material is a bonus as well, since the only thing worse for metal than water, is saltwater. A sprayed or treated polyester not only extends the lifespan of your chair fabric, it also makes them super easy to clean. Backpack straps are almost always a must unless you’re looking at a cart/chair combo or something with a carry bag. I considered all of these aspects, along with almost a lifetime of personal experience from living at the beach, to select the best beach chairs.
Though it seems like the only choice to make when selecting a beach chair is the pattern of its fabric, there's actually way more than meets the eye when making this purchase:
Beach chairs range in price from $20 basic sand chairs designed to get you through a summer, to $300+ designer beach chairs with top-of-the-line marine fabrics and teak frames. The average is between $30-90 for a beach chair that adjusts, includes a cushion for your head, cupholders, carrying straps, and other convenient features.
The cheapest beach chairs often are made of materials that won't last the summer, like nylon (nylon breaks down when exposed to the sun) and cheap steel (which rusts quickly). Aluminum frames withstand the elements a bit better, and are lightweight. Seats made of polyester or canvas (especially marine canvas) are less likely to fade in the sun or weaken from being exposed to water and sunlight. Tip: Look for fabrics with at least a 600 denier. Denier refers to the thickness of the yarns used to weave the fabric—the higher the denier, the more durable the fabric.
Weight can be an issue with beach chairs. A difference in a couple pounds is noticeable when you're walking to and from the beach. Look for chairs under 12 pounds, along with features like backpack-style straps, slings or storage bags for a comfortable carry.
The taller you are, the less comfortable a just-above-the-sand chair or a sling-style chair will be. Instead, look to camping-style folding chairs with a seat height at least 17-19 inches from the ground. This is also a good recommendation for those with mobility issues, are pregnant, or have to frequently get up.
Being able to hose off sand, salt, dirt and other remnants of your beach day will help extend the life of your chair. Additionally, remember that features like built-in coolers will need to be cleaned regularly—if moisture remains in any little crevice, mildew will soon follow.
There are two major components that will drastically impact the longevity of your beach chair—sand and water. Sand can cause far more problems than just being itchy in your bathing suit. Any amount of sand that winds up in the mechanical parts of your chair can begin to wear away at the hardware and protective finish on the metal. Not only will this make the chair more difficult to open, close, and recline over time, it will also increase the likelihood of rust. Once the sand has worn down the finish, the saltwater takes over. Saltwater has an increased presence of dissolved ions leading to a faster rusting of unprotected metals. And the abrasive nature of the saltwater will wear away at the polyester much faster too.
All that being said, taking care of your beach chair to make sure it will last is simple. I find thoroughly rinsing down your chair with the hose, drying the metal parts with a towel—focusing on the mechanical portions, and then allowing the chair to air-dry in a garage or out of the sun under an awning—helps to extend the life of the chair materials.
There are many styles of beach chairs on the market, and the type you choose depends on your lifestyle and comfort preferences. Here are the most popular beach chair options:
Folding beach chairs: If you want something that is not cumbersome, still has some essential features like headrests and a couple of reclining positions, you’ll find that low-profile folding chairs are perfect for you.
Reclining lounge-style beach chairs: Generally, these are the longer lounge-style chairs that can fold up to be as flat as a typical beach chair. When unfolded, the lounge can be used completely flat (sometimes, these chairs also have a cut out to rest your face, so you can lie on your stomach comfortably.
Backpack-style beach chairs: The ultimate in portability, these are beach chairs that fold down flat and have built-in backpack straps. For the most comfortable carry, look for ones that have adjustable straps.
Canopy beach chairs: This new style of beach chair has a built-in canopy or umbrella that is part of the chair (usually, the typical folding style of beach chair). The additional canopy does add a slight bit of extra weight. Depending on the complexity of the canopy, it may add to your set-up and take-down time, as well. Also, if you do not fold down the canopy after going into the water, that part can catch an unexpected breeze and tip over your chair.
Sling-style beach chairs: These tend to have wood frames and a sling-style seat, and can fold down flat to carry. These offer less support than other styles, though the hammock-like seat is comfortable if you’re not looking for back support. Sling-style chairs are more difficult to carry, due to their size.
A beach chair tends to be lower to the ground than a lawn chair and is generally made with materials that can stand up to saltwater, salt air, and the sun. They’re also designed to be easier to carry, and often include features like coolers and drink holders that lawn chairs do not have.
Cleaning your beach chair will depend largely on the materials it was made from. In general, after a day at the beach, brush off any excess sand, especially in the joints, gears or other mechanisms in the chair. Most chairs can hold up to a spray down with a hose. Let the chair dry thoroughly, then place indoors, in a garage, or even in your car.
When you’re not using beach chairs, store them indoors if possible, to prevent further exposure from sun and rain.
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