The 11 Best Beach Chairs of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
Nothing screams summer like a relaxing beach day, and finding a comfortable place to sit is essential. A good beach chair can be the difference between a blissful day you wish would never end and an unpleasant one you’d rather cut short.
“It is far more comfortable for your back to be sitting in a proper seat than on a beach blanket while reading, enjoying the scenery, or chatting with family and friends,” says Keri Baugh, founder of the family travel blog Bon Voyage With Kids. “Plus, a chair helps keep sand on your feet—and not everywhere else.”
To find the best beach chairs, we spent hours researching and testing out different models, considering factors like type, portability, comfort, and features. For each chair, we took careful note of how easy it was to carry to and from the beach, how intuitive the set-up and breakdown were, and how comfortable it was to sit and lay in throughout the day. We also received expert tips from Baugh as well as David D’Alessandro, the inventor and designer of Ostrich beach chairs.
Mac Sports Beach Day Foldable Chaise Lounge Chair at Wayfair
$148
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This lightweight beach chair has it all—pockets, backpack straps, a headrest, and multiple reclining settings.
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The thigh bar doesn’t offer much in terms of padding.
Homevative’s Folding Backpack Beach Chair is our top pick for its portability, numerous pockets, and ability to recline fully. We found this to be one of the most reliable chairs we’ve ever used, thanks to the suspension lace-up sides which provide ample stretch and sturdiness. The setup process was easy and intuitive, and the arms and legs glided out effortlessly. Note that there’s a thigh bar, which we found offered additional support for our legs but had minimal padding. For those who prefer a chair with no thigh bar, the brand makes several versions without it.
We brought this chair on several trips to the beach and found it easy to carry across all sorts of terrain—we covered sidewalks, gravel, staircases, and plenty of sand—and the padded, adjustable backpack straps felt comfortable and kept us hands-free the whole time. It stayed put on both wet and dry sand, and we loved how easy it was to recline it to five different positions, including the crucial option to lay the chair flat for a beach nap (there’s even a built-in headrest for maximum comfort).
The variety of pockets also came in handy for our beach days, with two spacious zippered pockets on the back. One pocket is insulated, so you can tuck small drinks and snacks in there to keep them cool, while the other two small pockets are along the armrest for drinks and essentials like your phone and wallet.
Dimensions: 17 x 25 x 33 inches | Weight: 7 pounds | Weight Capacity: 250 pounds | Materials: Aluminum
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PHOTO: Wade Review / Ivy Ford
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PHOTO: Wade Review / Ivy Ford
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