If I have to pick one piece of equipment that defines the act of camping, caravanning, or any other recreational trip we take over the course of our lives, it would be the camping chair. I’m talking about the kind of trip that implies me and my family packing up the grill, the meat, the veggies, a crate of beer, sunscreen and maybe my fishing rod, and driving off with the van somewhere where we could forget that we just left a smoggy and loud concrete jungle behind us. Complete peace and quiet, everyone taking care of themselves, and me meditating in front of a calm water surface waiting for a fish to catch the bait.

The camping chair, for a camping aficionado like me, is the centre piece for a good time off. However, it needs to fulfil certain criteria before I make it my camping throne. So when I went to buy a new camping folding chair (as the old one I inherited from my father could no longer serve its purpose), I got so frustrated because there was such a vast offer of different types, sizes, brands and prices, that literally scared and confused me. So I came back home to think about it a little. You don’t just buy whatever chair some sales person that never made a camping trip in their life, convinces you to buy.

I narrowed down my choice to two models: the Aluminium Directors chair and the Eureka Curvy High Back chair. A tough choice, indeed. In order to make it easier, I compared the two of them according to some generally accepted criteria with which I totally agree.

The Directors Chair

I’ll cut to the chase: I bought this one. This chair suits my body shape and size perfectly. I won’t lie, I am a pretty big man. Not fat, but big. And I want to be able to sit on a chair without worrying if I’d be able to stand up later. This camping folding chair is made of aluminium – perfectly durable and able to withstand about 100 kilograms of weight. Its seat, back support and armrests are all padded for the perfect comfort. It’s easily portable since it’s very lightweight, and has a compact design. Add to this the carry handles it has for easy transport when folded, and you have the perfect chair. This camping throne made of polished aluminium has also some interesting features: a side table that folds out when needed, with a cup/bottle holder installed. Perfect for when I decide to place it in front of a water surface, grab my beer and just chill.

The Eureka Curvy

As its name says, this chair has a high back support, which is good, especially if you’re someone who doesn’t have neck problems and difficulty to sit in a such position. However, while it’s not particularly good for sitting, this chair is actually very good for napping. If you’re into going away to really rest your body and take a nap out in the open without worrying about anything, this chair could really be of use. It has a durable construction, but not a very practical one. The high back makes the chair hard to fit in any car trunk, which would be a problem for most people. Even in a van which is larger, this chair would take a little too much space. And finally, I personally don’t like the features it has – a storage pouch which hangs from the side of the chair. I like having a firm surface right next to me where I can store the things I like to have within my arm’s reach.