Yes, you can use any camping chair at the beach. But will your camping chair gives you the comfort of a standard beach chair depends on few factors like the freedom to recline the chair, how comfortable it is? and how sturdy it is on sand?
If your camping chair answers all these questions adequately then congrats because that chair is going to provide you the comfort of any typical beach chair.
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The budget chair that you can use on beach:
What is the difference between standard camping and beach chairs?
Is there really any difference between so-called camping chairs and beach chairs? Before answering that question, one thing I want to clear is that why camping chair you can even use your office chair at the beach if you wish and have no worry about other people’s shit talk.
Why we don’t use such chairs on the beach? Because they’re not foldable and portable as compared to beach or camping chairs.
Now, what are some differences that I find after looking at a typical camping chair and a typical beach chair? The easily visible difference between them is a traditional camping chair does not support zero gravity features, so in a line, if any chair is lightweight, portable, and foldable then it is called a camping chair.
Remember a camping chair does not need to provide the functionality of any beach chair like a cooler, canopy, zero gravity, broad area for legs, side pockets to put beverages. But a good beach chair needs to provide all these things.
I hope now you understand the key differences between these two types of chairs and by understanding them you may get a general view of a type of camping chair that can provide you the utmost comfort at the beach. Yet, if you’re not clear about what to look for in a camping chair that can be used at the beach then keep reading.
Will your camping chair work at the beach?
After researching and analyzing camping chairs I’ve come up with some criteria to make sure that your chair won’t fail at the beach. Some criteria are more general and known by nearly every beach and camping lover and some are small but will decide the overall experience.
Note: Given criterias are not required but if you really want to buy a chair that can be used on both places then you’ve nothing to loose reading them.
Portability and compactness
This is a basic yet most important criterion to look at. If your camping chair is highly portable and compact to the point where it folded down to the size of a backpack then your camping chair is all set to become a good beach chair.
Why you need this level of compactness and portability? You may need to change the position of your chair in some cases and for this, you need to have a lightweight portable chair that you can just pick from one hand or two to move slightly or completely to another location where you may like to fold it down completely and if after folding the chair is still big then it is probably heavier and you may find it little awful to transport, especially if you’re an old person.
Chair’s comfort
Maybe at camping, you don’t need a highly comfortable chair. A reasonably comfortable chair will do the work. But, when you’re at the beach to just chill then you would like to have a nice comfortable chair to enjoy the cold breeze, sunset, sunrise, or just the sound of the beach.
In this case, you may want the level of comfort where you can completely stretch out your hands and legs. You need to check this in person. Do it now or after reading. Sit on your camping chair and close your eyes, visualize that your sitting on you’re camping chair at your desired beach.
Now feel the chair in which you’re sitting while visualizing. If you’re feeling comfortable then your chair will work for you. Why visualize the scene of sitting on your chair at the beach? Because every person has a different level of comfort depending upon their way of sitting and the surrounding in which you’re sitting.
Here are some steps to know is your chair comfortable for you:
Length & Width: Before measuring the chair length and width, measure your height and width. Here are some questions to ask yourself – are you a tall person or short? what is your body type – lean, normal, or broad?
Now measure your chair’s length and width, if your chair length is more than your length and wider than your hips, chest, and shoulder altogether then your camping chair will hold your body well in any location.
In the length and width section don’t forget to measure the chair’s footrest (if it has one). How wide your footrest will determine how comfortably you can place your legs on it.
Weight capacity: If your camping chair is perfect in length and width then 40% of your comfort problem is solved. From the remaining 60%, 30% will depend upon the weight capacity, sturdiness, and durability, 25% on the chair’s flexibility and the seat of it, and only 5% on the extras you get like pockets, holders, etc (We will discuss everything).
Is your chair strong enough to hold your weight? Every camping chair on the market mentions the upper limit of weight their chair can hold. On average most camping chairs can hold weight ranging from 300 to 800 pounds. According to experts, you should go for at least twice the weight capacity of your weight so that you can feel secure that your chair will not betray you.
The sturdiness of legs: Remember you’re taking a camping chair on the beach, maybe it is doing well on hard grounds or little uneven surfaces, but the chair doesn’t need to remain still on the sand while moving yourself here and there on a chair.
You can not do much if you already have a camping chair but if you’re planning to buy a new chair then look for aluminum legs as it is known for its great strength to weight ratio. To make your current camping chair more sturdy on the beach, you can pole the legs 5-6 inches in the sand to keep the legs still while you’re changing position.
Flexibility: Is your camping chair feature zero gravity or simple reclination? Look at the beach chairs, you’ll find most of them have the feature of reclining back so that we can sleep or just chill in a lying position.
However, if you don’t wanna buy a reclining chair, no problem, you’re all set to go if your camping chair fulfilling all the above criteria. It is just if you have a foldable reclining chair or zero gravity chair the overall experience would be more comfortable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are camping chairs good for the beach?
Yes, camping chairs work at the beach but the overall sitting experience will depend upon the type of chair you have. If you have a standard camping chair then you can enjoy the beach to the next level by buying a good footrest on the other hand if your camping chair features zero gravity mode then you can enjoy it while lying down.
Why are beach chairs low to the ground?
Beach chairs are not like the other outdoor chairs as they are made to stand strong on sandy surfaces. That’s why manufacturers create them in such a way that when you will place the beach chair on sand it will low to the ground so that the chair won’t fall to the sand when you move your body here and there.
Can you sleep in a zero gravity chair?
You can sleep in a zero gravity chair. In fact, sleeping on a zero gravity chair helps those who are facing sleep apnea as it allows your head to remain slightly elevated to reduce the airways blockages. The elevated positioning reduces the snoring problems as well as clear the airways for better breathing. And better breathing will result in a deeper REM cycle.
Can you lay on your stomach or side on a zero gravity chair? If the chair has a face opening then you can comfortably lay on your stomach to read books and tanning, its also good for side sleepers due to its elevated positioning for your legs and head.
What should I look for in a beach chair?
I’ve already described everything in detail about what looks like in your camping chair that’ll work on the beach. Here are some points that you can go by before buying a new chair for the beach.
- Materials with which your beach chair is constructed
- Positioning
- Weight capacity
- Fabric of seat
- Extras you’ll get like a cup holder, cooler, canopy, footrest, etc.
- Your preferred style
Can beach chairs get wet?
Yes, beach chairs get wet. No matter what type of chair you have, they’ll get wet if you put them outside in rain or clean them. Don’t worry water will not damage your chair unless it is made up of wood and you don’t dry wet chairs under the sun.
Michael is heavily inclined towards traveling to natural places and documenting cultures/people from different parts of the world. He also loves hiking and camping and is spirited toward all outdoor activities. He will share his passion for outdoor life and brands or products we use outside our homes. He has good research skills, and that’s why you can see why his articles are packed with info that is factual and not readily available. He also has the vision to travel the whole world and share it with all readers of Outdoor Favor.
