The Best Beach Chairs To Keep You Comfy On The Sand In 2025

Forbes

2 days ago

There's really nothing like a day at the beach—hot sun, cool drinks, crashing waves and catching a nap while kids engineer sand castles. But sitting directly on that hot sand isn't especially enjoyable, so we've rounded up the best beach chairs that will have you kicking back in comfort on many a lazy summer day. Many beach chairs, like our top choice, the Shibumi Beach Chair, offer more than just a place to park your personage. Many beach chairs have built-in cupholders, padding and pillows, shades and more.
The best beach chairs offer you comfort ad relaxation on those sunny summer days.
There are a lot of beach chairs out there, but we found that the best beach chairs—the ones we've covered here—have a few things in common, such as comfort, support and easy portability. That's certainly the case with our pick for the best lightweight beach chair, the Helinox Beach Chair, which weighs in at less than 3.2 pounds. To round out this list, we selected a variety of chairs of varied types with a range of features, and we checked in with some travel experts who are true beach lovers to help make sure we were on target with our best beach chair recommendations.
Amazon
Weight capacity: 300 pounds | Weight: 8 pounds | Seat height: 12 inches | Cupholder: Yes | Reclining: Yes
For several years, the company Shibumi was known primarily for its beach shade, which has a clever design using even a gentle breeze to billow the shade out and block the sun. Clearly, this company knows its way around beach hardware, because the Shibumi beach chair is masterfully well-designed and very highly rated. It's made using rust-resistant marine-grade aluminum for the frame and breathable fabric that offers support and comfort. The chair reclines at multiple different angles, and it has a cupholder on one side and a pocket perfect for a phone and snack on the other.
Shibumi's beach chair is on the pricier side, and its seat is a bit too low for some people's preference. But on the whole, this is a beach chair that scores high marks for its comfort, durability and its many clever design elements.
Amazon
Weight capacity: 250 pounds | Weight: 5.3 pounds | Seat height: 10 inches | Cupholder: Yes | Reclining: No
The Coleman Utopia Breeze Beach Chair proves that you don't have to spend a lot of money to get a compact but comfortable beach chair. It weighs a mere 5.3 pounds but can support up to 250 pounds, and it folds down for easy transport or storage. The chair has a pouch on the back where you can stash a book, towel or sandwich, and it has a built-in cupholder (as good beach chairs usually do).
This chair sits very low to the ground with just a 10-inch seat height, so people with mobility or balance issues may find it hard to get into and out of the Utopia Breeze. That said, people like me will love that this low seat makes it easy for you to stretch out your legs and relax. The sturdy steel frame will hold up to regular use, and the included carrying bag makes it easy to tote and store your seat when you're not using it.
Amazon
Weight capacity: 320 pounds | Weight: 3.2 pounds | Seat height: 7 inches | Cupholder: No | Reclining: No
It's amazing to say, but this beach chair from Helinox has a staggering 1:100 weight to capacity ratio. That's because the chair, which packs down small enough to fit into a backpack or a drawer, weighs just 3.2 pounds but can safely support adults weighing up to 320 pounds. That's largely thanks to the same DAC aluminum alloy frame material and rugged 600D polyester used in so many other Helinox products, such as cots and tables.
The setup and breakdown process has a bity of a learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, it will take all of a minute to deploy or pack up this portable chair. And while it was designed with the beach in mind, it's also great for camping, the park, a concert and much more.
Amazon
Weight capacity: 350 pounds | Weight: 11.1 pounds | Seat height: 8 inches | Cupholder: Yes | Reclining: Yes
The Hondo Beach Chair from Yeti is far and away the most expensive model in this list. But for that elevated price tag, you get a beach chair of impressive quality and durability. For example, it also has the highest rated weight capacity at 350 pounds, it's generously wide at 26.5 inches and deep at 29.4 inches and it has a rugged frame and features UV- and weather-resistant materials.
The Hondo offers four reclining positions and has a built-in cupholder and a handy carrying strap. It's on the heavier side of chairs in this category at a little over 11 pounds, but you can feel how sturdy this thing is when you plop down into it. If you're a larger adult (height or weight), then this chair should be near the top of your list.
Amazon
Weight capacity: 250 pounds | Weight: 8.6 pounds | Seat height: 11 inches | Cupholder: Yes | Reclining: Yes
If GCI Outdoor's Backpack Beach Chair were an affordably-priced and easily portable backpack beach chair and nothing more, it would probably still have made the cut. But it's all the clever extras that truly secured its place in this story. First, consider the main elements. As the name suggests, this chair has a pair of backpack straps that make it laughably easy to transport it—not that carrying it by hand is all that hard, though, as it weighs just 8.5 pounds. It can support a load of 250 pounds, offers a few reclining angles, and it's both comfortable and supportive.
Now for the extras. The chair's cupholder has a drawstring top so you can cinch it tight and protect whatever you're drinking, which is a nice touch. There is also a drawstring on the storage pouch on the back of the chair, which is welcome and clever. And finally, the chair features a pillow that can be adjusted up or down for custom comfort, and that's the real cherry on top.
Amazon
Weight capacity: 275 pounds | Weight: 10.2 pounds | Seat height: 12 inches | Cupholder: Yes | Reclining: Yes
Many of the beach chairs in this list have reclining backs, but this is the only one that can go fully flat, letting you lie down and relax in true comfort. And whether it's for comfort or to even out that tan, you can even lie face down atop this beach chair. That's because the pillow that cradles the back of your head can be flipped out of the way to reveal a cutout area for your face. There are also two cutouts you can stick your arms through, making it even easier to be comfy while you're face down.
A removable padded lumbar cushion is a welcome feature while you're seated, as the adjustable footrest. A 12-inch seat height is ideal for kicked back relaxation without much difficulty standing up, and the sturdy wooden armrests and included cupholder are thoughtful details.
Tommy Bahama
Weight capacity: 300 pounds | Weight: 17.8 pounds | Seat height: 9 inches | Cupholder: Yes | Reclining: Yes
The Tommy Bahama Marlin Palms Ultimate Beach Chair is all about making you as comfortable as possible while you're kicking back at the beach. That's thanks to its adjustable back, which reclines almost to flat, the pillows at the lumbar and head, a built-in cupholder and bottle opener and even an included folding table you can use as a footrest. But what really sells this beach chair is the adjustable sun shade, which can keep the sun off of your face and out of your eyes.
After pouring through scores of reviews left by verified customers, we did encounter multiple people who reported small imperfections with the chair, such as table legs that would not lock in place or a sunshade that kept disconnecting. But we also found excellent customer service from the brand, which seemed willing and able to remedy every issue.
The team of writers and editors on the gear team at Forbes Vetted have dozens of years of combined experience researching, testing and reviewing hardware of all sorts, including outdoor furniture, the best beach coolers, the best running shoes, and much more.
To be sure we recommend the best beach chairs, we focused on several variables. Here's how we made our selections:
All beach chairs are ready to be popped down on the sand and to hold a person as they take a seat, but to find the best beach chairs, you need to look way beyond the basics. Here are the factors we had top-of-mind:
If it's a hassle to get your beach chair to the beach, there's a chance you might just leave it behind. Look for beach chairs that are lightweight, fold up and ideally that have easy carrying mechanisms like straps or handles built in. 'Lightweight frames with carry straps [are] essential for portability,' says Carter.
You need a beach chair that can more than comfortably hold your weight. Make sure to choose one that is rated for a person a good deal heavier than its likely user or users. And keep in mind you might have a kid in your lap sometimes.
'When choosing the perfect beach chair, I look for chairs that have a solid cupholder and a firm cushion for my head,' says Kennealy." Consider also things like storage pouches, footrests and more.
While we did feature a couple of beach chairs that do not recline, such as the ultra packable model from Helinox, most beach chairs. Do you have a bag that goes down, just make sure it is enough of a reclining angle for your comfort and preference. 'Travelers I have led regularly comment on how much of a difference a fully reclining chair can make,' says Montes.
There's a good reason that even the least expensive beach chair on our list cost $50: they are all durable. 'Choose weather-resistant materials likes marine-grade teak, aluminum, or quick-dry mesh," says Carter. If you go too cheap on a beach chair this summer, you may well be replacing it next summer.
How Do I Choose The Right Seat Height For My Beach Chair?
If you prefer to stick your legs out straight and lean back, semi-reclined, and totally at ease, then go with a lower seat height, something below 10 inches above the sand. However, if you have any mobility issues, you want to choose a beach chair with a much higher seat height, so it will be easy to lower yourself into it and get back up.
What Weight Is Too Heavy For A Beach Chair?
According to our research, the sweet spot for a beach chair's weight is between seven and 10 pounds, but if you're comfortable with a bit more weight to carry and you want a heftier chair, it's not like there is a hard and fast rule.
What Are Some Beach Chair Care And Maintenance Tips?
There are really only three things you need to do to take care of your beach chair. The first is to clean it off after use with freshwater, and perhaps with a little bit of detergent if any parts are soiled. The second is to ensure that it dries completely before you put it away for storage. And the third is to keep the beach chair out of direct sunlight as often as possible, ideally at all times when you are not actively enjoying it on the beach.