Best Portable Hanging Chair For Camping and Outdoor Chilling

Field notes by Ben Hammockin · · 4 min read · Field-tested, tree-safe, no fluff
Best Portable Hanging Chair For Camping and Outdoor Chilling
Ben's bottom line

The best campsite luxury per ounce. A portable hanging chair turns any two trees into a front-porch swing.

When it comes to lounging, nothing quite beats the peacefulness of a soft sway. Sure, you could sit on a chair stuck on the ground like everybody else. But why stay stuck when you could be floating free? Of course, a portable hanging chair is probably not going to be your best bet for those long haul, overnight trek sort of trips. But then again neither is a regular ol’ camp chair. A stump will do just fine in that case. These are the best portable hanging chairs are for the drive-in campsites, the weekend getaways, the “don’t forget the 3 coolers and LED string lights” kind of trip. So, without further adieu, our picks for the top the portable hammock chairs.

BEST PORTABLE HANGING CHAIR: ENO Lounger Hanging Chair

We hereby award the first place prize for the best outdoor hanging chair to the ENO Lounger Hanging Chair. (Pause for applause). ENO really thought of everything when they were designing this hanging camp chair. This chair has an adjustable recline and footrest. It comes with a cup holder - essential for any lounge-enthusiast. It also includes an integrated pillow plus 2 cargo pockets and a stuff sack. Price: $124.95 Strength: Recommended Maximum Load: 250 lbs Weight: 3.38lbs Set-up is quick and easy (no knots required!) and this hanging chair comes with tree-friendly hanging straps. In fact, ENO is very vocal about responsible hammocking and adhering to LNT (Leave No Trace) principles.  While it’s a bit on the pricey side, it’s got the quality to back it up. This is a hanging chair you can feel good in and feel good about. A real win win.

BEST MID-RANGE HANGING CHAIR: Hammaka Original Hammock Chair

Coming in at the top of the mid-range category is the Hammaka Original Hammock Chair.  Very similar in look and style to the ENO Lounger Hanging Chair, the Hammaka hanging chair comes with a carrying case, pillow, footrest and cup holder. 
Hammaka Hanging Hammock Chair - 2nd best portable hammock chair
Hammaka Portable Hanging Chair
  The main difference here is weight and price. The Hammaka hanging chair is about twice as heavy, coming in at 7 lbs, and less than half as expensive. Price: $52.38 Strength: Recommended Maximum Load: 350 lbs Weight: 7 lbs If you’re looking for maximum comfort at a minimum price - this is the best portable hanging chair for you! 

BEST BUDGET HANGING CHAIR: CHILLOUT POD

The CHILLOUT POD is our top pick in the budget hanging chair category.
chillout pod - one of the best portable hanging chairs for camping and travel
Lounging in a Chillout Pod at the Park!
While you miss out on all the amenities of the first two hanging chairs (head rest, foot rest, cup holder, etc), the CHILLOUT POD (we’re not screaming at you - the name is just written in all caps) does prove to be quite comfortable - not to mention super lightweight and easy to set up. Simply toss the strap over any sturdy overhead point, extend the aluminum spreader pole and secure the rope to the cleat. Price: $32.99 Strength: Recommended Maximum Load: 400 lbs* *there are a few reviews out there reporting straps breaking while using this product. We did not run into this issue but, because of that, we would recommend not using this product if you’re on the upper end of the weight limit. And, as always, never hang your chair farther than you are willing to fall! Weight: 2.2 lbs This little hanging chair allows you the freedom to sit however you choose: cross legged or legs hanging off or curled up in a little ball. It’s a fun, lightweight, easy to use and very affordable hanging chair that will be perfect for your next trip.

Where To Buy A Outdoor Portable Hanging Chair

The best place to buy a portable hanging chair, honestly, is Amazon.  They have the best prices and fastest shipping on our top choices.  You can also find most of them on Ebay (links for both below).
ENO - Eagles Nest Outfitters Lounger Hanging Chair, Grey/Charcoal

ENO - Eagles Nest Outfitters Lounger Hanging Chair, Grey/Charcoal

Amazon.com

$134.95Check price →
Hammaka Hanging Hammock Air Chair, Aluminum Dowels, Green

Hammaka Hanging Hammock Air Chair, Aluminum Dowels, Green

Amazon.com

$64Check price →
Travel Hanging Chair, Lightweight Hammock Chair, Collapsible One-Piece System, Super Compact and Portable, One Minute Setup, Extra Comfortable With Multiple Seating Positions (Light blue & purple)

Travel Hanging Chair, Lightweight Hammock Chair, Collapsible One-Piece System, Super Compact and Portable, One Minute Setup, Extra Comfortable With Multiple Seating Positions (Light blue & purple)

Amazon.com

Check price →
Prices range from about $30 to nearly $150 for the best hanging chair, but to be honest you get what you pay for.  If you want a really good chair that'll last a lifetime, you might want to invest in the ENO.  If you only get out once or twice a year, the CHILLOUT POD is probably fine.  
Heads up, hangers: some links on this page are affiliate links (including Amazon). If you buy through them, the channel earns a small commission at no extra cost to you — it keeps the field tests coming. I only link gear I'd clip my own carabiner to. — Ben
Ben Hammockin · Trail-buddy teacher

Hanging between trees since 2013. I test every hammock the same way: is it comfortable, is setup actually simple, and does it respect the trees? Honest field notes, always. Catch the setups and reviews on the YouTube channel.

Keep hangin' around