Is a $300 Camp Chair Really Worth It? We Compare Premium vs Budget Options for Caravanners

It looks like a simple purchase, until your back starts aching halfway through happy hour.

For caravanners, especially grey nomads and long-term tourers, a camp chair is not a throwaway item. It becomes your lounge room. You sit in it for meals, conversations, reading, watching the sunset and sometimes for most of the afternoon.

So the question comes up often: is a $250–$300 premium chair actually better than a $60 big-box alternative?

We compared three common choices seen in caravan parks across Australia:

• Oztent King Goanna – heavy-duty premium comfort
• Helinox Sunset Chair – lightweight premium design
• Wanderer-style budget folding chairs – affordable and widely available

Here is what really matters for caravanners.

What Caravanners Actually Need From a Camp Chair

Caravanners are not hiking into remote alpine camps with everything on their back. Touring priorities are different.

Most travellers are looking for:

• Proper back and shoulder support
• Comfortable arm height for extended sitting
• Stability on grass, gravel and uneven sites
• Fabric that won’t sag after a season of use
• A frame sturdy enough to last beyond one trip

Weight still matters, particularly for payload-conscious setups. But for many caravanners, long-term comfort and durability carry more weight in the decision.

It’s also worth remembering that comfort upgrades don’t always involve major purchases. Often it’s the smaller, practical changes that make the biggest difference to daily touring life.

If you’re reassessing your setup more broadly, our guide to 7 Small Camping Upgrades That Make a Big Difference on the Road looks at affordable additions that improve airflow, water management and safety during summer travel — upgrades that complement seating comfort rather than replace it.

Oztent King Goanna: Built for Long Afternoons

The King Goanna is a familiar sight in caravan parks.

Weight: Approx. 7kg
Weight rating: Around 150kg
Design: High back, padded seat, wide stance

This chair feels solid. The high back supports shoulders rather than stopping mid-spine. The padding adds comfort during extended sitting. The wide base improves stability on softer ground.

For long-term travellers, that support makes a noticeable difference.

The downside is storage. It folds flat but remains bulky. Two of them can take up meaningful space in a tunnel boot or front box. They also add weight, which matters for travellers managing payload limits.

Best suited to:

• Grey nomads
• Long caravan park stays
• Travellers who prioritise comfort over compact storage

Helinox Sunset Chair: Lightweight Without Feeling Flimsy

Helinox takes a different approach.

Instead of steel framing, it uses lightweight aluminium poles with tensioned fabric.

Weight: Around 1.5kg
Weight rating: Approx. 145kg
Pack size: Compact

The Sunset model offers a higher back than early Helinox designs, giving reasonable shoulder support. It packs down small, making it attractive for caravanners short on storage space.

However, it sits lower to the ground than traditional padded chairs. Some older travellers may find it slightly harder to get in and out of.

Where it stands out is portability. Two Helinox chairs combined weigh less than one heavy-duty padded chair.

Best suited to:

• Travellers with limited storage
• Payload-conscious setups
• Caravanners who value compact gear

Budget Folding Chairs: Affordable but Variable

Big-box retailers stock a wide range of folding camp chairs in the $40 to $90 range.

They are convenient and inexpensive. Many include cup holders and fold easily into carry bags.

However, durability varies significantly.

Common long-term issues include:

• Fabric stretching and sagging
• Armrests tearing
• Frame rivets loosening
• Reduced back support over time

For occasional trips, they can be perfectly adequate. For travellers living on the road for months, weaknesses tend to show more quickly.

Best suited to:

• Weekend trips
• Occasional campers
• Backup seating

Back Support: Where Premium Chairs Justify the Cost

Back support is where price differences become obvious.

High-back padded chairs distribute weight more evenly across the upper spine. Tensioned premium fabric reduces sagging over time. Budget models often rely on softer canvas that stretches with repeated use.

For caravanners spending hours seated daily, that structural difference matters.

Comfort is not just about padding. It is about posture.

Durability Over a Full Touring Season

Premium chairs generally use:

• Reinforced stitching
• Higher-grade frame materials
• Better UV resistance
• More consistent weight ratings

Budget chairs may last several seasons with light use. Heavy touring, exposure to sun and frequent folding will test them more quickly.

Replacing a cheaper chair annually can eventually cost more than investing once in a durable model.

Payload and Storage Considerations

Caravan payload limits are becoming more widely understood.

Two heavy-duty padded chairs can add around 14kg combined. Two lightweight aluminium-frame chairs may add under 3kg.

That difference can influence purchasing decisions, particularly for travellers already close to their limits.

Storage footprint also matters. Bulky chairs compete with hoses, levelling ramps and other essentials.

The Practical Middle Ground

Many caravanners are choosing a balanced approach:

• One high-back premium chair for long sitting
• One lightweight chair for flexibility or guests

It spreads the cost and manages space without sacrificing comfort entirely.

So, Is a Premium Camp Chair Worth It?

It comes down to how you travel.

If you’re parked up for weeks at a time, proper back support and durability quickly justify the extra spend. Comfort becomes part of daily life.

If your trips are shorter and more frequent, portability and quick pack-down may matter more than all-day cushioning. The shift toward weekend touring is influencing gear choices across the board — something we explore further in Why More Australians Are Choosing Short Caravan Getaways.

The right chair isn’t about the price tag alone. It’s about matching your setup to your travel style.

Choose accordingly, and you’ll notice the difference every afternoon you sit down.