After hours of research, we picked the best canopy chairs available today on the market.
Whether you’re looking for a chair for picnics, beach days, camping trips, backpacking, tailgates, sports events or just to lounge in your backyard, we have great picks suited for your exact needs.
A good chair should be easy to transport, sturdy and lightweight at the same time, reliable in rough weather, comfortable, and equipped with a canopy for sun protection.
Best Sellers
Best Overall: Swim Ways Kelsyus Canopy Chair at Amazon​
Runner-up: Quik Shade MAX Adjustable Canopy Camp Chair at Amazon
Best with Umbrella: Sport-Brella Recliner Chair at Amazon
Best Lounge Chair: Best Choice Products Zero Gravity Chair at Amazon
Best for Two: Double Folding Chair with Cooler at Amazon
Best for Babies: Baby Delight Go with Me at Amazon
Best for Kids: Kelsyus Kids Outdoor Canopy Chair at Amazon
Keep scrolling to read more about our favorite picks.
- Best Sellers
- Best Canopy Chairs
- 1. Best Overall: Swim Ways Kelsyus Canopy Chair
- 2. Best for Camping: Quik Shade Folding Chair with Canopy
- 3. Best for Beach: Sport-Brella Recliner Chair
- 4. Best Zero-Gravity Chair: Best Choice Products Folding Zero
- 5. Best Double Folding Chair: Best Choice Products Folding Chair for Two
- 6. Best for Babies: Baby Delight Go with Me Chair
- 7. Also Great for Young Kids: Kelsyus Kids
- Buying guide – How we picked
Best Canopy Chairs
1. Best Overall: Swim Ways Kelsyus Canopy Chair
Key Features
For a canopy chair that’s sturdy, super lightweight, ultra-portable, remarkably comfortable, easy-to-transport and that offers 50+ UPF sun protection, look no further than the Kelsyus SwimWays.
This chair is ideal for any outdoor adventures, from beach trips, concerts, sporting events, picnics, hikes and camping trips.
What we like most about this chair, is that is ultra-portable and designed in a way that you don’t need a carry bag. The chair is super easy to set-up, the canopy is smartly designed to become the chair’s carrying bag in a snap.
It also features a spacious cup holder and mesh pockets perfect for your snacks, magazines, wallet or keys.
Made with high-quality fabrics, the chair offers you the ultimate comfort and breathability. In the hottest day, the breathable mesh will ensure the air flows and will save you from sweating.
The chair’s canopy attachment is adjustable, it tilts fully up and fully down. Although it provides really good cover shade, some complained that it would have been nice to be able to adjust the canopy at any angle.
2. Best for Camping: Quik Shade Folding Chair with Canopy
Key Features
The Quick Shade chair ticks all the boxes that make up a quality canopy chair: it’s easy to carry, portable, supportive, with a fully adjustable canopy that offers maximum UV protection.
We like that it’s made of a tough 300 x 600D polyester material that’s highly durable, stain-resistant and water-resistant.
The seat is nice, wide and comfortable and can hold a maximum of 225 lbs.
The canopy is designed to offer you maximum shade while it protects you from the sun. It’s wide, convenient and easy to adjust to give you a cooling shade at any angle.
On the side, you’ll find two spacious cup holders where you can hold your favorite drinks.
This upgraded model comes with a practical mesh pouch, easy to reach, where you can place your snacks and accessories.
The chair is completely foldable and comes in a compact carrying bag for easy storage and quick transport.
What you might not like: some expressed concerns that the chair is a bit bulky and awkward to disassemble and put back in the bag
3. Best for Beach: Sport-Brella Recliner Chair
Key Features
When it comes to outdoor chairs with umbrellas, one of the most popular choices on Amazon is the Sport-Brella 3-Position Recliner Chair.
This folding chair comes with an attachable umbrella that offers full coverage sun protection.
You can be assured your skin is covered from the dangerous UV rays from any angle. The umbrella comes with a 3-way swiveling feature that allows you to block the sun from any awkward angle.
You’ll experience the ultimate comfort, with the 3 reclining options. You can sit up, lay back, and put your feet up on the footrest.
Whether you use it for camping, tailgating, events, fishing trips or beach days, this chair is ideal for any outdoor experience.
Another great thing about it is the built-in insulated cup holder that can hold up to 4 drinks. It keeps your favorite beverages cold and at your fingertips.
Comes with a zippered storage pocket where you can keep your snacks and your belongings, and what’s nice about it is that it also comes with a built-in bottle opener.
The chair set is lightweight, easy to set-up and compact for easy storage. Overall it makes an excellent beach chair with umbrella attached.
What we didn’t like: While the umbrella is excellent, the chair could use some durability improvements.
4. Best Zero-Gravity Chair: Best Choice Products Folding Zero
Key Features
This beautiful zero gravity chair with canopy is comfortable, portable, sturdy and UV-resistant. An ideal chair to take with you out in nature.
You can relax and lay on your back comfortably with the ergonomic zero gravity position.
It comes with a cushioned headrest pillow and sun canopy which provides you with a cold shade.
You’ll also get a cup holder tray where you can put your drinks, snacks and personal belongings.
What we also like about this lawn chair with shade is that it comes in 7 beautiful colors.
Ideal for lounging and chilling outdoors and perfect for picnics, pool parties, camping and tailgating trips.
It’s designed with an all-weather fabric that offers comfort, breathability and prevents mildew or color fading.
5. Best Double Folding Chair: Best Choice Products Folding Chair for Two
Key Features
This outdoor chair with canopy is designed for two people. Between the two chairs, you’ll find an insulated cooler, that can be filled with ice to keep your drinks cold.
Every chair comes with cup holders where you can keep your favorite beverage.
It includes picnic umbrella that large and provides good shade for two, and can be removed if you want more sunshine.
The chairs are easy to set up, they’re well-built and made to last.
Portable and lightweight, you can take these chairs anywhere from picnics, tailgates, sports games, beach days and camping trips.
What we don’t like: even if they’re rated at 300 lbs, people are complaining that the hip area is too narrow.
6. Best for Babies: Baby Delight Go with Me Chair
3 Months to 6 years (max 75 lbs)
Key Features
If you’re looking for the best outdoor baby chair with canopy, you’ll love the “Baby Delight” portable chair.
Designed for babies (3 months) to 75lb children, the “Go with Me” chair is stable, sturdy, comfortable and protects your child from the harsh sun.
The cushioned seat offers maximum comfort. Comes with a removable snack tray and cup holder.
We love this chair because you can use for a long time as your baby grows. It converts to 3 child growth stages:
- 3-6 months: it features a 5 point removable harness to keep your baby secure while maintaining comfort.
- 6-12 months: lets the baby stand with support and keeps your child’s feet and legs protected from bugs or harsh terrain.
- up to 75 lbs: the chair converts into a small camping chair suitable to fit a kiddo up to 75 lbs.
Perfect to be used as a beach chair with canopy or for any other outdoor activities: picnics, backyard fun, lawn activities, camping.
It also makes a wonderful gift for baby showers.
7. Also Great for Young Kids: Kelsyus Kids
1-4 years old
Key Features
Perfect for family outings, this Kelsyus Kids camping chair with umbrella will keep your child comfortable and sun protected with the 50+ UPF.
Easy to carry with an innovative design, the chair itself folds down and becomes the carry bag.
Can be transported anywhere with ease with the comfortable padded straps weighing only 6 lbs.
The Kelsyus chair is ideal for beach, picnics, soccer games and any other outdoor trip.
The Kelsyus chair is solidly built, offering a sturdy construction able to support up weight up to 75 lbs.
Featured Image Photo: keylsius.com
Buying guide – How we picked
Build Quality: Durable Fabric & Solid Frame Construction
A good outdoor chair should be made of high-quality fabrics that won’t break under pressure and that can withstand abuse. The construction of the frame should be sturdy, strong and reliable yet lightweight.
Aluminum frames are a good choice because they’re light yet strong.
A good seat fabric won’t sag over time and the overall stitching will remain in good shape for years. Good materials are also water-resistant, stain-resistant and puncture-resistant.
Canopy: Sun Protection & Adjustability
A canopy chair with weather shield protects you not only from the sun but also from the rain.
If the chair comes with a built-in umbrella, make sure it’s adjustable to get you covered from any angle. The canopy should provide UV protection and should be rated with 50+ UPF protection.
Comfort & Breathability
You need a comfortable cushioned seat where you can sit and relax while enjoying nature. The material used should be breathable and allow air to flow in an out, so you won’t sweat.
We also looked at how comfortable and ergonomic was the armrest, headrest, seat, and back support.
Ease of Transport
Choose a portable folding chair with shade that’s easy to transport to your destination. A proper chair should be collapsible and space-saver.
Choose a lightweight, compact and ultra-portable chair that can be set up in a few seconds. Some models come in a carrying case, others are smartly designed to fold down and become their carry bag.
Ease of Set-Up
A good chair is easy to set-up and take down. The installation process should be quick, intuitive and easy.
Extra Features: Cup Holders and Pockets
Great chairs come with cup holders where you can keep your beer, water and other favorite drinks cold.
Some come with built-in insulated pouches where you can put ice and extend cooling.
Pockets are nice to have to hold your snacks, phone, magazines and keys close to you.
