8 Best Tailgating Chairs for 2023 [Portable, Folding]

Written by Paul Johnson in Tailgating

There are a wide range of folding tailgate chairs on the market today. If convenience is what you need, you can find tailgating chairs with side tables built in and tailgating chairs with coolers built in. If you’re looking for sun protection, you can find canopy tailgate chairs. And then of course, for comfort, you have options that recline, options that have footrests, and options that rock back and forth.

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These are our top choices for the best portable chairs for tailgating:

In my opinion, one of the biggest pains with tailgating is there is never enough table space. Once you sit down it turns into a juggling act between your drink, your plate of food, your phone, and whatever other essentials you have on you.

That’s why I personally like the Coleman Portable Chair with Side Table because when needed you can extend out that side table as a convenient place to sit a plate, drink, or even a device like a phone or tablet. A chair like this makes life easier for everyone at your tailgate.

But as you can see in our list above, you have a wide range of options. Buying a tailgate chair with canopy might be essential if your tailgate doesn’t have a tent for sun protection. And tailgating rocking chairs give you additional comfort that standard folding chairs can’t match.

In this article let’s take a closer look at the best folding tailgate chairs so you can find an option that fits your needs. Let’s also discuss a few things to consider when choosing your next chair for tailgating.

Best Tailgating Chair with Side Table

Coleman Portable Chair with Side Table

As I discussed earlier, one of the biggest issues I encounter at tailgates is the lack of table space. Sitting in your chair juggling your drink, plate of food, and phone can quickly become a literal mess. That why I like this Coleman chair for tailgating because it has an extendable side table where you, or your guests, can conveniently place a plate of food or other essentials.

Here is what this Coleman tailgate chair with side table looks like:

This is the current price of this Coleman tailgating chair with side table available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this chair:

  • Material – This foldable frame is made with aluminum to give it a durable, but lightweight build that makes it reliable, but easy to transport to and from a game. The fabric is designed to be weather-resistant.
  • Dimensions – This Coleman chair for tailgating measures at 20.5 inches wide. It has a maximum weight recommendation of 225 pounds
  • Side Table – This chair has an attached side table that flips up and down so you can extend it into position when you need it, but also fold it down to save space. The side table also has a built-in cup holder.

Click here to buy this Coleman chair with side table available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). To read more about this chair and others like it, visit our article about the best tailgating chairs with side table.

Best Tailgating Chair with Footrest

ALPS Escape Folding Chair with Footrest

Kick your feet up and stay awhile. If you’re looking for a little extra comfort while tailgating, using a tailgate chair with footrest might be the way to go. I like this Alps Escape folding chair because you can also take the footrest down when you don’t want to use it.

Here is what this Alps Escape tailgate chair with footrest looks like:

This is the current price of this Alps Escape chair with footrest available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this chair:

  • Material – This foldable frame is made with powder-coated steel to give it a durable, but lightweight build that makes it reliable, easy to transport, and weather-resistant. The fabric is made with 600 denier durable polyester fabric.
  • Footrest – This Alps Escape chair has an extendable footrest so you can kick back and watch TV at your tailgate party. The footrest is removable so you can take it off when you don’t need it.
  • Design – This chair has a cup holder built into the right armrest. Easy to transport and comes with a carry bag. This chair weighs 10 pounds and can support up to 225 pounds. The back of the chair has a sort of reclined angle to accommodate the footrest.

Click here to buy this Alps Escape tailgating chair with footrest available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). To read more about this chair and others like it, visit our article about the best tailgating chairs with footrests.

Best Tailgating Chair with Canopy

Alpha Camp Heavy Duty Canopy Chair

As we all know, the sun can be brutal sitting around in an open parking lot during a hot afternoon. If your tailgate does not have a tent, or the tent is too small, this Alpha Camp tailgating chair with canopy might be a nice solution.

Here is what this Alpha Camp chair looks like:

This is the current price of this Alpha Camp tailgating chair with canopy available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this chair:

  • Material – This foldable frame is made with powder-coated steel that is weather-resistant and durable. The mesh fabric is breathable for extra relief on those hot days.
  • Canopy – This Alpha Camp chair for tailgating has an attached canopy that provides UPF 50+ sun protection. You can also fold the canopy down so you don’t look obnoxious sitting in a canopy chair once the sun goes down.
  • Design – This chair has a cup hold built into the right arm, and also has a neat mesh pocket on the left armrest that is a nice place to put your phone. Comes with an easy-carry bag for storage and transport. The chair itself weighs about 14 pounds and has a larger, more open design than some of the other chairs on this list.

Click here to buy this Alpha Camp chair with canopy available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). To read more about this chair and others like it, visit our article about the best tailgate chairs with canopy attached.

Best Rocking Tailgate Chair

GCI Portable Folding Rocking Chair

Rocking tailgate chairs can provide that at-home comfort you are looking for while you sit around and watch games all day on the TV in the parking lot. This GCI rocking tailgate chair has a patented spring-action rocking technology that allows you to rock in a smooth manner even on some types of uneven terrain.

Here is what this GCI Portable Folding Rocking Chair looks like:

This is the current price of this GCI portable rocking chair available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this chair:

  • Material – This foldable frame is made with powder-coated steel that is weather-resistant and durable. The armrests are padded for comfort and there is a fabric handle attached to the seat which makes it very easy to transport this folding chair.
  • Rocking – This GCI rocking tailgate has a patented design that allows you to rock without have to actually move the base of the chair. This can be useful on uneven terrain.
  • Design – This chair is designed to support up to 250 pounds. It comes with a cup holder attached to the front right of the chair. The chair itself weighs between 12 and 13 pounds.

Click here to buy this GCI portable rocking tailgate chair available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). To read more about this chair and others like it, visit our article about the best rocking tailgate chairs.

Best Heavy Duty Tailgating Chair

YETI Trailhead Metal-Frame Portable Camp Chair

Yes, you are probably familiar with Yeti coolers, but Yeti also makes these premium, heavy duty chairs that can be used for tailgating. I like these chairs not only because they are durable, but because the thick frame makes them look like more than just a portable chair, and so you could even use these as deck chairs around a fire pit in your backyard.

This is what these Yeti Trailhead heavy duty tailgate chairs look like:

This is the current price of this Yeti heavy duty tailgating chair available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this chair:

  • Material – This foldable frame is made with alloy steel to provide you with a heavy duty chair that is also reasonably lightweight to carry. The frame locks into place for sturdy support. The material on this chair is designed to be UV-resistant so it lasts over the long haul even with sun exposure.
  • Large Capacity – This heavy duty chair can support up to 500 pounds of body weight, which is more than double the weight capacity of some other chairs on this list. The chair itself weighs a little over 13 pounds.
  • Design – This chair comes with a couple holder on the right front of the chair. The frame has a thicker, more premium design than most types of portable folding chairs. As I mentioned above, not only could you use these chairs for tailgating, but they look sophisticated enough even to serve as deck chairs in your backyard.

Click here to buy this Yeti heavy duty chair available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). To read more about this chair and others like it, visit our article about the best heavy duty chairs for tailgating.

Other Tailgating Chairs to Consider

  • Coleman Camping Chair w/ Built-in 4 Can Cooler – This Coleman folding chair is a popular options, and might be a perfect fit for you if you’re looking for a chair that has a cooler built-in. This chair has a small 4-can cooler built into the left armrest. The fabric is padded for comfort. This chair has a cup holder built in and also has a convenient storage pouch, which is a nice place to slide your phone. Click here to view this Coleman chair for tailgating available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
  • Best Choice Folding Zero Gravity Lounge Chair – These Best Choice chairs are zero-gravity chairs and might be a great option for those who like to recline and kick the feet up. These chairs also have a convenient side tray that has two cup holders and also has device holders. This unit is foldable and portable, but expect it to weigh a bit more than other options on this list. Click here to view this Best Choice chair for tailgating available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
  • Coastrail Oversized 28″ Wide Padded Camp Chair – If you are searching for an XL chair for tailgating, this is another nice option. This chair has a 28-inch wide seat, which will be wider than most options on this list. It can support up to 600 pounds of body weight. It also has a side table that extends up to give you a convenient place to store cans, plates of food, and other small essentials. Click here to view to view this XL chair for tailgating available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).

5 Things to Consider When Buying Chairs for Tailgating

Transporting your Tailgate Chair

Find a chair that has a dependable, but lightweight frame might be essential if you will be carrying your chair long distances to meet up at a tailgate. Most all portable chairs come with a carry bag to make it easier to transport. If you are concerned about weight, it might be best to go with a simple chair that doesn’t have a side table attached.

Tailgating Table

You can also buy chair and table sets in case you are looking for both. As I mentioned earlier, one of the biggest issues with tailgate parties is there is never enough surface space to set plates of food down.

Adding an extra table for people to gather around is never a bad idea if space allows. If you are interested in a tailgating table, read more by visiting our article about the best tailgating tables.

Tailgating Tent

Tailgating chairs are important, but it’s also important to provide sun protection to give the people at your tailgate a place to escape the heat. You could always buy a tailgate chair with canopy attached (see the Alpha Camp chair on our list above), but pop-up tailgate canopies are easy to setup and really add value to the tailgate party. To read more, visit our article about the best tailgating canopies.

Tailgate Setup

Finding chairs for tailgating is the easy part. Setting up the grill, tent, and TV is the hard part. If you are hosting a tailgate party, here are some of our other resources to help you get the party going in the right direction:

Tailgate Chair Seat Height

The height of the set on your tailgating chair can greatly affect how useful it is. Be sure to consider how tall the chair is, and whether or not it makes sense for you. Nobody likes a chair that sits too low or too high. Most chairs for tailgating have a standard design, but it is always best to check.

Paul Johnson

Paul has been with us from our beginnings. He focuses on a wide range of sports, including NFL, NBA, MLB and golf.

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