In today's day and age, people are more likely to wish to bring their own sense of comfort with them. Portable chairs are very handy for any situation in which the existence of a comfortable seating area is doubtful. They are also great seating options for people who have limited space for furniture and only wish to set up chairs when they are needed.

Most modern portable chairs are foldable, meaning they can collapse into a relatively compact and compressed size. They are usually made of a strong plastic or metal frame covered by strong sheets of nylon, polyester, synthetics, or other durable fabrics. While they may not look like your average breakfast or dinner table furniture, they are still quite reliable and can last years and years beyond their warranties.

Thanks to the use of fabrics, the biggest complaint about folding chairs is that they can fall apart more easily than upholstered or full metal folding chairs. However, most of the ones that actually do fall apart are cheaply made and do not have a great amount of quality craftsmanship behind them. The best portable chairs feature double layers of fabric for extra weight support and strong stitching at all contact points with the metal frame. If you are unsure about which chair to rely upon, ask each manufacturer about its warranty policy and consult online consumer reports to find out which ones are not recommended for long-time use.

Portable Chairs for Urban Use

Businesses and corporations love using portable chairs as merchandising and advertising tools. Many create special custom-ordered slip covers featuring corporate logos and give them out as promotional materials at conventions and business meetings. Athletic teams also employ this technique and place their familiar logos on the backs of folding chairs to sell at games and local sports shops.

Thus, portable chairs can indeed make very personal gifts for sports fans. This is especially true if a fan loves to travel to watch games on the sidelines, or if he enjoys throwing backyard and stadium tailgating parties before the game starts. Indeed, a folding chair with his or her favorite athletic team's mascot printed on it can make a great pre-season, birthday, or Christmas gift.

Portable Chairs for Camping and Vacation Trips

Of course, people are most appreciative of compact, bagged chairs when there is no comfortable place to sit. Campgrounds are notorious for uncomfortable seating arrangements (who usually wants to sit on logs and cold rocks?), while many people despise sitting on grass, sand, gravel, or any number of other types of ground cover for long periods of time.

A Warning to Backpackers and Lightweight Campers

Backpackers should be wary of purchasing any normal folding chair. It is better to purchase a compact chair that is meant specifically for backpacking, such as a Thermarest sling chair or any folding chair weighing less than 30 ounces. It is also important to research into each backpacking chair and learn about specific weight-bearing limitations and final travel size before continuing with the purchase.

Of course, the other type of portable chair to take on a camping or backpacking trip is the hammock. As long as there are strong trees around, a hammock can be hung up and enjoyed for the duration of the trip. However, make sure there are no restrictions on installing such a chair in the campground you visit; some National Park Services ask that visitors refrain from putting screw holes in the sides of the trees themselves.