OK – so we all know that the weather is bananas these days. Most parking lots either have freezing weather or the sun is pelting down so hard that you almost could forget the grill and BBQ on the hood of the car. You need shade, shelter and comfort. I have been looking at canopy chairs lately and thought I would pass on to you my findings. There’s lots of information here as well as the all important list of the best canopy chairs for the Tailgate Party.
My first finding is that they are generally well made and a little more expensive but that you should have them for a while. When making your selection, check how long the warranty lasts. Some are thirty days, others are a year. Some fold really small and others not so much. So I have chosen a small but nice selection of good chairs. There is only one better than this lot and that is reflected in its price. My take on that is that when tailgating, you need something that if it gets hit by a slumping drunk and snaps in two, you won’t have sent so much money on it that you are devastated. Pick the road well-travelled with chairs.
In general, these are a folding chair with the added bonus of a folding canopy that slips into either a separate bag or the canopy itself. You can forget the umbrellas and still have some shade. And really, they are not much more expensive that chairs sans roofs! These are all mid-range cost-wise so it’s really not a great concern if they degrade after a couple of years of beer-soaking, drunken slouching and collapsing. Heck, it’s a small price to pay for fun. The five I have chosen each have specific advantages, such as color range, compactness, large size, price, but all are worth buying. Check them out and ultimately, choose the one that suits your tailgate party style.
The Best Canopy Chairs For The Tailgate Party
Quik Shade Fully Adjustable Folding Canopy Chair
It folds very easily into a compact bag which is the canopy (with a shoulder strap for comfy carrying) and features a patented design which allows the sun shade to be raised, lowered and tilted either side in the flick of a wrist. It is designed to block the sun from any angle and once clicked into position it is held taut. If you don’t need to use the canopy, just push it to the rear of the seat.
The canvas-like fabric is tough and moisture resistant and comfier than vinyl or polyester.
Has dual built in cup holders – one for you, one for a friend. Naaah, one for you, one for you after that.. In the tailgate party, sometimes, you just have to think of yourself.
Available Colors: Blue and Green.
Sport-Brella Recliner Canopy Chair
The Sport Brella has a 3 position recline design with a 3 position swiveling umbrella. You can stash up to 4 drinks in its built-in insulated pocket and there’s also a 12oz snug-fitting cup holder and a zipper pocket for the bottle opener, your hone or headphones (there’s a slit to thread it through). Metallic liner gives UPF 50+ protection. The articulating arm moves the canopy into many different positions to adjust shade and you can move it to the other side of the chair and on the umbrella ends, there are tiny safety tips to protect you from poking yourself in the eye.
It has a built-in footrest. Very simple to flip open or shut and replace in its own bag. You’ll appreciate its reinforcing bands of webbing and the fact that it is a tougher grade of plastic and metal at the heart of its construction. It will last for years. All this toughness does take a bit more space in the car/truck but it’s certainly a comfy chair and after the tailgate party, it doubles as a beach chair.
Rated 250 lbs maximum capacity but there are users who say chunkier sitters are OK as long as they are gentle. Comatose, maybe.
Colors? Orange with smart, grey trim, Midnight Blue and Red.
Brylanehome Camp Chair With Canopy
Brylanehome Camp Chair With Canopy
Continuing our search for a tailgate party chair tailored for the more muscular people in your life, we found this portable, tough-construction canopy chair that caters for people up to 350 pounds (stationary weight – not leaping around). Tailgating can proceed without restraint! It’s sturdy as anything on the market and creates a nice patch of shade.
Made of polyester canvas with a seat width of 22 inches. The metal frame is powder coated. The pull down canopy has zip openers to make two little windows.
Dimensions: 61″Hx34¾”Wx37″D.
The cup holder is awaiting your beverage and you can stash things in the storage pouch that is built into the seat.
Colors: Red and blue.
Kelsyus Premium Canopy Chair
For your personal tailgate party style, this one ticks a lot of boxes: again, an oversized seat, this one supporting up to 250 pounds, not quite as large as the previous chair but smartly designed. The manufacturers claim that this one is ergonomic design – there’s a rounded front to make it less angular and therefore, should be more comfortable. Parking lots are not known for their tailgate party comfort apart from what you bring with you and this is a good choice. This canopy is large and you can lock it in place either for sun or shade. Cup holder of course! The fabric is 50+ UPF. The canopy slips over the chair to make a bag for ease of packing away after you have finished partying. Again, a shoulder strap makes it simple to carry back to the car. The frame is powder-coated for extra protection. As well, the well-stitched fabric is stylish and has a mesh panel on the back and seat to keep you cool in the heat. Super easy to clean too. (ie. beer washes off easily …).
It’s a fine, stylish looking chair, one of the best aspects is its color range: there are Lime, Navy and Red versions all with cutting edge trendy grey bases made of its cool, comfortable, easily cleaned fabric.
Bravo Sports Shade Chair With Canopy & Carry Case
Bravo Sports Four Seasons Courtyard Shade Chair with Canopy and Carry Case
The Bravo has been ergonomically designed and suits short or tall people equally. It folds up neatly into a small package into its separate carry bag. There’s a shoulder strap. It only takes seconds to erect and you can slip it into your tailgate party kit without it taking up a lot of room. Note that the fabric is sun repellant, 50+ UPF and the canopy can be angled to many angles to create shade where you want it. There’s the normal cup holder (not two on this one).
Note to anyone over 250 pounds: If you are gentle, you can sit in this but don’t slump into it. If you a ‘Big and Tall’ then choose one of the higher rated chairs.
It’s OK but perhaps a little flimsy and that is reflected in its price.
Colors that I could find included red, blue and black.
Yes, there are some more expensive chairs. But, given the rough treatment that most tailgate party folk will give their furniture, I would go for mid-range and replace it a little more often. The key to this is that at the end of the tailgate party, some people (you know who you are) just don’t seem capable of folding and stashing a chair carefully enough to prolong its life. The Kelsys chair is actually a licensed brand of the famed top of the range Renetto Original Canopy chair which is more expensive but comes in a ton of colors.
The five I have chosen are way more affordable versions and I would say are a better deal for tailgating due to the fact that you will be treating them comparatively roughly. (Or is that just me?)
FOOTNOTE: The weight capacity on these chairs is typically around the 200 pounds rate but do I think you could push that higher. Anecdotally, people of 275+ seem to do OK. No reports of any collapses or injuries.
