Rating

Durability: 8

Comfort: 8

Portability: 2

Features: 8

Setup/Packdown: 5

OVERALL: 6.2

The ultimate lazy person's chair (in a good way).

You're so relaxed. But you're also thirsty, and those cans won't fly themselves into your hand. Enter the Coleman Oversized Quad Chair with Cooler - the cooler built into its armrest keeps 4 cans RIGHT THERE, plus a drink holder for a fifth. Extra wide and with adjustable armrest heights, this is the ultimate in comfort and convenience.

Comparison

Rank: #1

Open Size: Wide 

Packed Size: Large

Weight: Heavy

Capacity: High

Pros: Built in cooler, nice and roomy, sturdy construction.

Cons: Heavy, doesn't recline, larger when packed down.

Verdict: It's a practical choice that truly allows you to relax.

Skip ahead to First Impressions, Transportability, Sitting, or the Final Verdict, or check out how the Coleman Oversized Quad Chair with Cooler compares to others in our list of the Top Ten Beach Chairs.

Specs:

Open Size: 94 x 61 x 101cm

Packed Size: 94 x 15 x 22cm

Weight: 3.63kg

Capacity: 147kg

Approx Price: $68

Coleman is known for making good quality, affordably priced and durable camping gear, and their Oversized Quad Chair doesn’t disappoint. The fabric of the seat and armrests is pleasingly sturdy, the stitching precise, and the alloy frame durable and well put together.

The bag it comes in is also well-made (even though made with a lighter weight material, which most carry bags of the chairs we tested are) and presentable, matching the chair colour and including very visible Coleman branding.

The Coleman is impressively light for a chair of this size - and they’ve managed to achieve that without sacrificing durability. It is fairly large when packed down compared to other chairs, which you would expect for a padded, oversized chair.

With the well-placed shoulder strap on the carry bag, it was easy to carry to and from our destinations, and didn’t swing around as much as some of the other chairs we tested thanks to a slightly shorter strap that anchored it closer to the body.

Here’s where the Coleman undoubtedly shines. It is, as the name promises, oversized, and noticeably wider than other chairs we tested. The chair is lightly but firmly padded throughout the seat and centre of the back, which adds a layer of comfort not present in many other chairs we tested. It felt sturdy and comfortable to sit on, like having a rest in a fairly upright armchair at home.

What sets this chair apart even more is its accessories, namely the cooler box that hangs off the left armrest. It’s important to note that loading up this cooler with the suggested four cans does weigh on the fabric armrest and cause it to bow slightly, but you’d take that for the convenience of a cold one without having to get up.

There’s also a drink holder on the opposite armrest, as well as a pocket that hangs off the right-hand side of the seat - again, obviously, if you pile stuff in here it is going to have a small impact on the shape of the seat beneath you and therefore your comfort.

Of course, a chair of this design is more geared towards camping, tailgating or taking to a concert rather than the beach, but may be perfect for you if you have back or mobility issues as with its height, it’s easy to get in and out of. If you’re after a more beach-specific chair, have a look at the others on our list.

One small word about temperature - we did the majority of our chair testing over a few very hot weekends, and we did notice a difference between mesh-backed or beach-specific chairs, and the heavy fabric of this chair. If you’re somewhere temperatures are consistently warm and want a chair to use in the sunshine, this may not be the most appropriate.

The Coleman Oversized Quad Chair with Cooler is a fantastic option for more versatile use, with the cooler accessory and chair padding facilitating a truly relaxing experience, and that’s why it cracked the top five in our Top Ten Beach Chairs of 2024.

Water & Outdoors reviews are written by our staff writers, who combined have over fifty years of experience on the water and outdoors. We may earn commissions if you choose to buy through a link you’ve clicked on our website, however this does not influence our reviews. For more information, please see our Editorial Policies.