Floor chair with back support – how to choose the right one

Some places just don't suit a normal chair: the deck of a sailboat, soft sand, the space in front of the sofa, a yoga mat. A floor chair works there. It has no legs, so you sit low and stable, and it has a backrest to take the strain off your back.

This guide covers what to look for in a floor chair with back support and which kind suits which place.

What is a floor chair?

A floor chair is a seat without legs. You sit directly on the floor, deck or sand, and the backrest supports you. Some floor chairs are just a stiff cushion with a back. Others have a frame, so you can set the backrest at different angles. You may also know them as a deck chair, cockpit seat, meditation chair, gaming floor chair or floor lounger. The idea is the same: a low seat with support for your back.

Five things to look for

1. A backrest that adjusts

This matters most. A fixed backrest suits only one way of sitting. With an adjustable frame you can sit upright to eat, read or play, and lean back to relax. More positions isn't automatically better. What counts is that the range goes from upright to almost flat and that each position holds.

2. The frame

A steel frame keeps the backrest stable at the angle you chose, even when you lean into it. Check that the mechanism locks firmly in each position and doesn't slip.

3. The foam

Cheap foam flattens quickly, and then you're sitting on the floor. Higher-density foam keeps its shape longer. If the product page doesn't list the density, ask.

4. The cover

If the chair is going outdoors, pick a cover that handles sun and rain and comes off for washing. An outdoor fabric that wipes clean works just as well indoors.

5. Weight and carrying

A floor chair should go wherever you go. Its weight, a handle, and whether it folds flat decide whether you actually take it to the beach or down to the boat.

Which floor chair for which place?

On the boat

On deck or in the cockpit, a non-slip base and a cover that can take salt, sun and rain matter most. The seat should stay put when the boat heels and stow away easily when you're sailing. Read more: a cockpit seat for your sailboat.

At the beach

A low beach chair with a backrest stays steady in sand, where chairs with legs sink in. Choose a cover you can shake free of sand and that dries quickly.

In the living room and for gaming

Indoors, a floor chair gives you a relaxed position in front of the TV or console without taking up the space of an armchair. An adjustable backrest is what turns "fine for twenty minutes" into "comfortable all evening".

For meditation and yoga

Many people find it hard to sit upright for long without support. A floor chair with the backrest close to vertical can help you sit still and relaxed.

Floor chair or folding camp chair?

A camp chair has legs and sits at roughly normal chair height. A floor chair has no legs and rests on the ground. That makes it lighter, more compact and more stable on decks, sand and floors, but it isn't designed for sitting at a normal table.