The best ice fishing chair will be both comfortable and portable. The problem is, it’s not easy to find a chair that offers both of those features.
While my favorite, the Browning Camping Directors Chair boasts maximum comfort, I know it’s not the most portable option out there.
It’s up to you to decide whether you want to go all-in on portability or all-in on comfort. Years ago, my grandfather and I used to sit on buckets and fish for hours.
We never complained, never whined, and never thought anything of it.
Oh, how things have changed! Keep reading below for complete reviews of the best ice fishing chairs on the market right now.
BEST OVERALL
Browning Camping Directors Chair
Specs
- Style: Directors Chair
- Weight: 10lbs
- Storage/Cooler: No
- Standout Feature: Maximum Comfort and Support
Pros
Cons
Why We Chose It
The Browning Directors Chair was picked as the top ice fishing seat for a few reasons. It checks enough boxes in comfort, portability, and functionality for me to comfortably say it’s the best option out there right now.
The main reason I chose it is because of the comfort. Ice fishing chairs are synonymously known for being uncomfortable, small, and a little rough on the rear end.
You won’t find that problem with this chair. But, with that comes sacrifices.
It’s a bit bulkier than some of you might like and even when it’s folded up, it still weighs ten pounds.
If you’re bringing a few of these on the ice you’ll quickly realize that you’re adding a lot of extra weight to the ice fishing sled.
I also like the durability factor here. This chair won’t fall apart on you like some of the other options and the material dries nice and quick to help keep you dry and warm.
Overall, an incredibly solid option with a 325-pound weight capacity.
BEST RUNNER UP
LEADALLWAY Foldable Camping Chair with Cooler Bag
Specs
- Style: Folding Cooler Chair
- Weight: 2.9lbs
- Storage/Cooler: Yes
- Standout Feature: Built-in Cooler
Pros
Cons
Why We Chose It
First things first, let’s cover what this chair is not. This chair is not the Browning Directors Chair. It doesn’t offer the same level of comfort, durability, or capacity.
What is this chair you ask? The chair is portable, lightweight, and easy to haul around and that’s what a lot of people are looking for in the best ice fishing chair.
Ice fishing wasn’t designed for comfort so neither are the best chairs. It only weighs 2.9 pounds but it’s still rated for 280 which should be good enough to support most people.
The biggest downside is the fact that the chair only extends 22 inches high in the back.
Bear in mind… that measurement is less than two feet in total height. That means that the backrest is only about one foot high or less.
I’d say this chair is best used inside of an ice fishing shelter because you’ll stay low to the ground and you’ll barely even know you’re lugging a chair on the ice.
The dimensions of the cooler are approximately 10 x 7 x 10 so again, it’s small. The goal here is portability and ease of use, it’s not always going to be about maximum comfort.
If that’s what you’re looking for, you’ll want a different chair.
BEST WITH COOLER
MOST PORTABLE
Eskimo Folding XL Ice Fishing Chair
Specs
- Style: Folding Chair
- Weight: 8lbs
- Storage/Cooler: Storage Pocket
- Standout Feature: Fully Collapsible
Pros
Cons
Why We Chose It
The Eskimo is definitely one of my favorite chairs for a few reasons. First, it has an oversized design so you get extra room for your rear end and a higher back for more support.
This means you don’t have to sit hunched over and when you’re wearing your bulky ice fishing bibs, you won’t be hanging off the edge of the chair.
It’s also high off the ground which is ideal for taller people and those with limited mobility. I can just see my dad trying to sit on some of the other chairs I’ve recommended so far.
He’d never be able to get up out of them because they’re so low to the ground. The Eskimo chair puts you in a more natural sitting position.
Best of all, this chair is entirely collapsible and comes with a carry bag with a carry strap to make transport easier.
It has a small side pocket storage pouch where you can put your phone or some lures but I wish it had a little more storage.
Overall, easily one of the best ice fishing chairs ever made.
EDITORS CHOICE
Frabill Sit-N-Fish Insulated Bait Bucket
Specs
- Style: Bucket
- Weight: 3lbs
- Storage/Cooler: Yes
- Standout Feature: 6 Gallon Bucket
Pros
Cons
Why We Chose It
If you’re looking for an old-school, budget-friendly option – go with the Frabill bucket. Is it a chair? That’s up for debate but I’m a big fan of this choice.
It reminds me of going ice fishing with my grandfather. We never had chairs, we sat on the buckets we planned on using for the fish we caught.
We’d basically fish until we ran out of buckets to sit on and that’s when we knew it was time to go home.
Think about it this way folks, you’re going to need a bucket anyway, right? Why not repurpose it with a little padding instead of bringing a chair on the ice?
The bucket itself is also taller than your typical bucket so you’re not sitting too close to the ground.
Best of all, this one comes with an internal insulated cooler with a beverage holder. You’re getting comfort, functionality, and purpose all in the form of a bucket.
How can you go wrong?
BEST PREMIUM
Nemo Equipment Stargaze Recliner
Specs
- Style: Recliner
- Weight: 7lbs
- Storage/Cooler: No
- Standout Feature: Reclining
Pros
Cons
Why We Chose It
Who said ice fishing means roughing it? The Stargaze Recliner is anything but roughing it out on the ice.
It comes with a ton of padding, a huge bucket seat, and a reclining feature that allows you to kick back and stare up into space while you wait for your tip ups.
The chair features a cup holder, a wide base, and plenty of padding to ensure it’s both stable and comfortable. I think the thing that surprised me the most here was that it only weighs seven pounds.
For such a durable chair, the lightweight and portable nature of it must be the reason for the extreme price tag.
Paying over $200 for a camp chair sounds a little ridiculous to me but hey, it might be worth it!
BEST COLLAPSIBLE
Fishboy Portable Retracting Folding Stool
Specs
- Style: Telescopic Stools
- Weight: 2lbs
- Storage/Cooler: No
- Standout Feature: Best Portable Option
Pros
Cons
Why We Chose It
Most of you are probably looking at this thing and wondering why anyone in their right mind would ever want to sit on a stool like this. I’ll tell you what, you’ll be surprised.
The reason I like these stools is because they’re so portable you can keep them in your backpack or fishing gear bag and take them with you anywhere you go.
These telescopic stools are completely collapsible and they barely take up any space at all. What I like most about them is the fact that you can use them for other things as well.
They’re great for camping, on long trips, or even if you’re gardening in the backyard.
They have a capacity of over 400lbs and they come with a carrying strap that you can throw over your shoulder as you move from location to location.
While they’re not the most comfortable option and might not make a lot of sense for anyone who is very tall or heavy, I wouldn’t count them out without taking a closer look.
How We Tested
When you spend eight hours on the ice in an uncomfortable chair, you’ll understand why there are various types, sizes, and shapes.
I tested each of these chairs against the following criteria to provide you with a wide variety of options.
- Comfort: If a chair isn’t comfortable, what good is it? The goal was for each chair to provide some method of comfort whether it’s through padding, armrests, or extra space.
- Durability vs. Portability: Finding a chair that marries durability and portability is the key with ice fishing. You’re carrying a lot of things out onto the ice and you can’t throw a bulky chair on top of that.
But, does that mean you have to sacrifice comfort to sit on something the size of water bottle? I chose these chairs based on their combination of these two features.
- Chair Height/Size: When I ice fished with my dad, he always needed to stack three buckets inside of eachother just to give him that extra boost of height because he had bad knees.
This made me think that the size of weight capacity of a chair isn’t everything. The height and how hard it is to get out of it on the ice is another factor I tested in all of these chairs.
Types of Ice Fishing Chairs
One of the first things you’ll want to understand when choosing the best ice fishing chair is the difference between the various chairs.
Let’s discuss the pros and cons of each and how the different styles will impact your comfort and portability.
Foldable Chairs
Chairs that offer maximum foldability and portability will likely sacrifice in the area of comfort. These chairs may only weigh a few pounds and fold down to almost nothing, but they don’t usually have a lot of surface area.
This means that they might begin to hurt your butt after a while. They’re also usually low to the ground with the exception of the Eskimo Folding Ice Chair.
When they’re low to the ground it makes it difficult to get in and out of them, especially for larger people and those with limited mobility.
Director Chairs
In most cases, director’s chairs offer the best comfort. They have a fully supportive seat, high back, and padded armrests.
This means that you can sit back when you’re not actively fishing.
The main downside of these chairs is that they’re typically larger and heavier and they don’t fold up entirely. Many of them come with built-in coolers as well which is nice but definitely takes away from the portability factor.
Swivel Chairs
Swivel seats are great for using inside ice fishing shelters when you’re cramped in tight quarters. You might have to turn around and access the tackle box behind you but then flip back around to face the fishing hole again.
If you have to get up and move around the chair, it’s not only a pain but it can sometimes be impossible if the shelter is very small.
These chairs offer a range of portability and lightweight features. Some are more portable than others but many of them offer plenty of padding and a wide base so you have a large surface area to park your rump.
Buckets
Buckets have been the go-to option for most ice fishermen for decades. Bucket chairs provide you with a place to sit and they also offer storage for whatever it is you want to take.
These aren’t the most portable option because they don’t fold up but they generally weigh less than a few pounds and you have one less thing you need to bring with you.
The buckets don’t provide much padding or comfort and they don’t usually come with a backrest either.
Overall, not the best option for comfort or durability but they’re an economical option for the rustic ice angler.
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Ice Fishing Chair
Once you understand what type of chair you want, you’ll want to narrow it down a little more and consider some of the specifics.
There are so many options to choose from, only you can decide which factors are most important to you. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Size and Weight
It’s always going to be a battle to find an ice fishing chair that is both small and comfortable. You need something that is lightweight and portable but you also don’t want to sit on a chair that hurts your rear end.
If you go too heavy and large, you’ll end up struggling to get it to your hole when you’re lugging your augers, fish finders, and whatever else you bring.
If you go too light you might end up with a crappy chair that breaks easily.
All of the chairs recommended in this guide marry both comfort and portability so I think you’ll be good with any of them.
Storage
Storage is always a nice bonus feature in an ice fishing chair because it gives you a place to put your drinks, phones, lures, or whatever else you want. You need to determine how much storage you want.
Do you want a chair with a full blown 10-gallon bucket? Or, could you work with nothing more than a little side pouch for your phone?
It’s up to you!
Comfort and Height
Ice fishing can sometimes lead to a long and boring day. The only thing that can make it worse is if you have to spend the whole day sitting on an uncomfortable chair.
Look for chairs with at least a little bit of padding and try to find ones that are at least two feet off the ground.
Sitting in an unnatural position in the cold will make you feel stiff and it could make it difficult to get in and out of the chair especially if you’re a little bit older.
Durability
The materials your chair is made of are important too. You want to make sure it’s made with durable fabric and that the steel frame is sturdy enough to hold you.
Corrosion resistance is another feature that we didn’t discuss much but it’s something you want to think about. Weather is unpredictable and snowdrift will create moisture on the frame of the chair.
From there you’ll take the chair and likely stuff it in a bag or throw it in the back of your vehicle.
That moisture can sit on the frame and cause it to corrode if you’re not careful. Be sure that the chair is made with corrosion-resistant metal.
Final Thoughts
I think the overall theme of this guide is that “not all chairs are created equal.” Choosing the best ice fishing chair requires you to think hard about something that usually doesn’t require critical thinking.
If you don’t weigh the pros and cons of each chair, you might find yourself with a sore bum and a bad attitude after a long day of ice fishing.
I’d still go with the Browning Camping Directors Chair. I’m personally willing to lug a few extra pounds onto the ice if it means I can have the comfort I’m looking for.
If you’re fishing inside of a shelter you might need something smaller though. The Eskimo Folding XL Ice Fishing Chair is a great option in that case.
Go through, check out each chair a little more, and settle on the one you think works best for you!
