Key Takeaways:
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Travel + Leisure named the Ostrich On Your Back Chair “Best Overall” after testing 46 beach chairs for comfort, portability, durability, ease of use, and value
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The chair’s padded face opening, arm slots, five reclining positions, and fully flat setting make it especially well suited for face-down lounging, tanning, and relaxing in different positions
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Built-in backpack straps, a cup holder, and a removable headrest add convenience and make the chair easier to carry and use throughout a full beach day
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A 325-pound weight capacity, 600D PVC polyester fabric, and powder-coated steel frame give the chair a sturdy, beach-ready build while keeping its weight manageable at just over 10.5 pounds
Travel + Leisure named the Ostrich On Your Back Chair the Best Overall beach chair of 2026 after testing 46 chairs for ease of use, comfort, portability, durability, and value. Testers especially praised the chair’s supportive feel, padded face opening, arm holes, fully flat recline, backpack straps, cup holder, and five reclining positions.
Read Travel + Leisure’s full beach chair review.
Travel + Leisure testers spent a month putting each chair through real-world beach conditions, specifically judging how well each one performed, held up over time, traveled, and supported all-day use. They dragged the chairs through sand, dumped water on them, and even let kids and dogs in on the fun. After all 46 chairs were evaluated, the Ostrich On Your Back Chair came out on top, earning praise as an exceptionally comfortable and supportive option for most people.
How Does this Ostrich Tanning Chair Run Ahead of the Competition?
Travel + Leisure testers were especially drawn to Ostrich’s padded face opening and arm slots, features designed to make face-down lounging and tanning more comfortable. Anyone who's tried to sunbathe face down knows the usual tradeoff: crane your neck to one side or bury your face in your arms and lose all visibility. This chair solves that entirely.
This comfortable beach chair also offers five reclining positions and a fully flat setting, giving beachgoers flexibility to sit upright, lean back, or stretch out completely. Testers noted a brief learning curve when adjusting the chair fully flat for the first time, but found that using the armrests to change positions quickly made the process feel natural.
Built for the Beach: Portability, Durability, and Convenience
Travel + Leisure highlighted the chair’s built-in backpack straps, cup holder, and removable headrest as practical features that make beach days easier from the parking lot to the shoreline. The backpack straps keep your hands free for essentials like a cooler, umbrella, or your kid sprinting towards the water. Once you’re settled in, the built-in cupholder and adjustable headrest allow you to fully maximize your beach getaway.
Durability also helped the On Your Back Chair stand out among the best beach chair options tested. With a 325-pound weight capacity, 600D PVC polyester fabric, and a powder-coated steel frame, it is built to handle sun, saltwater, and repeated beach use. At just over 10.5 pounds, the chair balances a sturdy build with a weight that remains manageable to carry.
Best Overall for a Reason
After putting 46 beach chairs through real-world testing, Travel + Leisure ultimately named the Ostrich On Your Back Chair “Best Overall.” The publication also described it as an excellent value, noting its sub-$100 price at the time of review alongside the range of features built into the chair. Whether it’s headed out for a solo tanning session or a full family beach day, the On Your Back Chair brings together the versatility and beach-ready design that helped it rise above the rest of the test group.
Frequently Asked Questions:
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Why did Travel + Leisure name the Ostrich On Your Back Chair “Best Overall”?
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Travel + Leisure named the chair “Best Overall” after testing 46 beach chairs and evaluating factors such as comfort, portability, durability, ease of use, and value. Testers especially praised its supportive design, reclining options, face opening, arm holes, backpack straps, and other beach-friendly features.
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Can the Ostrich On Your Back Chair recline completely flat?
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Yes. The chair includes five reclining positions and a fully flat setting, allowing users to sit upright, lean back, or stretch out completely for tanning and relaxing.
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What are the face opening and arm holes on the Ostrich On Your Back Chair for?
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The padded face opening and arm slots are designed to make face-down lounging and tanning more comfortable without forcing users to turn their head to the side or rest their face on their arms.
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Is the Ostrich On Your Back Chair easy to carry?
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Yes. Built-in backpack straps allow for hands-free transportation, while the chair’s weight of just over 10.5 pounds helps keep it manageable to carry from the parking lot to the shoreline.
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How much weight can the Ostrich On Your Back Chair support?
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The chair supports up to 325 pounds and is constructed with 600D PVC polyester fabric and a powder-coated steel frame designed for repeated beach use.