Some things in life aren’t planned—they just find their way into your story.

That’s exactly what happened when Josh walked into a camping store in 2011 and left with what he now calls “one of the best assets I've ever purchased in my life.”

What started out as just another piece of gear has since become a quiet witness to some of Josh’s most significant moments—through military tours and mountaintop sunrises, to hospital rooms, family campfires, and everything in between.

During a short leave from his military deployment in Afghanistan, Josh found comfort scarce and rest even scarcer. “I told my wife, ‘We need to go to a camping store,’” he recalls. I need something more than a stool to sit on in my sleeping area back.”

That’s when he saw it—a deep green reclining camping chair from Portal Outdoors. No other chair could adjust to a fully reclined position for such comfortable lying down. “There was nothing else like it, and I said that's the one I want.”

What followed was 13 years (and counting) of camping trips, family gatherings, tough times, joyful nights, and a lot of memories—with the same recliner chair.

Josh had the chair shipped ahead to his base in Afghanistan. “When I got the package, I was stoked. Comfort means everything when you’re far from home.”

In the tight quarters of his living space, he set up the chair—just enough room to lean back and escape for a while. “I watched Stargate SG-1 and Battlestar Galactica start to finish in that chair. It became my space, the one soft, normal thing I had.”

It didn’t take long before the other soldiers took notice—his chair quickly earned a reputation, and many began asking where it came from.

When his military tour ended, this recliner chair came back to the States with him. And it didn’t stay in storage.

Living in Utah, with family nearby in Idaho, Josh and his loved ones go camping often. Whether it’s a quick overnight escape, a weekend in the woods, or a full-on mountain reunion, the chair always comes along. The canyons and high country have always been part of their shared landscape.

On one trip deep in the Idaho wilderness—far from any cell service—he brought the chair along, as usual, and for the first time, the family’s black labs came too. One of them, Dexter, was notorious for escaping his kennel. No matter how tightly it was latched, he would find a way out—just to trot over and settle next to Josh in the chair. “All he wanted to do was hop in my lap,” Josh laughed. The kids would burst into laughter every time, watching Dexter’s determined little routine unfold again and again.

As life moved forward, this recliner chair took on new roles. A few years ago, Josh’s daughter became seriously ill—hospital visits became frequent, and her mobility was limited due to pain and kidney complications.

“Hospital couches were brutal, I couldn’t do it anymore,” he recalls. “One day, I said, forget it—I’m bringing my Portal Outdoors chair.”

It was the best decision he made for those long nights. “It saved my back. I could finally rest during those 14-hour stays.”

Even more powerful: the chair became a source of comfort for his daughter. At home, in their basement hobby space, she found it was the only thing that eased her leg pain—thanks to the reclining angle and gentle support.

“She couldn’t take anti-inflammatories, so physical comfort meant everything. That chair gave her the only pain relief she had during those days—and let her just be with us, as a family.”

After 13 years, the original oversized camping chair still has no rips, no breaks—just worn bungee cords. “It’s been through military tour, parades, camping events, barbecues, and fireworks. Still going.”

Recently, Josh added two more Portal Outdoors camping chairs to his home—updated designs with new features like a heated seat and a tray table. “I opened the box, sat in it, and immediately called my wife and kids over, everyone loved it.”

Now, their basement “hangout zone” has multiple Portal Outdoors chairs, where the whole family gathers to paint miniatures, watch movies, and just unwind. “It’s not just a chair. It’s a comfort zone.”

Josh’s story isn’t really about a reclining camping chair—it’s about the memories that took shape around it. Over the years, his Portal Outdoors chair has been there through late-night campfires, summer fireworks, and quiet moments of reflection. He’s spent countless hours in that chair, holding his twins as they grew up—with the outdoors always just beyond their feet.

“This brand means a lot to me,” he says, not just for the gear itself, but for what it’s been part of. To him, the chair is more than just a place to sit—it’s where memories happen. “If you want something that’s going to last—not because of the chair, but because of the memories you’ll make while being in it—give Portal a look.”

At Portal Outdoors, we design gear that’s made to be there—quietly, reliably, and for the long run. Because the best camping chairs aren’t just for sitting, they’re for living.

Explore the Portal Outdoors collection and see what stories you’ll write from your own seat.