On past trips we have rented chairs at different beaches almost every day of our vacation. This year we're thinking about renting some chairs and an umbrella for our time on the island and lugging them with us to most beaches (we spend about half our time on Orient). I'm just worried that since the equipment is portable and probably a little less comfortable we might regret our decision. For those who drag chairs and umbrella with them, do you feel it is worth the effort, or are we better off just sticking to renting chairs every day? Do you get enough sun cover even though the umbrella is smaller?

Only you can decide whether it's worth it to you to lug chairs and umbrella. Are we talking a week or 10 days or a month?? For a week or 10 days, to ME, I don't think it's worth it, based on the total incremental amount you will save. When you say you spend half your time on Orient, do you mean at Club Orient, or somewhere else along Orient? As there are a lot of places that you can't take your own chairs and umbrella and set them up. As far as the comfort of the chairs themselves, as I said, do you normally go to Club O? As their chairs are not particularly comfortable. Other places along Orient have chairs with nice comfy pads, so it depends on what you are familiar with and comfortable with. And again, some places also rent you the little table between the chairs, which I personally HAVE to have that little table. So, I generally rent a cooler with a FLAT top, so that I can use that as my table for the beach.

As far as the type of chairs, IF you are talking Craig at Packlight, most of his chairs are the sand chairs, which no way in a million years would I personally be comfortable with those. He does have some larger chairs, but you have to specifically request those. As far as the size of the umbrellas, is it two people or one? Assuming without knowing it's two people, and assuming again that you're renting from Craig, his umbrellas aren't as big as those at Club O or Mullet, etc. So if you have two people like me that HAVE to stay out of the sun virtually all the time, one umbrella would not be big enough, no. Which means you could rent another umbrella for the week. However, the problem also becomes, how much stuff can you haul??? Do you normally take a cooler?? Because you will save a WHOLE lot more. hauling a cooler for drinks and some snacks, or even just drinks, than you will, by hauling chairs and umbrella. But if you're hauling chairs AND umbrella AND a cooler AND your towels, suntan lotion, books, etc., etc., that is a whole lot of stuff!!! More stuff than I personally want to haul, for sure! ..your mileage may vary...

Both have benefits, in my opinion. Obviously, most chairs that you rent on the beach are going to be more comfortable than typical folding beach chairs. And many places where you rent these chairs offer a free drink or restroom access with your rental. But carrying your own has benefits, too - you can go pretty much anywhere you want any time you want - I've noticed some places don't set up chairs until 9:30 or 10 and it's nice to get an earlier start. Also, the vendors on the beaches (bags, necklaces, massages, etc) will spend less attention to the "bring your own chair" people (I guess because we look less like tourists) - of course, if you want to buy something, you can flag them down but sometimes it is nice to sit and just read and not have to say "no thank you" a dozen times.

If you spend long hours on the beach, you may be better off renting from the various vendors/restaurants/bars on the beach. If you like to go to multiple beaches in a day, the foldable, pack able may be your best option.

Not a lot of help, am I?

Regardless, have fun!

For us, we rent from the places on orient beach mostly club o. Our theory is we may pay more but we are helping the people on the beach where we go to stay in business longer.

I buy a couple of canvas beach chairs at ACE for about $15.00 each and then give them away when I leave. In a couple of weeks I save a bunch of bucks.

Great idea, January! I think we will do that this year. A lot of times when we've rented them with our car rental, the chairs have been a little saggy or rusted - which happens quick in that salt and sand!

We've also taken these with great success: http://www.goplanetgo.com/products/wonda-wedge-inflatable-backrest-travel-pillow

We rent 60 days a year.Could buy for a lot less but helps out the local economy.I told Pedro next trip I expect gold plated name tags

We have rented loungers on Orient for $8 a piece, includes umbrella, table, bathroom, shower and a rum punch. Other beaches, we have brought a small tarp and just put our towels, cooler, etc on that.

Does anyone know where to get travel beach chair pads? I saw someone with ones at Club O and thought they would be great but didn't ask where they bought them. It folded pretty flat and was about 4' long. It would give Club O's chair a little bit of cushion. Thanks!

They may have been Sportaseats from your description.

Their web site is https://www.sportaseat.com and you can check there to see if they are the ones you saw.

Thanks, the pad was pretty thin. It looked a little like a car windshield sun shade in that it folded but was made out of a woven material.