A plastic 5-gallon bucket is one of the versatile and useful items that man has invented in the last 50 years. The use for a 5 gallon (or the larger 6 gallon) bucket is only limited by one’s imagination. Not only are they useful for carrying items or holding liquid, but they can be used for many other purposes. One of those purposes is use as a seat. Some turn the bucket upside down to be used as a seat, while others prefer to place a lid on the bucket and use the cover as the basis for a seat.
On a more personal level, as a child, my first experience deer hunting was spent in a deer stand seated on an upside-down 5-gallon bucket. I remember spending many days dove hunting while sitting on a plastic 5-gallon bucket that had been painted camo with a seat cushion glued on the top.
Those days have changed now as advances in technology have somewhat caught up with the more simple bucket for hunting and fishing purposes. These days, there are hunting chair buckets made with a rotating top, ones made with a built-in cooler, and ones made specifically for certain types of hunting (like dove hunting).
At my day job, one of the more common questions I see or hear from customers in the hunting blind and hunting chair section of our store is this: do you have a 5 gallon bucket seat with backrest?
The answer is yes; there are a few bucket seat models with a backrest that are built to work with a 5 gallon or 6-gallon bucket. However, some work better than others, and some are far more comfortable than others.
Before I begin discussing the specific models that I like, there are a few important points worth making:
- Store-Bought vs. Homemade
- Not all bucket chairs are ideal for hunting
Let’s dive a bit deeper into both those topics:
Store-Bought 5 Gallon Bucket Chairs vs. Homemade Models
If you are one of the following:
- Mechanically inclined
- Like to build things
- Prefer not to spend the money on a store-bought bucket chair
You can always look into the idea of building your bucket chair top with a backrest. There are several examples of plans and examples of those types of builds online. A quick search on Youtube for that topic will show several possible ideas for building your own.
I’m just not that handy and prefer to buy a commercial model that an engineer has already designed and tested.
Not All Bucket Chairs with Backs are Ideal for Hunting
Let me explain that statement: There are a few different bucket chairs with backs on the market, and most are built for one of two primary purposes:
- Hunting
- Ice Fishing
The models made for hunting are built specifically for hunting with features that are geared towards hunting. The models made specifically for ice fishing are also built for that purpose and may have features that are not conducive to hunting.
For example, many of the ice fishing bucket chairs are built with seats built for warmth. While that may be helpful for ice fishing, it’s not always the best option for hunting. The heated seat option may not be the best choice for hunting doves in the September heat.
The ice fishing models are also built with a heavier material to stand up to the extreme cold associated with ice fishing. That heavier material also means a heavier bucket seat, which may not be ideal if you have to walk a significant distance to get to your deer stand.
Top Rated 5 Gallon Bucket Seats with Backs
Chair Model | Picture | Bucket Size | Weight | Dimensions | Shop |
Muddy Deluxe Stadium Bucket Chair |   | 5 or 6 Gallon Bucket | 8.5 lbs | 22” x 16.5” x 3” seat with a 22” x 16.5” x 3” backrest | |
Splash Bucket Buddy Field Seat |   | 5 or 6 Gallon Bucket | 2 lbs | 21” x 85” x 3” seat | |
Big Game Deluxe Stadium Bucket Chair | | 5 or 6 Gallon Bucket | 8.5 lbs | 22” x 16.5” x 3” seat with a 22” x 16.5” x 3” backrest |
Muddy Outdoors Deluxe Stadium Bucket Chair
If you haven’t heard of the Muddy Outdoors name, they are a significant player in the hunting accessories market with an emphasis on tree stands, tree stand accessories, game cameras, and ground blinds.
This bucket chair model is built to work with a 5 gallon or 6-gallon bucket and features built-in armrests and a padded bench seat. It comes with padded backstraps for easy transport and folds up to be worn like a backpack.
This chair weighs 8.5 pounds, which isn’t the lightest model I’ve seen or the heaviest either. Most of the chair’s weight is tied to the build material and the padding for comfort.
This model snaps onto the bucket and features a built-in swivel system for 360-degree movement. The swivel system doesn’t seem to use bearings or anything like that, so it isn’t completely soundless as it rotates. However, the sound is minor, in my opinion, and I wouldn’t classify it as loud or obnoxious.
| Pros | Cons |
| It’s one of the more comfortable bucket chairs with a back that I’ve tested.
The backpack straps make it easier to transport compared to a model with a single shoulder strap. |
At 8.5 pounds, it’s not the lightest option in this chair group.
This model is on the upper end of the budget for this type of bucket chair. |
Splash Bucket Buddy Field Seat
While the Splash Bucket Buddy Field Seat may look similar to the Muddy Outdoors model above, the design is very different. Instead of attaching to the bucket, this model fits over the top of the bucket using an elastic material. This material reminds me of a tube sock, so the chair portion is not affixed to the bucket in the same manner as a chair that snaps onto the bucket lid. It fits over the top of the bucket, very much like a sock.
Weighing 2 pounds, the Bucket Buddy seat is very lightweight and easy to transport. It comes with a single shoulder strap for easy carrying.
The seat itself is very cushioned and comfortable, while the back portion is more just fabric with very little cushioning. The back portion is supported via two adjustable straps that attach the back to the seat.
| Pros | Cons |
| At 2 pounds, it’s a very lightweight option if you need to carry your bucket and chair set-up for an extended distance.
The seat portion is very well padded and comfortable. |
The seat mounts to the bucket almost like a sock, so the seat is not attached in a stable method. This results in the chair sliding and moving around while mounted to the bucket. I never really felt that it was all that stable, especially if you wanted to recline back in the chair. It felt as if the chair would pop off the bucket under significant pressure or weight.
Relatively expensive option for what you get chair-wise. |
Big Game Deluxe Stadium Bucket Chair
If you think that this model looks suspiciously similar to the Muddy Outdoors model I mentioned above, you would be correct. This model is the same chair as offered by Muddy Outdoors, but it’s marketed and listed under the Big Game brand.
Muddy Outdoors is owned by the same conglomerate that owns the Big Game brand of hunting gear, so this chair is the same as the Muddy Outdoors version with different markings and a slightly different price point.
I opted to list them separately on this page to avoid any confusion with the brand differences and the price differences.
This chair has the exact dimensions, features, etc., of the Muddy Outdoors model, so most everything I mentioned above for the Muddy Outdoors bucket chair also applies to this Big Game Deluxe chair as well.
| Pros | Cons |
| Rather than repeat myself, check out the Pros listed on the Muddy Outdoors Chair above | Rather than repeat myself, check out the Cons listed on the Muddy Outdoors Chair above |
So, Who’s the Winner?
If it were me and I were spending my hard-earned money on a bucket seat with a back rest, I’d lean towards either the Muddy Outdoors model or the Big Game model. The Splash bucket model was comfortable but not stable enough, in my humble opinion, and it’s an expensive option for the end product.
FAQ’s
Here are some frequently asked questions that I’ve either seen or been asked in regards to bucket seat models with backrests:
Are there any bucket seat with back rests made for a larger 6-gallon bucket?
Any of the bucket seat options listed above will work with either a 5 gallon or 6-gallon bucket. The 6-gallon buckets are taller than a 5-gallon model, but most have the same lid size and bucket opening size as a 5-gallon bucket.
Will a bucket chair with rest work on a bucket without removing the bucket carrying handle?
The three chair models I discussed above all attach to the bucket without removing the bucket handle. Now some bucket chair options on the market are made to only attach to the bucket with the carrying handle removed, but I’ve only seen those with specialized ice fishing models.
Do any of the 5 gallon bucket chairs come with a bucket? Or do you have to provide your own 5 gallon bucket?
None of the bucket chair models I discussed above come with a 5 or 6-gallon bucket. With those models, you have to provide your own 5 or 6-gallon bucket.
However, a brand on the market called Wise Outdoors offers a series of bucket seats that do come with a bucket as part of the package. I didn’t review any of those in this write-up because the Wise Buckets are specially sized, so their bucket chairs are only designed to work with their Wise line of buckets.
The bucket chairs I discussed above will work with most any “standard” size 5 gallon or 6-gallon bucket.
I’m a big boy, so what’s the weight limit on these bucket chairs with rear rests?
None of these chairs themselves seem to have a weight limit or suggested capacity, but the standard weight limit on a 5 or 6-gallon bucket with a snap-on lid is just over 300 pounds. If you weigh more than that (and I feel your pain as I’m just under that number), then you’re probably best looking at a different seat configuration other than a 5-gallon bucket.
