Photo courtesy of Blue Ridge Chair Works The Highlands Deck Chair, which sells for $109.95 and weighs 13 pounds, folds flat for storage, has a handle for portability and the design allows the user to sit upright with little or no pressure on the legs.

Photos courtesy of Blue Ridge Chair Works The Backpack Chair features storage area for your goodies and drinks.

The strandkorb looks more like a wicker canopied couch than a portable, flashy-colored beach chair, the kind scattered across the sands of America.

But wheeling it across soft terrain could be a bit much.

Today's beachgoers want more than just a place to sit — they want functionality. And that means more than just a beach chair with a strap to sling across a shoulder.

During the past 20 years, beach chairs have evolved from the simple aluminum frame and woven crisscross mesh as manufacturers have stepped up quality to gain a competitive edge.

The contemporary beach chair is like the modern person: a multitasker.

It's a backpack, umbrella, footrest, briefcase and cup holder, with special storage for an MP3 player or cell phone.

Some consumers will pay a lot for that kind of versatility.

Retailers and manufacturers say people should consider a chair's weight capacity, portability, height, durability and desired features, such as storage or a cup holder.

Shoppers at Target are looking for convenience — chairs that are lightweight and easy to carry — said Sonja Pothen, a company spokeswoman. The store offers several styles in eye-catching spring colors. Most range from $34 to $90.

At WetSand in Ventura, the $120 Blue Ridge Backpack Chair is designed for the "serious beachgoer" who likes to go every weekend, said owner Chuck Menzel.

It is the only chair sold in the surf store, though the company offers four others online, starting at $54.95.

Made of canvas and wood, the backpack chair can store books, flippers or a beach towel in a giant cargo pocket, and drinks in a separate, insulated cooler pocket. And two small mesh pockets can hold small easy-to-lose items, such as keys or a cell phone.

"It's probably the Cadillac of beach chairs," said Alan Davis, owner of Blue Ridge Chair Works in North Carolina, where the chairs are manufactured. He added that there are other backpack beach chairs, but none that has as many bells and whistles.

People can buy cheaper chairs at any of the major discount stores, Menzel said, but this one is built to last. He noted it could last 10 years, while inferior chairs might not make it through a season.

If consumers don't want to spend much on a beach chair, they can find one for about $10 at retailers like Wal-Mart.

That's exactly what many people do, which frustrates Davis.

"It's been like climbing Mt. Everest — I'm so against the grain for what society is asking for right now," he said.

"We've sort of become a throwaway society."

The market, Davis said, has been flooded with cheap stuff from China that will end up in the landfill before long.

Davis targets environmentally conscious consumers who want a long-lasting chair that they might even pass on to their children.

His best seller is the $139.95 "Outer Banks Chair," because it features cup holders.

But many people aren't interested in spending that amount of money, especially if their usage is infrequent.

"It wouldn't make sense for me," said Sally McNeal of Santa Paula, who was visiting Harbor Cove Beach in Ventura on Tuesday.

She doesn't remember how much she paid for the beach chair she got about six years ago. And frills weren't important — she wanted a chair that sits low to the ground and has a high back.

The avid beach chair user is a little fussier, since the lounge seat is like a second couch.

Billy Stuart and his wife, Diane, use their chairs about once a month. Last week, the San Fernando Valley residents drove their RV to Emma Wood State Beach, where they have been practically living in their chairs.

"It's comfortable enough to sleep in," Stuart said.

He spent more than $100 for his chair about six weeks ago at Camping World. For the pillow and extra space, it was worth it, he said.

"We got it on sale," Diane said. Consumers can expect retailers to mark down outdoor gear this weekend as a nod to Memorial Day, the traditional kickoff to the summer tourist season.

Stuart's friend Scott Meinecke also purchases beach chairs from Camping World. He looks for comfortable beach chairs that don't rust and says they usually last about two years.

Those willing to spend more can expect better quality, said Tyron Smith, owner of Carp Sports in Carpinteria. He estimates a chair built to last three to five years runs about $40 to $50.

Carp Sports sells two styles, a "WearEver Hi-Back Steel Backpack Chair" for $40 and a MacCabee armchair with four adjustable seating positions for $20.

Backpack chairs with lounge features are currently the most popular style, Smith said. The WearEver chair can fold into three different lounge levels, allowing the user to sit up, recline, or lie down nearly flat. It is available at Carp Sports in blue, black and green, and it features a carrying case in the back that can hold cold beverages or other items.

What people want from their beach chair runs the gamut, Smith said. Some customers say the WearEver chair is too heavy. Others who want something sturdy think it's perfect.

But the weight of the WearEver chair is nothing compared to the historic strandkorb, still a common and popular choice in Sweden and Spain, said Christine Baumeister-Meier, president of Paradise Sun Garden Inc. in Florida.

A beach chair on steroids, the strandkorb weighs more than 170 pounds — not exactly easy to shuffle across sand, even on rollers. They're not cheap either, ranging from $1,400 to $7,000. That's more than what some people spend on their living room furniture. Though the strandkorb hasn't exploded in America, Baumeister-Meier said she's seeing growing interest. She sells more than 50 chairs a year. And interest could boom as Americans become more conscious of the sun's harmful rays. The chairs protect people from rain, wind, sun and onlookers, she said.

"It's a little eye-catcher for any patio," she said.