Honestly, it depends entirely on the bench. Most standard public benches are designed for quick rests—10 to 20 minutes max. They typically have flat wooden or metal slats with no lumbar support, a hard surface, and a slight forward tilt that drains rainwater but also pushes your hips forward. After about 30 minutes, your lower back starts complaining, your tailbone feels pressure, and your legs go numb because the front edge digs into your thighs. Those are not meant for long sitting.
However, some outdoor benches are genuinely comfortable for an hour or more. Look for these features: a contoured seat that curves slightly downward toward the back, a backrest angled between 100 and 110 degrees, armrests at the right height for elbow support, and materials that don't get too hot or cold—like treated hardwood, recycled plastic lumber, or powder-coated steel with wood inserts. Benches with slatted gaps wider than half an inch allow airflow and reduce pressure points, but too wide and they pinch. A seat depth of 16 to 18 inches is ideal; anything deeper forces you to slouch.
Here is my real experience. I have sat on a well-designed teak bench in a botanical garden for over 90 minutes reading a book. It had a gentle lumbar curve, wide armrests, and a seat that distributed my weight evenly. I felt fine, no stiffness afterward. But the generic metal bench outside a bus stop? My back hurts after 25 minutes. So the answer is not yes or no—it is about whether the bench was built for comfort or just for durability and low maintenance. Check the backrest angle, seat contour, armrest height, and material before you commit to sitting long. If the bench looks flat, hard, and purely functional, plan on a quick rest, not a marathon sit.