Introduction
One piece of gear that accompanies me on nearly every trip in the backcountry is something that makes sitting in camp and at rest breaks more comfortable. There are pads, stools, and chairs. I use all three, depending on the circumstances.
I take a chair because the rest of my gear is light, and it gives me room to add back a few luxury items. I no longer consider a place to sit a luxury item. My aging body wins the argument with my postal scale every time.
For day hiking, I take a stool because it’s fast and easy and more comfortable than a sit pad. For long-distance treks where I’m counting ounces, the sit pad wins. And on backpacking trips with fewer miles and shorter days where I don’t mind carrying the extra weight, a chair wins out.
This is what I use:
|
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
|
COMPACT & FAST
|
ULTRALIGHT
|
|
WEIGHT:
17 oz (480 g)
|
WEIGHT:
11 oz (310 g)
|
WEIGHT:
1 oz (28 g)
|
|
WHAT'S UNIQUE:
|
WHAT'S UNIQUE:
|
WHAT'S UNIQUE:
|
|
MAIN ISSUES:
|
MAIN ISSUES:
|
MAIN ISSUES:
|
|
|
|
- comfortable & supportive for reclining
- high ground clearance
- requires 60 seconds of assembly to use
- packability
- speed of deployment
- not for reclining
- ultralight
- compact
- not exactly the lap of luxury
Context
I don’t need a new chair every year. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the chair I purchased five years ago. It’s still functional, it’s still the lightest chair available, it’s still the most comfortable chair (for me), and I think I’m going to get a few more years of use out of it before the fabric rips out.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t continue to evaluate the market for something better.
As a publisher of information about backpacking gear, battling shiny object syndrome takes an enormous amount of energy and restraint. The outcomes of following trendy recommendations from PR firms and influencers include overstuffed gear closets (rooms, sheds, storage units?) and over-extended credit card balances.
I received an interesting question via email a few days ago from someone who was being very careful about the current seasonal sales offered by many retailers right now:
“What gear have you carried consistently in your pack for the past five years that you’d buy again today?”
I love this question because it speaks to my desire to live a more sustainable lifestyle where I’m not buying the latest and greatest model in the same product category every year. I have to admit that my philosophy for gear buying has shifted somewhat through the years, prioritizing gear that is a little more durable and a little more versatile.
After reviewing my past gear lists, and then closing my eyes and visualizing the memories of the things that give me the most joy on long backpacking trips, near the top of the list is the camp chair.
Whoever said “sitting is the new smoking” never gained the appreciation for a comfortable place to sit at the end of a long day of hiking.
I reviewed the two most popular chairs about five years ago, and discussed “seat engineering” a bit to pick the one that I liked the best and found to be the most comfortable.
Since that time, a dozen new “ultralight” chairs have hit the market, including offerings from REI, Helinox, Big Agnes, Nemo, and others. And I’ve tried them all. Some are indeed a little more comfortable than the REI Flexlite Air and the Helinox Chair Zero, but none of them are worth the additional weight (often 6 ounces or more).
A new addition – this season’s Hot New Chair – the Nemo Moonlight Elite (18 oz / 510 g) is a serious contender – and it reclines. It’s also available in a heavier (“non-elite”) model with a much cheaper price tag.
However, the Nemo Moonlight Elite Chair is $180. Did you read that right? That’s not a typo.
For a couple of Benjamins, I can buy a pretty swanky chair with upholstered cushions from Target. Granted, it’s not a smoking chair per se, and it’s not light enough to take backpacking, but it’s an interesting perspective nonetheless.
The one chair that I’ve added to my gear closet (which I justify because it takes up so little space) is the new REI Flexlite Air Camp Stool. At 11 oz (310 g), there’s less fiddling around with poles and assembly. It doesn’t have a back, so its comfort is limited. But my oh my, it sure is nice for strapping to my little pack for coffee breaks or wildlife glassing while day hiking. For my aging back, my days of sitting on 1-ounce (28 g) closed cell foam sit pads are numbered (but I do still carry a tiny one when I leave the stool at home – it’s a lot better than nothing).
So in spite of some new market additions, my recommendations on camp chairs haven’t changed much. I’m still carrying the REI Flexlite Air Chair because it fits my body type the best and is the most comfortable chair for me at the end of a long day.
Chair Options for Backpacking
Included in the list below are some additional chair options less than two pounds that span the range from simple to luxurious, across all price points.
-
See it at REI See Our ReviewStill our favorite - the Flexlite Air is one of the lightest, most comfortable, ultralight backpacking chairs available.
-
See it at REI See Our Review
The most popular ultralight camp chair in the world, and one of the lightest.
-
See it at REI
When you need something that's fast to stow and put away, and more comfortable than a sit pad.
-
-
See it at REI
Packable, durable, and fast to deploy. Especially useful for sitting inside your shelter where headroom is limited and you don't want to damage your shelter floor.
-
See it at Garage Grown Gear
Not a luxurious option, but it's affordable, compact, and quick to use on the trail.
Related Content
- Gear Review: Lightweight Backpacking Chairs: REI Flexlite Air Chair vs. Helinox Chair Zero
- Trip Reports / Video: 24: Idaho (Couples Backpacking)
DISCLOSURE (Updated April 9, 2024)
- Product mentions in this article are made by the author with no compensation in return. In addition, Backpacking Light does not accept compensation or donated/discounted products in exchange for product mentions or placements in editorial coverage. Some (but not all) of the links in this review may be affiliate links. If you click on one of these links and visit one of our affiliate partners (usually a retailer site), and subsequently place an order with that retailer, we receive a commission on your entire order, which varies between 3% and 15% of the purchase price. Affiliate commissions represent less than 15% of Backpacking Light's gross revenue. More than 70% of our revenue comes from Membership Fees. So if you'd really like to support our work, don't buy gear you don't need - support our consumer advocacy work and become a Member instead. Learn more about affiliate commissions, influencer marketing, and our consumer advocacy work by reading our article Stop wasting money on gear.
Home › Forums › A Place to Sit: A Perspective on Ultralight Camp Chairs