Whats the lightest chair?

[Sam Farrington]

Before you make a final decision, and maybe make a considerable investment in ordering from overseas, please consider the design used by LaFuma in their canoe chair. They are probably no longer available, but look like this:
http://www.rei.com/search?cat=4500047&jxBrand=Lafuma
Unfortunately, they use steel tube, which brings it up around 3 lbs; but their design has been imitated by many cheap aluminum beach chairs weighing in the 2# range.

IMO, this design is a lot more comfortable than the ones mentioned above, provides good back support, elevates you off the ground, and folds up flat, or close to flat, for packing. I've made several of them a bit narrower and out of aluminum tube for friends, and use one myself with leno mesh for the seat and back support that weighs 1.75 lbs. It looks this this, open, and folded:

I'm currently working on a lighter model that should weigh around 1.25 lbs. The great thing about the mesh is that there is no fabric to absorb water, and you can use the chair when it's raining.

Suggest you first check out small folding beach or sand chairs in your local sporting goods and department stores. If you find the right one, you can always replace the cloth or woven plastic seat and back with mesh.

[Dutch Anderson]

So I'll take one of the 1.25 pound chairs. Price?

[Holger Goehr]

Can You sit forward / upright in the sling light or do you always have to lean back?
In the pics on their websit it looks a bit like the front bar doesn't allow you to lean forward to cook between your legs. Looks like it would cut into your legs?

[Sam Farrington]

>So I'll take one of the 1.25 pound chairs. Price?

Dutch, it might be hard to believe, but some of us posting are not doing it to sell you something. I usually post on MYOG, and must have got confused. Must have been unconsciously trying to promote MYOG.

[George Geist]

> Can You sit forward / upright in the sling light or do you always have to lean back?

Hi Holger,

Yes, you can sit forward and cook between your legs as shown in this picture.
I have also modified my slinglight to lay back even farther than standard set up so that it becomes a cot (by simply lengthening the cord to the back "V")

Here I am napping in the slinglight in "cot" mode. Note the headrest is also attached.

[Anonymous]

for the Sling Light

[Jack G]

Saw an infomercial for the pocket chair recently. Wasn't able to find a weight though. Buy one get one free, what a deal.

https://www.pocketchair.com/

[George Geist]

The Pocket Chair weighs 2 lbs. I looked at one in Walmart.
I was amazed by how heavy it was given how small it folds

[Holger Goehr]

The sling looks like the best suited out there. Does anybody know their email adress, they just have a telephone number on their website, which makes it hard to contact them from Australia.
Also would like to know the shipping costs first(they can be a real deal breaker..).

[James Marco]

Technically, it is a stool and not a full chair, but this is a real light weight, servicable stool (~14oz stripped down.) Great for long hikes with out a place to sit. They dry off easily and are fairly durable, given the UL nature of the beast.

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___41192 for one link.

[Jeffs Eleven]

I see a giant hole in the market!!

>1lb yuck

Although I wouldnt want to pay $200 for some carbon chair that weighs 10.oz either.

[Randy Nelson]

You can use [email protected] to email Slinglight. He said they will ship to Australia.

[Holger Goehr]

Thanks!

[Holger Goehr]

One more thing, could somebody tell me the dimensions of the foldet slinglight?
(length x width).
Thank you all!

[Erik Basil]

With the tripod stools, one of the key features is the foot used on each leg. The Campmor stool uses small end caps, and the REI and some others use widened feet. The wider feet don't punch through the soil so quickly and, having both kinds, I can tell you this is noticeable.

The REI stool "lightens up" nicely if you ditch the stuff sack and/or sling, since it's an aluminum-legged version. Similar steel-legged versions weigh twice as much, ie two lb.

[Michael Davis]

I just received my REI tripod stool last night. I sat in it for about 20 minutes will I made a couple of whoopie slings and found it to be acceptable in comfort. It was not posh, nor did it cause pain.

It weighs 16.8 ounces on my scale. There was no stuff sack included.

I looked at ways to lighten it. I will be removing the carry strap and it's attachment hardwear. I will also replace the heavy duty nylon webbing around the base with some 1.75mm zing-it (dyneema) line.

I thought about removing the 3 plastic feet, but could see what Erik just mentioned – that the stool would probably sink into the ground without them.

All in all, I'm pleased with te purchase as a good balance between weight, comfort and price. I won't take this on all trips – only the ones where I go with someone that likes to sit around the fire and talk a bit. It will be left at home on solo trips.

[Anonymous]

My scale is woefully inadequate for precise measurements. I have heard 17 oz without headrest and 19 oz with. Mine are put away right now so cant measure. Freeform should have dimensions. I am surprised Denis Hazelwood hasn't jumped in here. I have gone the whole way with light weight with cuben equipment etc. but can't leave home without the SlingLight.

[Randy Nelson]

The Slinglight is 26"x16".

[David Wills]

http://www.vaude.com/epages/Vaude-de.sf/en_IN/?ObjectPath=/Shops/Vaude/Products/30204/SubProducts/302040100

i got it from my german buddy on the pct. great! not many other thru hikers with a camp chair

[Holger Goehr]

295g for tha VauDe chair is sensational, however I have 100kg and it looks a bit fimpsy to me. I go with the slinglight. (Ordered it yesterday).
For lightweight people that VauDe might be the go.

[Alice Hengst]

I'm not sure of the weight of this one:

[Holger Goehr]

Ha, you don't even have to put your backpack down to sit down!

[James Marco]

Yeah, stools have a way of working into the soil…the caps become necesary.

It helps if you sit on them with the wide end towards the front. This is sort of counter-intuitive. Sitting with your butt in the middle will actually put the most weight on the single leg towards the back, causing it to dig into the soil. Sitting with your butt more towards the flat area will put the majority of the weight on two legs…keeping them from digging in so much. Your feet, on the ground, take the weight off your thighs so the points are not uncomfortable on your thighs. Like I say, counter-intuitive.

I often use a pair of stools (for myself and partner) on canoe trips. The 14oz RollUp stools were the lightest avilable (sans stuff sack and strap.)

[Christopher Kuzmich]

In 2012 Thermarest will be making their "Jamba" Chair cover for the Neo Air. It basically allows you to coil a Neoair to form a 20 inch high stool. I sat on one for an hour or so when I was looking at the 2012 line (I am a Buyer for an Outdoor Retailer) and it was very comfortable. I'll look up weight and retail price when I get back to work.

[Ken K]

Dredging up this topic, hoping Chris had a chance to look up the specs on the Jamba chair. Wonderful idea… Fill a stuff sack with your inflatable. Add a CCF pad to smmoth out the top.

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