Looking for New Product Feedback- Camp Chairs

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Sounds good everybody! You all have given me some insights that will help drive the prototyping process.

1. Different strokes for different folks (no big surprise there)- some are excited for a stool, and others want/need a back rest
2. Ill focus on the ironing our the details for chair with a back.
3. Load Bearing rating will be important.

BTW, Doug- yes I had seen your stool a while back, and certainly was part of the inspiration (I think you commented on my MYOG post a long ways back as well).

Cheers!

"I'd personally be intrigued with a chair kit which could make creative use of two trekking poles. When I most desire to sit in a chair, I have usually stopped hiking. Now I know, most tents & tarps desire the use of the poles as well, so If I really wanted to bring along extra carbon poles for a chair, I could then choose to only as needed. Or, I suspect the tent could wait a little."

I agree. Keep in mind trekking poles are usually very strong. Even GG poles are much stronger than typical tent poles. It is also easy to get lightweight poles for your tent, if you want to use your trekking poles for your chair. That way if you are base camping and want to use your trekking poles for hiking, you will remove your trekking poles from your chair, not your tent (and my guess is that is easier). Poles just for your tent are fairly light (a couple ounces a piece) so that isn't much of a weight penalty. Plus, I think I'm the only guy I've actually hiked with who uses trekking poles for securing a tent (there are plenty of very lightweight tents out there, especially now, that don't use a trekking pole design).

Ultimately, I think it is a design challenge, not unlike designing a tent. The mayfly design is good, but not as well suited for trekking pole reuse. Trekking poles could provide half of the support, but not at an ideal stress point (certainly not for carbon fiber). What might work better is to use the poles to suspend the fabric (since cord weighs very little). Then you need something to provide structure, but that wouldn't necessarily bear much of the load (the poles would do that). At a minimum, you would need a spreader bar, maybe with attachments to keep the poles from wobbling. Then maybe secure one end of it with a tent stake or two (by your feet) and lean back in the other direction. I hope that idea makes sense. I'm not sure it would work, but I'm sure something like that would.

>>>>My REI Flex Lite comes in at 26oz (744g).<<<<

This is the latest from Helinox, the Ground chair 550 grams.

https://www.helinox.com.au/ground-chair-ultralight-portable-chair.php

The Alite Mantas is more comfortable but the Helinox Ground Chair is 300 grams lighter, I'm taking mine into the snow to see how it performs plus it sits low so I can imagine sitting under the tent fly on a rainy day.

Consider making the fabric portion out of silny. You can call it UL. Some will point out that bringing a camp chair isn't UL at all, no matter how light it is, but those people are just the fanatics. If you make a cuben fiber version, you can market it to the SUL crowd. They love that stuff.

>>My REI Flex Lite comes in at 26oz (744g).

Two friends have that chair..it is very nice indeed, I am convinced that Helinox makes it for REI as they are nearly identical except for the seat fabric…the Helinox is wider (by about 1") and sewn very differently to create a defined "butt pocket" which, to me, makes it infinitely more comfortable than the REI.

I was intrigued by the new lighter Helinox, but it's just too darn close to the ground…getting into and out of something like that is very difficult in my experience.

Daniel as you pointed out the Helinox Ground Chair is even lighter, which is really tempting but I don't know if I'd like the shorter height as I'm pretty tall @ 6'4". So far I really like the height/dimensions of the flex lite as I can kick back or sit up and operate my stove at my feet.

I go back and forth on the premise of a bringing chair, it's extra weight I don't need to carry.. but I'll be damned if kicking back in a chair sipping your morning coffee in the woods isn't absolutely amazing while you watch your buddies pack up and squirm around hunched on a log trying to get comfortable.

My base weight now a days is down in the 12-14lb range so adding a 1.5lb chair really doesn't affect me too much overall (imho) as I'm still heads and shoulders lighter than most of my buddies. If I ever get to a point that I need to cut some weight it'll likely be the first thing to go, but for now I'm enjoying it.

I have the ALITE monarch chair. Two back legs. You use your legs as the front legs. Oddly it works really well. 1# 4oz. I take it everywhere. . Lunch time at work, I walk to the park, flip out the chair.

The four leg version from Helinox is really nice, but too big for my pack. Great for the car and car camping.

+1 on the chair with a back. As a person with back issues from previous injuries who loves backpacking, leaning against something is required when sitting after a day on the trail. It just allows me to relax better. You will always have those UL folks who can't spare the weight. You will have those that like the tripod. And then there are those who like the camp chair concept. Each has market potential.

If you can come up with a way to use trekking poles to make a chair, that will be the talk of the town, or at least an article in backpacker or outside magazine.

I would consider if:

it weighted very, very little
it used trekking poles
it had a back

and if

i were hammocking — and my poles were otherwise unused in camp
I were with a group of people, somewhere where fires were permitted

Optimally if the bottom used a sit pad that I could use for foot-pad-hammock insulation all the better.

“The three legged with a back would be my vote.”

+1
As others have noted, if it’s w/o a back, I’ll just use a rock or log with my 1/2oz CCF pad on top.

-Barry

Hey Guys,
Thanks for the additional input.

I've been prototyping for the last couple of weeks, and I have made some good progress on the camp stool AND a proper chair.

The weights are looking good- 6.3-6.9 ounces for the stool, and 8.2-8.7 ounces for the chair. The weight depends on the height of the seat.

I am looking for some beta testers who would like to help me out with a bit of testing. In particular, I am looking for a few guys or gals who are in the 200-275 range to do some testing on load rating.

If you are interested in helping me out (you'll get a nice discount code for your effort), please shoot me an email to ronrodthree@gmail.com. I'll give you early access to the website and a coupon code.

Cheers,
Ron

Rod — if I am going to bring a chair, it has to have a back. I am using the monarch chair and love it. If I wanted a stool, I would sit on a bear canister. I would have to pack on some pounds to be a tester, but I do want to see your results.

Hey Tim,
Thanks for your input.

I should have been more clear above. I am in need of a few testers across all weight ranges, so if you, or anyone else is interested, please do send me an email.

Cheers!

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I'm with Joshua on the Helinox Ground support chair. If'n I can't lean back then why bring it?

OTOH, a chair like the Helinox is well worth it for canoeing and sea kayaking where the extra weight is not that important. I'm gonna get one ASAP.

The REI version that Andrew posted a pic of ain't UL. 18 ounces. I don't see how they can make it weigh that much. 22-inch legs, 15-inch height in use, aluminum legs. I've made them out of free materials and I get 8-9 ounces and they manage to double that weight. The upside of the REI one is $22.50 ($15.93 for Persimmon colored). The steel versions from Sportsman's Warehouse are about 27 ounces.

Hey Roger,
I dig the idea, and I think I can make it work! it might take a prototype or 3 to get it fully sorted.

Which size BearVault do you carry?

Hey Guys,
First off, thanks again for all of the feedback/input/ideas!

Here is what I came up with for the chairs:

If you want to check out the chairs and the stools, check out:

http://www.imogeneoutfitters.com

I figured that I ought to pass on the beta testing coupon code to everyone here:

At checkout use coupon code: BPLBETA

It’ll be good for the first 15 orders.

Thanks guys and gals!

Cheers

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Are BV canisters all the same diameter? If so may not even matter which model.

I really like those designs Ron. Great job bringing your ideas to market.

Cool Rob, I will keep you posted on the development.

While the diameters are the same (from what I can gather online) the height will actually cause some differences in the design as well. I might be able to come up with a design that is suitable for both sizes, but it will probably add some weight.

Rob-Thanks for the kudos!

They are expensive, but I have to say that I am impressed with the weights. :^)

Ron,

I have to say I really like my Toleak…to the point that I bought a second one. I posted a review as well. Good luck and thanks!

Chris