Wider bottoms for folding chairs

I am looking for a solution to the legs on folding chairs like the REI flexlite and other similar from sinking into soft soil and sand. It would be something like a wide basket for a hiking pole.  Any ideas?

Thanks

I think you mean wider chair legs? Helinox makes a ground mat for chairs. A nylon rectangle with pockets at each corner for the legs. Would be fairly easy to MYOG or have sewn.

If you’re willing to carry the extra weight :>), you could bring along some plastic lids from something like Pringles.  Also, someone (Big Agnes/Helinox?) makes some kind of sand “blanket” that provides a semi-solid surface to plant the chair legs on.

Arthur – The Helinox mat looks like it would work really well, but at $30 and 5 oz, I think it defeats the purpose of the Chair Zero…light weight.

I solved the problem as documented in this thread with practice golf balls and insulating foam.  This solution has worked well for me for the past 3 years, and I have not had to replace or repair it.  It was also employed by at least on other BPL’er who reported good results.  YMMV.

The chairs with four legs will all present your problem.  The legless chairs rest on front and rear bars resting on the ground, and are more stable (and strong), such as this MYOG one:

https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/81152

I put protectors over the tubes where they contact the ground, but you might also use thick foam tubes or some kind of clip on floats for more protection from sinking into he sand.

The are a few such chairs that can be bought off the shelf out there that are just as light as the four leggeds. But only a few – maybe because while they fold flat, they do have to be strapped to the back off the pack and cannot be disassembled and stashed in a stuff sack like the Helinox and others.  For me, that was a small price to pay for a stronger, stabler and more comfortable chair, and I can hang sox and other things to be dried against the mesh while hiking.

JCH…fantastic job & I think I will be doing this for my 3 chairs. Thank you for sharing.

Sam…love the chair, very innovative & very nice work. Would love to try one. Thank you for sharing.

I put hose clamps on the legs. I carry the snow baskets because sometimes they are not needed all the time.  If it is sandy, I pull off the rubber stoppers and put the snow baskets on.  I think the larger baskets are overkill, its just what I had. Will be trying smaller baskets, maybe even just using two on my poles and taking two extra.