Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => The Knowledge => Camping It Up => Topic started by: Domestique on 04 July, 2012, 08:35:28 pm
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Sorry if this has been covered before, but what chairs do you take away on your camping trips.
Thinking more of something suitable for cycle touring.
Tia
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http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/280892514898?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&cbt=y
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http://www.walkstool.com/uk/product/indexframe.html
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Should have added, we have Vango folding stools like those.
Was looking for something with back support.
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Coleman Exponent was the winning stool (on weight and folding to a sensible length) when I looked into it a couple of years ago:
http://www.coleman.eu/UK/p-23311-exponent-stool.aspx
For back support, either the Thermarest chair kit approach, or if you value your knees, the Helinox seems to be the exciting new kid on the block:
http://www.helinox.com.au/pages/helinox-chair-one.asp
(Or a recumbent trike, obviously. ;D)
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Look at Gordy's trip report of his Irish tour where he took a plastic stool with him.
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the Helinox seems to be the exciting new kid on the block:
http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/helinox_chair_one.html
and a thermarest stool kit (http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/thermarest_neoair_jembe_seat_kit_2.html) as an interesting alternative to the normal chair kits.
I go for the thermarest chair kit, partly because it's been around for longer than other alternatives of comparable weight/bulk, and partly because I can use it inside the tent.
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Look at Gordy's trip report of his Irish tour where he took a plastic stool with him.
Ta Daa!
Also France and Scotland!!
(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/gordon1314/IMG_0441.jpg)
(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/gordon1314/IMG_0370.jpg)
:thumbsup:
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http://www.crazycreek.com/products-page/adventure-line-chairs/hex-2-0-original-chair/
Lay it out flat and it serves as a sleeping pad, or adds a little extra to your regular sleeping pad. Weighs about 1/2 lb/200 grams more than the Therma-Rest chair kit. And yes, there is a UK distributor.
On my last tour, I was generally able to find a plastic chair to "borrow" in whatever campground I stayed in.
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I normally just use folding foam sitmat, a bit like this:
http://www.blakes-leisure.com/Product.asp?Prd=455
We also use one to kneel on at the tent entrance.
We did use self-inflating Trekmates sitmats (http://www.trekmates.co.uk/online-shop/duke-of-edinburgh-award/trekmates-self-inflating-sit-mat), but they de-laminated very quickly.
Butterfly uses the Downmat chair kit (similar to, but, IMO, better than the Therma-rest), which is very comfortable, but the ground needs to be dry.
And we have these, which are mainly for heavier camping, but we have carried them on a bike I think.
http://www.purpleturtle.co.uk/acatalog/HighlanderSitMatChair-200w.jpg
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I have a downmat chair kit but haven't used it yet. I had a 3 leg stool on my last trip but got fed up of the legs disappearing into the ground and leaving the plastic end caps in the hole when I pulled the legs out. I think the solution to anything with individual legs is to take half a paving slab with you. Should fit nicely into one pannier and will provide a firm base for your camping stool. ;D
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I got a Helinox Chair One from http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/helinox_chair_one.html
One of the better buys I have made. On my recent Ireland trip it was brilliant to sit in a comfortable chair after a long day in the saddle.
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Poundland sell a three-legged canvas stool. It takes my weight and beats sitting on the ground when cooking.
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Poundland sell a three-legged canvas stool. It takes my weight and beats sitting on the ground when cooking.
We had a couple of those. The big one was stupidly heavy (at least a kilo), ever so slightly too long to fit in a pannier, and catastrophically failed to take my weight. My four-legged Coleman stool is superior in all respects, other than price.
The tiny one was better, in an uncomfortable sort of way, except I cut one of the legs off it to molish a cadence sensor bracket for barakta's trike. Which, as I've already pointed out, is the ultimate solution for comfortable seating while camping.
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I entertained the denizens of Poundland by testing out the tiny one on the shop floor. You can guess what happens. I expect it is more stable on grass...
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Until it starts to sink...
Four legs appears to have a slight advantage over three in this respect, it still digs in, but not as unevenly.
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My Vango 3-legged stool weighs about half as much as a Helinox chair. I'm still quite tempted by one.
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I might take a look at one of these next time I am in Decathlon. Looks a bit bulky but I am sure there is a way to carry it.
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/folding-low-chair-id_8128852.html
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^^^^^
I've been looking for another one of them since I broke my last one during the yacf camping weekend at Cannock last year.
Thanks domestique :thumbsup:
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(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/gordon1314/IMG_0370.jpg)
:thumbsup:
Superb! I love the colour coordination, and the fact that it almost disappears against the pannier as a result.
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http://www.walkstool.com/uk/product/indexframe.html
I use a walkstool
Light and good for sitting on while cooking but gets a little uncomfortable after a while.
Some interesting alternatives mentioned here.
Time to shop
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Competition for the Helinox: the Alite Mayfly chair (http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/practical/LD107-8.html).
Packs a bit smaller than the Chair One, and is significantly lighter if you omit the front leg to give a rocker. On the other hand it's closer to the ground, which may not suit if you have Knees.
Note the other options at the bottom of the page.
As inspected at the BPL show last week
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another :thumbsup: for the alite chair.
the legs are well designed and don't sink into soft ground like some others, also they wont puncture your ground sheet or tent floor if used on these
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Competition for the Helinox: the Alite Mayfly chair (http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/practical/LD107-8.html).
Packs a bit smaller than the Chair One, and is significantly lighter if you omit the front leg to give a rocker. On the other hand it's closer to the ground, which may not suit if you have Knees.
Note the other options at the bottom of the page.
As inspected at the BPL show last week
This is on my list for Christmas/Birthday!
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Helinox chairs (black only) available from Millets for £68 until 27th May.
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You can buy a mesh hammock off ebay for about £4. Lighter than a stool and a lot more use.
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This is my sleep mat in a Thermarest adapter.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-IMTM52TUqNU/UcNYFjOCW7I/AAAAAAAABbM/dCeLgHJZPrg/w1153-h865-no/IMG_9095.JPG)
It looks uncomfortable (because I'm craning my neck to see who's out there,) but it is perhaps the most comfortable thing ever made.
The straps allow you to sit upright or to recline. When reclined you can fall asleep in it.
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You can buy a mesh hammock off ebay for about £4. Lighter than a stool and a lot more use.
Only if you camp where there are nicely spaced, strong enough trees. Completely useless on most camp sites, where most people camp most of the time.
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You can buy a mesh hammock off ebay for about £4. Lighter than a stool and a lot more use.
Only if you camp where there are nicely spaced, strong enough trees. Completely useless on most camp sites, where most people camp most of the time.
Agreed. A Hammock is ideal for wild-camping but I actually don't like camping under trees (even if any campsite I'd ever used had ones suitable for a hammock).
High winds make me nervous about falling branches and any rain means that nothing will ever dry out.
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I liked the idea of the original Helinox chair but discounted it as I want one that I can use inside the tent...........and then came along the Helinox Ground Chair.
It is comfy, easy to erect, can be used inside my tent without fear of damage to the ground sheet. The only downside is that getting in / out isn't particularly elegant.
http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/accessories-c10/camp-furniture-c126/helinox-ground-chair-p3160
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd396/jcm56/P1000735_zps7970e803.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/jcm56/media/P1000735_zps7970e803.jpg.html)
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That looks better to me than the original, as there's less chance of a leg sinking into soft ground.
But it's how much? :o :o :o
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There's also the Alite Mayfly chair (https://www.trekitt.co.uk/7036/products/alite-mayfly-chair-black.aspx) which has similar groundsheet friendly legs and low height, and is a whole £9 cheaper.
I expect if you wait long enough, a rip-off version will appear on ebay.
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I'll stick with my sitmat till my back gives out ;D
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Coleman Exponent was the winning stool (on weight and folding to a sensible length) when I looked into it a couple of years ago:
http://www.coleman.eu/UK/p-23311-exponent-stool.aspx
After many years of service, the fabric has become frayed on mine where it joins one of the legs and failure appears to be imminent. I suspect in part because it wasn't rated for the additional load of a wriggly Nye on my lap.
I think I'm going to have to attempt Sewing.
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That sounds drastic! Good luck.
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I use a Moon Lence chair. WARNING tea breaks take extra time as you don't want to get up, its too comfy.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=moon+lence+vs+helinox&view=detail&mid=CFD1D07491C1DB43098ECFD1D07491C1DB43098E&FORM=VIRE
About £25 if you shop round. On my scales with bag, just under 1Kg. Only issue is in soft ground you need somthing to spread the load on the ground as the legs are narrow and dig in.
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I use a Moon Lence chair. WARNING tea breaks take extra time as you don't want to get up, its too comfy.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=moon+lence+vs+helinox&view=detail&mid=CFD1D07491C1DB43098ECFD1D07491C1DB43098E&FORM=VIRE
About £25 if you shop round. On my scales with bag, just under 1Kg. Only issue is in soft ground you need somthing to spread the load on the ground as the legs are narrow and dig in.
Amazon sell a base that stops similar chairs sinking. It fits my Helinox chairs and the Moon looks a similar size.
chair base (http://amzn.eu/d/6hkCgym)
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Coleman Exponent was the winning stool (on weight and folding to a sensible length) when I looked into it a couple of years ago:
http://www.coleman.eu/UK/p-23311-exponent-stool.aspx
After many years of service, the fabric has become frayed on mine where it joins one of the legs and failure appears to be imminent. I suspect in part because it wasn't rated for the additional load of a wriggly Nye on my lap.
I think I'm going to have to attempt Sewing.
And they don't make it anymore. Shame, because bearing the load of a wriggly Nye seems to be a good use for it! There is a Decathlon equivalent for a bargainacious £4 or so, but it seems a bit heavy at a whole kilo.
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Coleman Exponent was the winning stool (on weight and folding to a sensible length) when I looked into it a couple of years ago:
http://www.coleman.eu/UK/p-23311-exponent-stool.aspx
After many years of service, the fabric has become frayed on mine where it joins one of the legs and failure appears to be imminent. I suspect in part because it wasn't rated for the additional load of a wriggly Nye on my lap.
I think I'm going to have to attempt Sewing.
And they don't make it anymore. Shame, because bearing the load of a wriggly Nye seems to be a good use for it!
Indeed. It's also good for tending to a camping stove, where the Helinox style chairs have you teetering on the brink somewhat. It's what I've tended to use when I've been spending more time on the bike than hanging around campsites, as it's much less weight/volume and comfortable enough for a couple of hours (in a way that the floor isn't, because knee).
There is a Decathlon equivalent for a bargainacious £4 or so, but it seems a bit heavy at a whole kilo.
That looks like the standard rigid-legged tripod arrangement. The advantage of the Coleman is that the legs fold in half, making it significantly more pannier-friendly, as well as somewhat lighter.
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https://www.lightningleisure.com/acatalog/Coleman-Exponent-Stool-130.html
3 available here at £15
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https://www.lightningleisure.com/acatalog/Coleman-Exponent-Stool-130.html
3 available here at £15
Good spot! I like it enough that it seems worth investing in a spare.
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I think I'm going to have to attempt Sewing.
This seems to have been moderately successful. I've fashioned a new seat out of medium-density cotton duck (tradeoff of tensile strength for ease of sewing and lower frayability), attached it to the frame and not yet given myself a horrible injury by bouncing and squirming around on it.
As I was reluctant to drill out the rivets, I sewed it to the holdy bits in situ. Have you ever tried to feed fabric through a sewing machine with a stool attached to it? Not easy. As a result it looks mildly wonky (mostly down to the final leg not being as neat as the others because I couldn't see what I was doing), but that's not something you notice when sitting on it.
Will see how it goes. If it doesn't show obvious signs of falling to bits after a field test, I might have another go, hand-stitching the leg attachments.
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(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1979/43058008850_82a71bdbd6_c.jpg)
For knees worth a Nye
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Yeah, but is it BEAR-proof?
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The BEAR says it's not worth eating, but you can dance a tango on it.
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Helinox has given me teh lusties.
What's the pack size? I can't see it described on the Ultralight website?
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https://www.helinox.com/outdoor/chairs gives the length and some photos of the pack, but not, it seems, the diameter. In practice, since the poles and fabric separate while packing, there's scope for arranging them into different shapes for better pannier tetris.
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+1 for Helinox One
"Lightweight" in Outer hebrides last year
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d68/epa611/DSCN0695_zpsbdui9weo.jpg) (http://s33.photobucket.com/user/epa611/media/DSCN0695_zpsbdui9weo.jpg.html)
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https://www.helinox.com/outdoor/chairs gives the length and some photos of the pack, but not, it seems, the diameter.is.
Mine is about 32 x 13 x 13 cm
I would note that the Ground Chair is no longer listed on the Helinox website, though it's still widely available at present.
Anyone wanting a chair for in-tent use next summer, may be advised to act sooner rather than later, especially as the Alite Mayfly chair also seems to be mostly unavailable/out of stock
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+1 for Helinox One
"Lightweight" in Outer hebrides last year
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d68/epa611/DSCN0695_zpsbdui9weo.jpg) (http://s33.photobucket.com/user/epa611/media/DSCN0695_zpsbdui9weo.jpg.html)
That looks as though someone's got an attack of "I'll bloody well sit out here even if I freeze to death"-itis.
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I think I'm going to have to attempt Sewing.
This seems to have been moderately successful. I've fashioned a new seat out of medium-density cotton duck (tradeoff of tensile strength for ease of sewing and lower frayability), attached it to the frame and not yet given myself a horrible injury by bouncing and squirming around on it.
[...]
Will see how it goes.
Reader, it went. No serious injuries, either to me or (more importantly) the newish cycling shorts I was wearing at the time.
Upping the game with 600 denier PU-coated nylon...
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If anybody is looking for a cheap Helinox-a-like chair, Aldi are selling their £17.99 version again from next Thursday. I got one last year, and get on well with it.
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If anybody is looking for a cheap Helinox-a-like chair, Aldi are selling their £17.99 version again from next Thursday. I got one last year, and get on well with it.
I bought a pair for a basic backpacking trip in the Dales over the Bank Holiday weekend. Light (comfortabye less than 1kg), compact (fits down to the size of an upper arm), and has the feel of being reasonably robust (survived my 90kg of toned muscle, ahem). Only minor niggle is that it is a tad compact/tight fitting (unless you are less than a slightly strained 34" waist) and a prescient worry that the elastic snapback cords will fray and snap over time.
At £18, I can't imagine £-for-£ that the Helinox they are based on are so much better as to need spending +5 times the price.
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If anybody is looking for a cheap Helinox-a-like chair, Aldi are selling their £17.99 version again from next Thursday. I got one last year, and get on well with it.
Bought one yesterday. Haven't done a proper side by side comparison, but it's a bit more tight to put together, and my impression is that the poles are slightly thicker. The logo being on the side rather than the top is confusing - I initially assembled it sideways.
Does the job, and can't argue for the price. :thumbsup:
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a prescient worry that the elastic snapback cords will fray and snap over time.
I'd consider the elastic on tent poles to be a wear item. Should be possible to replace it, surely?
At £18, I can't imagine £-for-£ that the Helinox they are based on are so much better as to need spending +5 times the price.
Indeed. The Helinox was worth it when it was the only one of that design. Now it's a bit like Schmidt vs Shimano dynamo hubs: Yes, there's a difference in quality, but when you can buy three of one for the cost of the other...
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I did have a cheapie with vertical logo collapse under me in that there France, due to one of the legs buckling. Damned inconvenient I can tell you. Mind you my pie to person ratio is a bit higher than Kim's.
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a prescient worry that the elastic snapback cords will fray and snap over time.
I'd consider the elastic on tent poles to be a wear item. Should be possible to replace it, surely?
Almost certainly.
I also imagine weight weenies would purposefully snip it to save another 50 grams, which would also make their storage more compact (and possibly make their own chair cover out of a lighter material than the pseudo duck cotton they come with). It is something that I pondered over the weekend and thought "lets save that for if/when they need replacing".
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IIRC RichForrest has one with de-elasticated legs, so that they may be removed and the chair rocks on the central strut, for use within tent.
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When the Helinock-offs a-rocking, don't come a-knocking
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I did have a cheapie with vertical logo collapse under me in that there France, due to one of the legs buckling. Damned inconvenient I can tell you. Mind you my pie to person ratio is a bit higher than Kim's.
I was recalling that incident with some amusement... ;)
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I did have a cheapie with vertical logo collapse under me in that there France, due to one of the legs buckling. Damned inconvenient I can tell you. Mind you my pie to person ratio is a bit higher than Kim's.
I was recalling that incident with some amusement... ;)
Which reminds me...
I think I'm going to have to attempt Sewing.
This seems to have been moderately successful. I've fashioned a new seat out of medium-density cotton duck (tradeoff of tensile strength for ease of sewing and lower frayability), attached it to the frame and not yet given myself a horrible injury by bouncing and squirming around on it.
[...]
Will see how it goes.
Reader, it went. No serious injuries, either to me or (more importantly) the newish cycling shorts I was wearing at the time.
Upping the game with 600 denier PU-coated nylon...
This was, predictably, a git to persuade my machine to sew, and I gave up and did the corners by hand. It survived a field test (without a wriggly Nye) at Kingsbury a couple of weeks ago. We'll see...
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Its a bit late but I was in Aldi UK today they have a chir very similar to mine at £17.99 that weighs 890 grm
https://www.aldi.co.uk/ultra-light-camping-chair/p/083364293370302?msclkid=e4eb1fcc2c2a10ee712743229eb99191&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping%20%7C%20Specialbuys&utm_term=4574861726465623&utm_content=Shopping%20-%20Specialbuys