Author Topic: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs  (Read 23646 times)

Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« on: 04 July, 2012, 08:35:28 pm »
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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Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #3 on: 04 July, 2012, 09:21:13 pm »
Should have added, we have Vango folding stools like those.
Was looking for something with back support.

Kim

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Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #4 on: 04 July, 2012, 09:27:38 pm »
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)

Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #5 on: 04 July, 2012, 09:28:39 pm »
Look at Gordy's trip report of his Irish tour where he took a plastic stool with him.

Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #6 on: 04 July, 2012, 10:08:31 pm »
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 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.

gordon taylor

Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #7 on: 04 July, 2012, 10:29:22 pm »
Look at Gordy's trip report of his Irish tour where he took a plastic stool with him.

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Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #8 on: 05 July, 2012, 08:02:06 am »
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.

clarion

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Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #9 on: 05 July, 2012, 08:52:04 am »
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, 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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Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #10 on: 05 July, 2012, 05:02:10 pm »
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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Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #11 on: 05 July, 2012, 09:16:26 pm »
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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Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #12 on: 12 July, 2012, 09:32:04 pm »
Poundland sell a three-legged canvas stool.  It takes my weight and beats sitting on the ground when cooking.
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Kim

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Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #13 on: 12 July, 2012, 09:42:54 pm »
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.

Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #14 on: 12 July, 2012, 09:58:04 pm »
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...

Kim

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Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #15 on: 12 July, 2012, 10:01:17 pm »
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.

Wowbagger

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Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #16 on: 12 July, 2012, 10:03:03 pm »
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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Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #17 on: 14 July, 2012, 09:33:56 am »
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

jogler

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Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #18 on: 14 July, 2012, 11:06:57 pm »
^^^^^
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:

Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #19 on: 15 July, 2012, 09:53:10 am »



 :thumbsup:

Superb! I love the colour coordination, and the fact that it almost disappears against the pannier as a result.
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Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #20 on: 19 February, 2014, 09:41:33 pm »
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

Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #21 on: 02 May, 2014, 12:06:31 am »
Competition for the Helinox: the Alite Mayfly chair.
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

Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #22 on: 02 May, 2014, 08:44:43 pm »
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

Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #23 on: 02 May, 2014, 08:56:14 pm »
Competition for the Helinox: the Alite Mayfly chair.
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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Marco Stefano

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Re: Lightweight camping chairs/seats recs
« Reply #24 on: 25 May, 2014, 01:04:58 pm »
Helinox chairs (black only) available from Millets for £68 until 27th May.