Should I buy a Helinox Zero or just sit on a log? We have used the Big Agnes Cyclone Chair (at approx 170 grams) for years. It uses a sleeping mat to make a comfy chair with a supporting back-rest that you can sit in your tent with (in front of a warm fire in our case) without poking holes in your tent floor. It is/was an ultralight version of Thermarest’s Trekker Chair.
I have tried to ‘improve on it as in the posts Nano Chair 1 and Nano Chair 2 & etc where I manage to get the weight down to 50 grams or so. Pictured the Nano Chair 2. (Della finds either quite acceptable – and appreciates the weight saving on longer trips).
About the lightest I can find for this type of chair (which often require a degree in space science/engineering to assemble/disassemble) is around 490 grams (and US$199 – May 2024) – which is rather a lot compared with just doubling your inflatable sleeping mat as a seat (at no weight cost at all)!
And clearly those three very pointy legs would poke holes in your tent floor, meaning that they can only be used outside where you might rather more easily just sit on your mat and lean back against a log or tree!
They are also rather expensive. Various folk have tried to ‘Mod’ them to cut down on weight – principally by substituting carbon fibre for their ubiquitous aluminium skeletons ignoring the fact that whilst aluminium bends and buckles carbon fibre suddenly and catastrophically snaps, usually producing very sharp ends and shards which just might be very uncomfortable if suddenly forced up your colon!
I noticed that Rei have an aluminium stool version which reduces the weight by about a third (330 grams) – US$41.97 May 2024).
Then I started looking to see if anyone had a titanium chair or stool. I straightaway found a Keith Titanium one (at 247 grams – A$120 – May 2024)) on Aliexpress which is also rather pricey – but titanium is strong. The flat legs would also help protect the tent floor.
Naturally I then started looking for a cheaper stool. Lots of folks have aluminium ones including this Naturehike one at 270 grams – A$11.59 (May 2024). This one folds into a small package for carrying too.
The advantage of the above two stools is that neither has the sharp legs which would make them impossible to use in your tent. Mind you your tent would have to be nearly a foot taller (than usual – which mine are) before you could use them inside at all!
Then I found one with a back which weighs 400 grams (correction 350 bare on my scales) – 100 grams less than the Helinox and only costs around A$19.95! It may be too small for me, but we will see.
Some trialing of the Naturehike stool and the version (of it) above with the back will be necessary. I have splurged nearly $30 to find out. Watch this space!
Della says the Naturehike stools (260 grams bare) are comfortable enough (for people her size). I have trouble now getting down (and up) that low myself. They are quite small (but very cheap and compact). I think the concept is quite god though such that if you can find one which is slightly larger dimensions it might well suit you.
It folds up very small:
The <$20 chair (which turns out to weigh 350 grams (bare) is a little small even for Della at 5’0″ – but would suit a (smaller) child. It is well-made though and comes with a bag. However I can (just) sit on it and don’t find it (particularly uncomfortable) so maybe you should give it a try?
Update: The more the family have sat on the stool and the chair the more acceptable they have become. They are not at all too small or uncomfortable strangely enough though they look like pixie furniture. Either/both would suit well especially for day use such as picnics, fishing etc as they clearly fit in a daypack). You should buy a couple and try them out. Get back to me with your experiences.
