A chair not often finally ends up on a thru-hiker’s important gear checklist, however for these climbing shorter miles and spending extra time at camp, a snug place to sit down does have a sure, vital attraction. Whereas not for the ultralight crowd, Helinox makes an assortment of camp chairs and their Chair Zero is comparatively gentle and packable.
Helinox Chair Zero At a Look
MSRP: $149
Supplies: Inexperienced Anodized DAC aluminum alloy body, nylon resin hubs and Aramid ripstop material
Colours: White, gray, black
Weight: 17 oz marketed weight. My scale tipped at 18 oz, together with the cinch bag
Origin: Cloth is from Vietnam and DAC body is from South Korea
Guarantee: 5 years
Circumstances of Assessment
I obtained a white Chair Zero for assessment within the spring of 2024. Nonetheless, I’ve owned a black, however in any other case similar chair for roughly 5 years. The white model has taken a number of quick check journeys, however my older chair has been used extensively on backpacking journeys in Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Helinox Chair Zero Options
Light-weight: Helinox states that the Chair Zero weighs 17 ounces. At that weight, it’s among the many lightest chairs I may discover. It can save you slightly below an oz by leaving the included stuff sack at dwelling, however let’s be trustworthy. In case you’re fearful about saving an oz, you’re not bringing a chair. In truth, you’re in all probability not studying this text.
Packable: The body breaks down into 11 sections, however all are shock-corded collectively, making meeting and disassembly fast and simple. Each the body and the one piece material portion simply match into the included stuff sack. Packed up, the chair is near the scale of two Nalgene bottles.
Constructed for the path: As soon as assembled, the chair is rated to deal with 265 kilos. At 180 kilos, the chair nonetheless felt stable after I used it. If the load restrict is a matter, there’s a giant model that’s rated for 320 kilos. Each variations include a five-year guarantee. In case you camp in swampy or sandy areas and are fearful concerning the chair’s ft sinking, an optionally available floor sheet is on the market to distribute the load at a value of 5 ounces and $35.
How’d it do?
For starters, I’m 6’2 and weigh 180 kilos. The chair is pretty snug. I don’t mistake it for a Lazyboy recliner, and even the larger, heavier folding chairs many use on the state park campground. For me, although, it’s considerably extra snug than a sit pad, a (heavier) Loopy Creek legless chair, or your typical log or rock. I like being a bit of (8-9 inches) off the bottom, particularly on wet days.
The chair assembles and breaks down shortly. With out speeding, I can pull the chair out of its bag and have it arrange in below a minute. Breakdown and return to the stuff sack takes about the identical time.
My backpack is both an Osprey Exos 58 or an Osprey Levity 45, relying on the climate and what garments I convey. For a 2-4 day journey, I’ve not had any drawback discovering room in both for the Helinox’s 4” x 4” x 14” packed measurement.
Of the colour choices, white stands out probably the most and is engaging when new. Nonetheless, backpacking takes it out into the dust, sand and dirt. I’d not go together with the white for a similar causes I don’t have a white carpet at dwelling or a white inside in my truck, solely extra so. My black model has seen many dusty or muddy campsites over time and has held up very properly.
The optionally available groundsheet retains the Chair Zero from sinking into softer floor
By means of my travels, I’ve typically not felt the necessity to convey alongside the bottom sheet. Nonetheless, greater than as soon as I’ve used a bit of bark or a flat rock below a leg or two to maintain from sinking into mushy earth.
As a check, I attempted the chair on my freshly tilled backyard and shortly sank into the unfastened soil. In the identical spot, the bottom sheet did its job and stored me on high of the bottom. In case your journey entails swamp or seashore tenting, the optionally available floor sheet could also be well worth the added value and weight.
Helinox Chair Zero Professionals
Strong: The chair feels properly made and regular whereas getting used.
Fast meeting: If it’s on the high of the pack, I’ll pull it out and use it even for breaks or lunch on the path.
Snug: Everyone seems to be totally different, however for me, it’s a fairly snug seat that retains me off the bottom.
5 12 months guarantee: Peace of thoughts.
Helinox Chair Zero Cons
Price: $149 is pretty steep. The REI Flexlite Air Chair weighs about the identical however prices $50 much less. From what I can inform, there’s no groundsheet out there and the guarantee isn’t nearly as good on the REI mannequin. I can’t communicate to its consolation.
Weight: Whereas very gentle for a chair, it’s nonetheless an additional pound to hold all through the journey. The groundsheet, if wanted, provides one other 5 ounces. In case you’re reducing the deal with off your toothbrush, this product will not be for you.
General Worth
At $149, this isn’t an inexpensive merchandise. It does seem like high quality made and will maintain as much as years of use. The five-year guarantee offers some piece of thoughts as properly.
Would I take this on a protracted thru-hike? No. In case you’re climbing all day and camp is merely a spot to sleep till you begin strolling once more the subsequent day, the additional weight will not be remotely well worth the added consolation in camp.
In case you’re on a visit the place the day by day mileage isn’t “so far as I can stroll,” that’s a special story. Perhaps you spend extra time at camp, round a hearth, or take lengthy lunch breaks by a lake or stream. In that case this chair begins making lots of sense.
Myself, I not often discover a actually snug log to sit down on and sitting within the dust (or mud) simply isn’t that interesting. Due to that, my Helinox Zero ranks at/close to the highest of the checklist for consolation extras to think about taking.
As I become old, having that good place to chill out off the bottom on the finish of the day is changing into extra essential, virtually obligatory. I’m climbing South Dakota’s Centennial Path this fall. It’s only a bit over 100 miles via some woods, however usually prairie. May I construct a seat out of dried buffalo chips? Perhaps, however the Helinox is working its means towards the important pile.
Store the Helinox Chair Zero
Different Choices
Past the large heavy chairs designed for automotive tenting, there are some related selections.
REI Flexlite Air Chair
Nemo Moonlite Reclining Camp Chair
The Helinox Chair Zero was donated for objective of assessment.
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