camping chair hunt

[RickH]

It seems that Amazon are selling Helinox copies too

Strictly speaking, a German company calling itself Douself (which seems to be a trading name of a company called Tomorrowtop GmbH, based in Hamburg) is selling them via Amazon UK along with a whole host of other completely unrelated stuff.

Rick.

[MrsHJ]

Saw quite a lot of helinox chairs in France. Mostly used by the Dutch. I had major chair envy. I'm definitely too old to sit on the ground, compounded by an old ankle injury giving way on a set of castle steps giving me a nasty set of bruises that made it even more difficult to get to ground level ( and out of a tent!).

Will definitely buy a helinox chair for another cycle camping trip. I'd get the ones with the slightly longer legs rather than the ground level one. We chucked our old one man single skin tent away at the end of the trip as it's had it so a new even lighter weight tent will partly compensate for the weight cost of the chair.

[bigjim]

I read somewhere that we in the west have lost the ability to squat. but it can be relearned. People in third world countries spend ours squatting to cook, chat, just hang out etc. Our untrained, stiff western bodies have lost their suppleness and flexibility. It's supposed to be natural and good for balance, digestion, inner cleansing and so on. Just a thought.

[andrew_s]

we in the west have lost the ability to squat. but it can be relearned.

Yes, but redeveloping the flexibility will take months if not more, whilst buying a chair takes a few days.

[bigjim]

we in the west have lost the ability to squat. but it can be relearned.

Yes, but redeveloping the flexibility will take months if not more, whilst buying a chair takes a few days.

I can't argue with that. But squatting can be life changing. Not sure about the chair

[Weimarunner]

Really nice build quality stainless steel stool - http://www.cycletourstore.co.uk/product ... tool-seat/

[mercalia]

talking of stools and a bit of lateral thinking, these are the ones referred to in an earlier post - ones I am considering taking with my trailer , some mini steps bought from Maplins cost about £13 made of alloy box section less than 1 kg. very strong as meant to take your whole weight standing. Opened up they are really a stool, I use it alot at home when I need to get to the ground as I can rest my weight on that first, rather than do my knees in

maplin steps unfolded really a stool

maplin steps folded

[bikepacker]

Really nice build quality stainless steel stool - http://www.cycletourstore.co.uk/product ... tool-seat/

These are mainly sold under the Coleman Exponent name. http://www.coleman.eu/UK/p-23311-exponent-stool.aspx They were about £15.

[al_yrpal]

Bought a couple of these chairs and they seem very well made, doing what it says on the tin http://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Adjust ... GV9CEYYEPZ

After a few days at a folk festival where lots of people planted themselves in those heavy conventional folding chairs we saw a couple of people with Helinox chairs and watched them set up and pack them up. Obviously it takes a lot longer than a simple unfold, a couple of minutes does it But the chairs are particlarly light and small and ideal IMO for cycle touring at less than a kilo. A conventional chair would be more comfortable but these chairs look well made are quite comfortable and an ideal compromise between weight and comfort.

Al

[andrew_s]

Anyone using Helinox chairs or similar would be well advised to take a set of castor cups or castor coasters to stop the legs sinking into the ground, which may also lead to the loss of one or more of the feet when you pull the leg out.
Try them on soft-ish grass beforehand so you can check they are up to the job.
Update: I actually got some rubber ferrules, sized to fit over the top of the regular feet.

Helinox Chair review topic, also with reference to Alite chairs

[andrew_s]

By way of keeping up to date, the available options for sitting off the ground seem to be as follows.
I've set a weight limit of not much over 1 kg, not listed generic copies, and excluded anything that depends on something else (such as a tree)

Helinox Chair One, as up thread, 960 g, 145 kg weight limit
Helinox Chair Zero, similar, a bit lower, 510g, 120 kg weight limit

Helinox Ground Ground Chair, 640g, 120 kg limit


Alite Mantis, 825g, 120 kg

Alite Monarch rocker, 590g 120 kg

Alite Mayfly, 173g, 120 kg

(complete with 4th July offers)

Thermarest Uno Chair 990g, 113 kg limit, £59 at present

Also doubles as a table


Thermarest Treo Chair 1040g 113 kg limit


The Robens range

Geographic (tripod): 260g 120 kg, 23 cm high x 28 cm across
Geographic High (tripod): 340g 120 kg, 32 cm high x 33 cm across
Hiker: 999g, 120 kg
Pathfinder: 990g, 120kg, 46 cm pack length

[Graham]

Helinox Chair Zero, similar, a bit lower, 510g, 120 kg weight limit

I have gone a bit mad and splashed the cash on one of the above.

Having looked at a few of the Utube comparative reviews I decided that the H.Groundchair & A.Mayfly were too low.
I did not like the idea of my legs being low down in the insect jungle territory - Insects like to bite, sting and suck(!) me.

The added bonus being that the H.Chair Zero is lightest of them all at 500g approx.

I can carry this about in a Pendle or Junior saddlebag although its fold-up length is too long for the nominal saddlebag width. It fits without difficulty.

Build quality looks very good.
Comfort is very acceptable, although probably not as good as the bigger versions e.g. Chair One ( based on the comfort of the Aldi Chair One clone. )

So far, so good . .. .no regrets.

[Cunobelin]

Recumbent tike... seat comes included

[Eton Rifle]

I have three Helinox chairs, the most recent purchase being a Chair Zero, specifically for cycle touring. Really grateful for it on a recent tour in France. It is small and light, takes up very little room in a pannier, yet the seat is far enough from the ground to make it practical. So comfortable that I fell asleep in it one evening...

[andrew_s]

Having looked at a few of the Utube comparative reviews I decided that the H.Groundchair & A.Mayfly were too low.
I did not like the idea of my legs being low down in the insect jungle territory - Insects like to bite, sting and suck(!) me.

The advantage of the Ground Chair or Mayfly is that they are low enough to be usable inside the tent, and won't punch holes in the groundsheet if you do. Handy if it's raining.