Helinox Chair Review

[Indian Summer]

I love having a chair with a backrest at the end of the day. Whether I'm running mountains with a pack on or sitting on a motorcycle for 10 hours it's nice to be able to take a load off your back muscles when you're done.

Like with hunting I'm always looking for something thing compact and lightweight for the motorcycle. I also want it to last. When I first looked at the Big Agnes Helinox chair I was worried about the small pivot point where all of the frame tubes come together in the plastic clips. But the max weight spec was certainly high enough at 320 pounds! Love the low weight at 2 lbs 2 ounces and the folded size at only 14 inches by 4 by 5. I got some good feedback from guys I know who used them and so I bought one from Backcountry. They beat everyone including eBay for price. I got the tactical camp chair model.

Like everything including small tents I immediately tore the box open and set it up in the living room. It was all I hoped for and more. I bounced back on the rest a few times. The poles flax so it doesn't put nearly the torque on those plastic frame clips as I had imagined. Very comfortable and the height is perfect. One of the main purposes for it is long hours looking through a spotting scope. I like my scope as low to the ground as comfortably possible for less wobble and wind buffeting. It's not too low, but not overly high either. I haven't set the tripod and scope up in front of it yet but I already know it's perfect. Also.... it fits in the hard saddlebag of my bike which is really nice for short weekend trips.

The most common price is around $96 which is why I did my homework. They sell chairs in Wal Mart for 9 bucks right! Backcountry had them at $76 which is the best I've seen which is also why I jumped on one. Different colors are different prices and I see the grey I got is now $82 which is still not bad.

Anyway 2 thumbs up on that piece of gear from me for anyone considering a chair this season. The only downside I have found is that now I have to buy another one for the wife!

[Brendan]

Funny, I just bought one of the ground chairs and one of the lite cots from Helinox using left over Christmas giftcards and my REI dividend. I've used the cot in the back of my truck and slept like a baby, but not the chair yet. It is shorter but also a little lighter than the one you picked up.

Pair those up with my Sawtooth and titanium wood stove - I figure that will make a pretty comfortable spike camp setup at under 12 pounds...

[Kessler10]

do you guys think the weight and room it would take up to pack a chair like this 5 or 6 miles back is worth the weight and space? I have thought about this, glad you added this thread. I have one of those tiny tripod chairs but they do not have a back rest to them. that was the first thing I thought of to bring back with me if I was going to bring a chair/somethig to sit on.

figured i would see how much I miss a chair like this on my summer scouting trip. Figure the only time I would use it would be back at my tent. Only time I will be back at my tent would be at night. Figured if I was done with everything around camp and had time to sit I proably would be to tired to hold myself up to sit anyway.

But would be nice to have something to sit on in the morning when getting ready, and at night when having a bite to eat. But if it doe snot have a rest for your back, do you think having those tiny tripod seats is a waste?

[Brendan]

Depends. If you get bad weather and spend a bunch of time in the tent, it could be worth it's weight in gold. But if you're the type who's going to move every night and bivy out as opposed to setting up a spike camp, it probably isn't worth it. The other thing to remember is if you do get an Elk 5-6 miles in, how many loads will it take you to get the elk out, and your camp out? You don't want to bring so much that you're adding an extra 10-12 mile round trip....

Personally, I'd leave the tripod chair and bring a small foam sitting pad if you didn't want to do a full chair. Good for sitting and glassing or resting during the day and weighs 2 oz:

http://www.amazon.com/Therm-A-Rest-0667 ... B006Y7VOVM

( Caveat, I'm a 3rd year elk hunter and this advice is worth what you paid for it )

[Indian Summer]

I have one of those tripod chairs. Mine is a Double Bull for sitting in a ground blind. That chair is about as uncomfortable as it gets. I wouldn't bother packing any chair that doesn't have a back rest.

The Helinox is so light and folds down so small that packing it isn't that big of a deal. So if you want a chair I'd say it's the one to get.

[jmez]

Worth it? Without question. I'f rather forget my bow than the chair.

[husky390]

They're well worth it and I don't see the extra weight of it being a penalty. Just a word of caution, they do not work well with soft ground, the legs will sink.

[dotman]

The only negative I have with this chair is the feet caps get lost really fast as they will sink into the ground, I have upgraded to the ball feet. This chair is well worth the price.

[husky390]

The only negative I have with this chair is the feet caps get lost really fast as they will sink into the ground, I have upgraded to the ball feet. This chair is well worth the price.

Wait, there's an upgrade for the feet?

[dotman]

The only negative I have with this chair is the feet caps get lost really fast as they will sink into the ground, I have upgraded to the ball feet. This chair is well worth the price.

Wait, there's an upgrade for the feet?

Yup but you have to have the original feet on it and it adds about 9oz to the weight. http://www.campsaver.com/helinox-ball-f ... oCyOvw_wcB

Since I had lost all my original feet I contacted BA since they are the US distributor and they sent me replacement original feet at no charge. Even with the added weight it is worth it.

[husky390]

Nice, I'm going to have to order some.

[Indian Summer]

Really liking the chair so today I ordered another one. I see the prices have gone up a bit everywhere. So once again I just went to Backcountry and hit the chat button and said hey... sell me another one at the old price. Boom done. I've been liking that site. Free 2 day shipping too.

[poisonarrow]

I am trying something different this year. I bought a hammock. It weighs less than 7 oz. You can set in a hammock like a chair . I am going to use it to set in in camp. It might be like my little stove I just wrote about.

[Indian Summer]

A hammock is ok for lounging and possibly sleeping if it's warm out. They are terrible if it's cold out because of the air circulation underneath you.

The main purpose for my chair is sitting at night with a load off of my back and long hours behind a spotting scope.

[husky390]

Cabela's has the Helinox on sale now.

[blackwolf]

I tested out my Helinox chair in the back yard today. It sinks too easily in soft ground. Tennis balls on all legs solved problem.

[CurlyTail]

I got the Ground Chair. Tried it out on a Scouting trip last weekend. I think that I will be able to shoot my bow from this chair with a little practice, as I sometimes like to sit a trail or saddle and wait for the Elk to cross.