Backpacking camp chair?

[liketohike]

For those who have used a camp chair on backpacking trips- is it worth the extra weight and expense? Favorite brand?

[VGplay]

I have an Alite Mayfly, an older model that is relatively heavy but I won't hike without it. The luxury of sitting with my butt suspended off the ground has very much become worth the weight to me. For many years I hiked with a chair kit on my Thermarest. It was a cushioned place to sit but you ultimately were still sitting on the ground.

Alite went out of business a couple years ago but I really like the design of my chair. It has flat bars that touch the ground vs. poles that could sink in. Also due to this design it is still stable if you enjoy rocking it back on the rear support like I do. It is low to the ground, my legs lay out not down, but I've found that makes it comfy while tending to the stove and talking with unfortunate others who are without a chair and sitting on the ground.

Looking now it appears the hammock company Grand Trunk bought Alite's designs and is now making them. Neat! Here is the Mayfly, hopefully the quality is the same as my old one: https://www.grandtrunk.com/collections/ ... 6306665575

[paul]

I've never carried one of these on a backpack, however I have used them when my campmates were not using theirs. They are definitely better than sitting on a log or the ground, however I'm not sure adding weight to the pack is worth it. I guess if the hiking distance between camps is low and not difficult then maybe.

Would like to know other people's opinions on the subject.

[orin]

I feel conflicted. I don't use one but as I get older the hardest part of backpacking has become taking a break sitting on the ground and then having to get up again. The idea of a camp chair looks better and better but the weight looks worse and worse. A lot of chairs look flimsy. Since I am a big person I worry about squashing them if I sat down too hard at the end of a tiring day. The legless kits that convert a sleeping pad into a chair are more comfortable than the ground but they don't ease the deep knee bend problem for me.

[Ipasha Jen]

I have the REI flex light. I paid full price for it ($99) and a week later it went on sale for 50%off. So I got a second chair for my daughter for free:)
The legs probably aren’t as stable the other models mentioned, especially on the rocky sloped lakefront but I do love it for the back support. I have no problem with stability on the solid ground of the food prep area.

[teapot57]

I have a helinox chair zero (I think)? Weighs about a pound. Honestly, I have skipped bringing it the last few trips in favor of saving weight, and I have not missed it. I cut down a 14 section foam pad and bring either the 6 or 8 panel section with me to use as a door mat for my tent, as an insulating layer under my foam pad when it’s cold, or to sit on in the food prep or at the beach. It also comes in handy to use for stretching.

Not ready to sell the chair yet because I will use it on shorter trips when my pack is light, but the foam mat has been meeting my needs for a modest weight penalty.

[Jay w]

For me, I think it depends on the weight of your pack vs your strength. I hit 40 lbs, and my ability to carry more weight quickly degrades into a bitch fest. I can do it, but I really don't like it. When I was quite a bit younger, I'd haul 10 lbs in photo gear in addition to my camping stuff, but that ship has sailed. So if it's a short trip and the pack is 37 lbs, a 1 lb chair would be great.

Jay

[mattB]

I have a hard time sitting on the ground and getting up, and logs and rocks are never the right shape or height, so I like having a camp chair.
I first got an Alite Mayfly, but it was a little too low to the ground for me, so I got a NEMO Moonlite chair, its more comfortable for me, but it is heavier.
Considering all the stuff I usually carry and don't use or wear, the extra weight of the chair is worth it, I can offset it by not bring junk I don't use!