Near the top of you camping gear list should sit two or three high-quality, comfortable folding chairs. A place to sit and enjoy a meal (or beer) is a key component to any overland camp site. However, far too often you will find adventurers plopped down in a cheaply made seat from the local big box store… its fabric ready to fail without warning. If that’s you, don’t be ashamed; we’ve fallen victim to the allure of a sub-ten-dollar camp chair as well, many times. What have we learned from all of those moments of weakness? Buy once, cry once. Purchase the best camping gear you can afford and it will serve you well for years to come.
As is the case with various camping gadgets and overland gear; choosing the best lightweight camp chair is a balancing act between weight, cost, and size. Here are a few chairs that we use, enjoy, or lust after.
Helinox One
Helinox makes great products, and this 1.9lb folding camp chair is one of their best. It packs down smaller than a large newspaper and supports up to 320 lbs. It’s a bit more expensive than other options, but it’s well worth the price if you’re in search of something durable, lightweight, and compact (when stowed). When deployed the chair provides a comfortable and stylish place to unwind when you’re sitting around the campfire.
GCI Outdoor Quik-E-Seat
GCI’s Quik-E-Seat is makes our list of favorites for three solid reasons. It’s affordable. It sets up in seconds. And, it’s strong enough to support 250 pounds. The six pound chair is also relatively compact, but weighs about three times as much as the Helinox mentioned above. It’s fairly small, and maybe not the most comfortable for some. However, it really shines for smaller people or for those quick lunch breaks out on the trail. We use this model, but not as much as our larger… lighter… more expensive chairs.
Alite Designs Mayfly Chair
Alite’s Mayfly is light. At 1.4 lbs it’s even more lightweight than the Helinox, and when you remove the front leg… it barely tips the scale at a scant 18.4 oz. The Mayfly is small and light enough to become your go to chair for canoe trips, backpacking, and other non-overland travel adventures.
