Helinox Chair One Compared to the Competition Helinox Chair Zero - Still . The seat fabric is stiff, leading to several pressure points over time. helinox While the bum-pocket is shaped well for back support, it doesn't offer much depth to hold you in place, and our testers felt like they might slide forward. Our lightest and most packable chair, Chair Zero delivers outstanding comfort, strength, and support for just 17 ounces. At just over a pound, it still offered all of the benefits and features of a comfortable chair, including an off-the-ground seat, a suspended seat that cradled your back and hips, a supportive backrest, and enough height so that your feet settled on the ground well below your hips. The Ground Chair, as you would expect, packs down smaller and lighter. That said, when you consider the low weight and comparatively high level of comfort and stability, we think the price is justified, especially for backpackers needing to count every ounce. The chair frame is constructed from DAC aluminum alloy, and can hold up to 265 pounds. The latter was introduced to one-up the other with its negligible weight and portability. Reinforced corners offer added peace of mind where the poles are held, and the molded plastic hubs impart confidence. However, for those of you wondering who the heck would bring a chair backpacking in the first place, we think this is the product that might change your mind. It has a lot of short tube segments, and the legs are especially challenging to fold up and pack away. We were happy to take the miniscule Chair Zero along on pretty much any outing from backpacking, to cragging, to day hikes because you never know when you might find yourself hanging around long enough to set it up and chill in comfort. GearLab is reader-supported. of the beholder. On the other hand, the latter offers more portability and ease of set-up, making it ideal for backpackers and beginners. 1 oz, the latter is a lot lighter. Without adding a significant amount of ounces, we can't find a chair we would recommend more highly than this one. Although Chair Zero is a bit tighter around the hips, both take the same amount of time to break down. The Helinox Ground Chair is a tent-style chair that sits super low to the ground making it great for leaning back and extending your legs forward. Our only comment about sit pads like these is that because they are so light, if you get up to grab something on a windy day, they'll blow off of whatever surface you had them on. Hubs and joining components are custom-designed in-house and molded from high-strength, fibre-reinforced Nylon 66. Backpackers should rejoice in the level of comfort Helinox has been able to offer. I am 64 and quite thin (42ish chest) and the Helinox was incredibly uncomfortable even when leaning back. The material on the Zero has been changed; it utilizes a different and lighter chair fabric, has a different sewing construction, and has a slightly different seat fabric style. Provided there is enough angle at the seat to force you body back, the fabric can do a good job. Everyones butt is unique. This method puts the rigid pole receivers away from the bulky hubs when rolling it all together. The trade-off is some comfort - the seat lacks the mesh ventilation panels of Chair One and some people find it a little tight around the hips. The angle of repose is adjustable with a sliding buckle, and we found the models that allow you to cinch by pulling down rather than up to be the easiest to use. . And while Chair One is not as lightweight as its newer alternative, it is still considered pretty light among other backpacking chairs. But, the choice can be different based on different tastes and choices. So, the setup process of these two models is quite easy and effortless. We rate each seat on its comfort throughout 30 minutes of lounging, its size and how much it weighs, its overall stability when getting in and out, and its ease of use. From there, we purchased the most promising models and tested them for several weeks, updating the review frequently to reflect new products. However, there is an opportunity for improvement, weight savings, and innovation. In terms of out-of-case performance, it stacks up well for its price point. The REI Co-op Trail Stool is a lightweight in-between option at 17 ounces it doesn't have a backrest, but it does have legs that keep you off of the ground. The chairs we tested from Big Agnes have color-coded poles and pole pockets for a quick visual cue during assembly. In addition, the back is fairly high for such a small chair, coming up above the bottom of the shoulder blades for average-sized users. There's only one version! We also found that the space-saving hubless pole design takes slightly more time to assemble than the hubbed pole models, but only by around 10 seconds, so we're splitting hairs here. Coming back to Chair Zero, the fixed pole and thinner material allow easier set-up. The REI Trail Stool can barely be more effortless. Comfortable leg stretching (on Air its painful for me because of tight front edge). Here's the short answer- weight! Our Customer Service team is available 9am - 4pm (PST) Monday - Friday at (877) 267-2882. The back angle can usually adjust with fabric. Stretching legs out straight in the flexlite is painful (bottom fabric gets too taught). When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. This chair is still a decent amount heavier than the lightest model in the category, so for those that are ultra-conscious about going ultralight, 29 ounces may still be too heavy. This chair is larger and heavier than chair one. Though there are more similarities between chair one and zero, some differences are also noticeable. The wide, scooped seat offers plenty of support and space for your rear, unlike some of the small tripod stools that have the unfortunate appearance of being swallowed up. The Helinox Chair One is comparatively larger than the Chair Zero. Its weight is just below two pounds. It isn't too hard to tip over backward if you choose to lean on the two rear legs, but the side to side stability is excellent, and it even maintains its upright position when you lean forward to tend your camp stove on the ground in front of you. Well, comfort is in the eyes (seat?) It is tall and skinny and also fits easily into an exterior side pocket of a backpack. The Chair Zero is not your tailgating, beer holding, pull-your-legs-up-inside with-you chair but is a small, ultralight, backpacking model, so its comfort is in line with its intended use. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. Privacy | Cookies | Terms. Chair Zero High-Back . Also, the big, gnarly plastic hubs of the Ground are on the ground, providing absolute stability, whereas the tiny diameter of the Zeros feet are on the ground, and if the ground is soft they start to sink in, not at the same rate either and so starts to tip over. Any shock-cord that gets damaged can be replaced.Reach out with any questions about our Warranty. You help support OutdoorGearLab's product testing and reviews by purchasing from our retail partners. Don't worry: it's just as durable and easy to maintain as other Helinox models. Capable of supporting 265 pounds, it's a lightweight luxury item that will greatly enhance your comfort in camp and on the trail. The Crazy Creek Hex 2.0 PowerLounger is a quick and easy chair to set up for a mid-day break and is far more comfortable than sitting on these rocks. But, all in all, both products are comfortable, with a low profile design. A simple example is the inflatable mattress or inflatable chair. We found these models are stable from side to side, but if you put your weight too far back, you're liable to take a tumble. We got a lot of feedback on the chairs in this review, and one thing quickly became clear: if a chair is stable, our testers didn't even think about it. The purpose of this article is to review the Helinox Chair Zeroto the REI Flexlite Air Chairand see if there are any meaningful differences. Increases weight to 1.5lbs from 17oz. Sometimes, in small chairs, you can find yourself with the awkward problem of where to place your arms. The sign of a great product is one you can use easily and effortlessly, and chairs are no different. Chair One XL; Caf Chair; Swivel Chair; Incline Festival Chair; Tactical Chair One; Home Edition; . It just requires a quick twist and your body weight on the chair to set it up. The storage sack of Chair Zero sports a glow-in-the-dark tab to make it easier to locate at night. However, this isn't really a chair, per se you are still basically sitting on the ground. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. 2) The rear facing legs have a pin in them which forces you to pull apart the joint from the center shaft to get them go inline. However, taller and wider folks may find the narrow back allowing the top corners to fold in too far and jab into the armpits or shoulders. And always make sure your chair is completely dry before packing away for storage. Just make sure fabric is completely dry before packing away for storage. Both are easy enough to sit in and get out of, and both are low enough to the ground that an emergency or unplanned exit can be easily achieved by just rolling out of the darned thing. Backpacking Light helps hikers and other backcountry enthusiasts overcome their barriers to living a life outside in Wild Places. It's not a chair but a conversion kit that turns an inflatable sleeping pad into a backpacking chair. Sometimes the simplest answer is the best. Helinox Chair Zero Vs One- Outdoor Attempt, Hydro Flask 40 Oz Vs 32 Oz - Outdoor Attempt, Soto Amicus Vs Windmaster- Worthy [Outdoor Attempt], Fjallraven Kajka Vs Osprey Aether Comparison Latest. The deep bucket seat allows you to recline in comfort and the side pockets are great for small items. Because they keep their form, it is much easier to plop down and feel supported. Support reviewer Ben Applebaum-Bauch is also an avid backpacker. The Nemo Chipper is as straightforward as it gets -- just unfold and sit. Estes Park, Colorado, and my backyard trails are in the Rockies of Southeast Wyoming and Northern Colorado. It does a great job at keeping your butt dry on damp surfaces. Let us know! Our frames are made from DACs proprietary aluminum alloy. But which one's best? Spending time under the open sky always appealed to me, even as a kid. Measurements are helpful but seeing each chair in its stuff sack side by side puts the differences in measurement in perspective. The Nemo Moonlite has adjustable side recliner straps which facilitate a variety of seat angles for different occasions. Dougis putting together a more comprehensive camp chair review that will be published in the coming months stay tuned! Over the years, we have taken out close to 30 chairs and sat on everything from rocky cliff bases to desert sand to city parks. Others may be very affordable, but does their performance lag? Biomechanically, these are the key ingredients to relieving strain from the musculoskeletal system in a way that promotes, rather than hinders, restful recovery after hiking all day. Sometimes cutting down the weight can decrease durability, but it can also decrease stability. For this metric, we evaluated the myriad ways chairs can be more or less comfortable and used these characteristics to rate each product against each other. the world's most carefully tested and objective gear reviews, An excellent combination of comfort, weight, and stability for your next backcountry excursion, A featherweight, versatile, and durable foam seat even ultralighters won't leave at home, A bargain basement backpacking chair with a wide seat and comfortable recline angle, Slits for breathability, small hubbed pole design. Compared to the Helinox Chair Zero (above), the One is heavier (it is a full pound heavier) and takes up more space, however if you want a comfortable chair to sit in and can handle the additional weight, this is the one to go for. For people looking for a taller and wider profile, we also offer a range of High-Back and Extra-Roomychairs. Helinox Chair One: The Verdict While the Helinox Chair One is certainly pricey, it's worth it. When packed, the Chair One feels huge compared to the Chair Zero, and that's saying something because the Chair One already packs small (I have taken the Chair One backpacking). Helinox has dummy-proofed the setup of this model almost. They can get an option to select the best color. Simply snap the groundsheet to your Helinox chair's feet to create a platform that keeps you from sinking into soft ground or sand. Yes. This feature requires an active Backpacking Light Membership. And to help narrow down your search and . Another factor is their capacity; Helinox Chair One has a capacity of 320 lb compared to Ground Chair's 265 lb. Still the best hybrid mirrorless camera in 2023! It takes a fair amount of engineering time and practice to effectively design these kinds of structures. Because of that, the Chair Zero is best suited for folks under 6 feet. Founder and publisher of backpackinglight.com since November 2000. No ads. 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