Therm-a-Rest Lite Seat Review

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Therm-a-Rest Lite Seat Review
Backpacking Chairs
Currently 3.2/5 Overall avg rating 3.2 of 5 based on 3 reviews. Most recent review: March 28, 2012

Street Price: Varies from $24 - $30 | Compare prices at 5 resellers

Pros: Light, compact, easy to set up

Cons: No back support, limited applications, must take care not to pop it

Best Uses: Sports games, picnics

User Rating:

(3.5 of 5) based on 2 reviews

Recommendations: 100% of reviewers (2/2) recommend this product

Manufacturer: Cascade Designs

Review by: Chris McNamara ⋅ Founder and Editor-in-Chief, OutdoorGearLab ⋅ March 24, 2012

Overview

The Lite Seat is the lightest and smallest entry in our camp chair tests. However, to call it a chair would be a bit of an exaggeration. It's more of a fancy seat cushion – ideal for making bleachers and stadium seats more tolerable. For that application this chair is great. But it is limited in its other uses. For a few more dollars, you can get the Crazy Creek Original, which gives you proper back support.

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Photos

OutdoorGearLab Editors' Hands-on Review

Likes
This is by far the lightest and most compact chair in our review. It weighs almost nothing and compacts into the size of a soda can. It it easily fits in a purse or small backpack and leaves room to spare, which few other chairs we tested can claim. It is one of those items that because it weighs nothing you end up taking it everywhere.

Dislikes
This chair is not that versatile. It really just excels at at cushioning hard benches and chairs. There is no back support so you can't kick back at the beach or recline around the campfire. Unlike a Crazy Creek, you can't unfold it and lie down on it or share it with another person. It also needs to be taken care of. Like all inflatable pads, you need to carefully look at the ground you're putting it on always be aware of sharp objects. In windy conditions, it easily blows away.

— Chris McNamara

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OutdoorGearLab Member Reviews

Most recent review: March 28, 2012

Summary of All Ratings

OutdoorGearLab Editors' Rating:	1 2 3 4 5	(3.0)
Average Customer Rating:	1 2 3 4 5	(3.5)
100% of 2 reviewers recommend it

Rating Distribution

3 Total Ratings

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Sort 2 member reviews by: Most Recent | Most Helpful

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Mar 28, 2012 - 12:50pm

Tfish · Climber · La Crescenta, CA

I have the REI version of this pad but it's basically the same thing just a little cheaper. (http://www.rei.com/product/746401/rei-lite-core-sit-pad)

My best use for it is insulating me from cold picnic tables at camp sites. It makes cooking during the morning or late at night much nicer.

I also let my dog sleep on it sometimes on cold nights camping.

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this product to a friend.

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Mar 28, 2012 - 10:43am

OlympicMtnBoy · Climber · Seattle

I've had the earlier version of this for many years (pretty much the same except not as light). I agree with other review that this chair is not as comfy as those with back support but I disagree with that it's not as versatile. I take this on a lot of backpacking trips where I would normally consider a camp chair a luxury because it's so small and light AND because I can then take an extra short sleeping pad and use this sit pad to extend it to near normal length. The weight gain is almost zero to have one of these and a short pad instead of a full length pad. I know you can do the same with other camp chairs to sleep on them, but this has just been the most convenient option for me and makes sitting around in a remote backcountry camp just a bit nicer.

In many years of abusing this I've managed to poke one hole in it, easily fixed with some seamgrip (always carry a tiny tube when using inflatable mattresses). The newer lighter version may or may not be as durable.

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this product to a friend.

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Therm-a-Rest Lite Seat Camp Chair

Credit: Cascade Designs

Where's the Best Price?

Seller	Price
Backcountry	$23.96 - 20% off!
Amazon	$23.96 - 20% off!
MooseJaw	$23.96 - 20% off!
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