Big Agnes Skyline UL Review

The standout feature of the Skyline UL are its curved legs and interlocking, hubless, pole frame. It allows the chair to be tall, stable, and compact all at the same time. This review examines Big Agnes's latest version of the Skyline UL. And, our testers feel it offers the same great features, function, and quality as previous models.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

With its deep seat and nice height off the ground, this chair easily captures a high score for this category. This is the chair our testers are most likely to grab when heading out for a couple of nights in the backcountry or even just for a day at the crag.

One of the major features of comfort is height. Getting in and out of chairs that are on or close to the ground can be a pain, especially for those with hip and knee issues. Additionally, when the knees are level with the hips, as opposed to higher than them, it's easier to be comfortable for a longer period of time. While the Skyline isn't the tallest chair we tested, it's much higher than competitors in the same price range.

Seat depth and width also contribute significantly to this chair's comfort. While many others are shallow and cause the sitter to slide down precariously, the Skyline is deep enough to truly relax. However, we did notice a slight curve to the lower back, which knocks the comfort rating down from a perfect score, but overall, this model keeps the user's back fairly straight. Our taller testers also felt the seat was a little shallow, which caused undo pressure on the upper hamstrings. However, most users will enjoy its comfortable, cradle-like support.

The backrest of this chair is a bit lower than ideal, coming in just under the shoulder blades of our 5'8" tester. As is a theme among these small backpacking chairs. Some taller or wider users may find the back too low for fully relaxing. That said, while the seat is small, the sides curve gently around the legs and back, offering a more forgiving fit for larger folks, and curved poles under the leg rest offer additional width.

Size and Weight

The Skyline, at 29 ounces, lands about in the middle of our testing group; lighter than all but a couple of the tent-style chairs and on par with the suite of taco-style chairs we tested.

While this chair in its stuff sack makes a longer bundle than most backpacking chairs at 17 inches long, it also comes in nice and narrow at only 3.5 inches wide, making it a good fit for the side pockets on most packs. We found it to be one of the easier ones to load, surpassed only by the ultralight options we tested.

How does a chair this tall and wide offer such a small packed size? It's the hubless pole design. Bulky plastic hubs take up a lot of space on a chair. By removing this bulk, Big Agnes has been able to reduce the packed size of its compact chairs.

Stability

While we don't recommend dropping yourself carelessly into the Skyline UL, it brings noticeably more stability than any other model we tested under 30 ounces.

When sitting and moving around in the Skyline, our testers have been able to reach for things off to the side, lean down to cook on the ground, and even tilt back on two legs with caution. This shows how supremely functional this chair is — for more than just sitting still.

The overall shape of the Skyline is similar to many in this review, but the rear legs have a unique curve at the bottom, broadening the base. The poles also curve outwards under the seat of the chair, offering additional width for both added comfort and stability. A wide center pole also adds to the stable feel of sitting in this chair. We also love the reinforced pockets that lock in the frame. They're tough and super reliable which helps the Skyline achieve an impressive 275 pound weight limit.

Ease of Use

We knock a few points off the score in this metric because, while excellent in regards to stability and reduced pack size, the hubless poles take a little extra care to assemble.

We aren't talking rocket science here, but threading the notched poles through the holes requires lining up the notches correctly, meaning you need to actually look at what you're doing. I know, a ton of work, right? We are nitpicking here because we want you to have all the info, but overall, the Skyline is almost as quick and easy to set up as the other models that scored higher — once you get the hand of it.

Packing the Skyline back into its bag is straightforward. The long zippered opening makes it easier to get the chair put away than an end-opening stuff sack. We find it easiest to fold the fabric in half, wrap it around the poles, and insert the bulkier end into the bottom of the bag first. Because it's a narrow bag, it can be a little tight getting the zipper up if the rigid pole pockets on the fabric are taking up more space at the top end of the stuff sack. On the negative side, connecting fabric to metal is not this chair's strong suit. We feel it takes a fair amount of strength to lock the frame into the corner pockets of the chair. Its stubbornness makes for a more sturdy chair, but some of our testers thought it was a bit of a pain.

The 10-inch butt-to-ground height is noticeable when getting in and out of the Skyline. While it isn't the tallest chair we tried, it sits a full 2 inches higher than many other models. We feel that the blend of height and weight hits a sweet spot for a backpacking chair that doesn't require a deep squat to get in and out of.

Should You Buy the Big Agnes Skyline UL?

Backpackers who seek a comfortable chair that sits noticeably higher off of the ground will like the Skyline UL. However, they will need to forgive its larger packed size as well as its additional ounces. It's a great addition to any backpacking trip, where additional comfort is desired, but we don't feel it's ideal for extensive, long-haul trips through the backcountry, unless you're will to forfeit another pleasure to make weight. This chair is right in the middle of the price range of backpacking chairs we tested. We like the Skyline because we find its combination of comfort, weight, and stability unmatched for such a reasonable price. If you're looking to make an investment in a quality piece of gear that you'll find countless uses for, this is an excellent choice and holds high value.

What Other Backpacking Chair Should You Consider?

The largest, most comfortable chair in our line up is the Big Agnes Big Six. Unfortunately, at 51 ounces, it will also impact your pack weight. If you're looking for a lighter-weight chair, check out the Helinox Chair Zero or the REI Co-op Flexlite Air, two of the lightest chairs in the whole group.