 This Product
Helinox Chair One | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Pack and Carry |  Best Overall Camping Chair | Most Comfy Lounger | Best Seat Support |  Best on a Tight Budget |
| Price | $99.95 at Dick's Sporting Goods Compare at 2 sellers | $80 List $79.99 at Amazon | $100 List $99.95 at REI | $58 List $50.00 at Amazon | $29.98 at Dick's Sporting Goods Compare at 3 sellers |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | While this ultralight camping chair design doesn't provide all the bells and whistles of a full-sized chair, however, it does supply a comfortable backpacking design that's easy to use | Although heavy, this robust model will provide years of high-comfort seating for campgrounds, soccer fields, and more | This lightweight design also provides the comfort of a lounger thanks to a larger backrest, wider seat, and removable pillow | A great combination of features and characteristics at a competitive price | Easy to set up and comfortable for taller and larger folks, while helping you save money |
| Rating Categories | Helinox Chair One | ALPS Mountaineering... | REI Co-op Flexlite... | Kijaro Dual Lock Fo... | GCI Outdoor Comfort... |
| Comfort (40%) | |||||
| Portability (25%) | |||||
| Quality (20%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Helinox Chair One | ALPS Mountaineering... | REI Co-op Flexlite... | Kijaro Dual Lock Fo... | GCI Outdoor Comfort... |
| Weight | 2 lbs | 14.1 lbs | 3.5 lbs | 9.8 lbs | 8.3 lbs |
| Weight Capacity | 320 lbs | 800 lbs | 300 lbs | 300 lbs | 300 lbs |
| Folded Dimensions (length x width x height) | 14.0" x 5.0" x 4.5" | 39.0" x 8.0" x 8.0" | 20.0" x 7.0" x 6.0" | 45.0" x 7.0" x 7.0" | 45.0" x 7.0" x 5.0" |
| Unfolded Dimensions (depth x width x height) | 20.0" x 20.0" x 26.0" | 24.0" x 37.0" x 38.0" | 27.0" x 25.0" x 37.0" | 25.0" x 35.0" x 37.0" | 25.0" x 35.0" x 37.0" |
| Seat Height (middle) | 14.0" | 15.0" | 10.5" | 15.0" | 15.0" |
| Features | Breathable (perforated) polyester seat material | 2 cup holders, 2 side pockets, storage pocket behind headrest, adjustable armrests | Vents, 2 mesh pockets, removable head rest , DWR finish | 2 cup holders, side pocket, carrying strap | Beverage holder, small sleeve pocket |
The Helinox Chair One is the perfect option for those campers looking to save on storage space and weight while providing adequate comfort and a high weight limit at 320 pounds. 600D polyester fabric, breathable mesh, and anodized aluminum alloy help this compact chair save on weight without sacrificing durable. performance. The chair weighs a mere two pounds and doesn't require much more space than a 32 ounce water bottle, so if you're looking for a super packable option, look no further than the Chair One.
While the designers at Helinox included as much comfort as possible within the lightweight design of the Chair One, this chair is not our first choice when seeking the ultimate performance when it comes to overall comfort. The ergonomic design is low to the ground and the low backrest hit most of our testers near their shoulder blades. The design includes mesh into the fabric for additional comfort due to increased breathability, but the stripped down construction does not supply any padding.
While the Chair One does offer adequate comfort and a high weight limit at 320 pounds, our testers found it difficult to fit larger bodies into the compact frame. The larger the tester, the more difficult it was to fit into the 20 inch seat. We also wouldn't recommend chilling out in this chair for longer than 30 minutes at a time as the seat promotes slouching and requires a reset. All that being said, for those limited on space and just looking for a chair to keep them off the ground in the backcountry, side country, or campsite, the Chair One offers adequate comfort without adding a ton of weight and bulk to the ultralight construction.
The Chair One is the most portable and packable camping chairs that we've tested. This compact and simple design weighs a modest 2 pounds, yet is strong enough to support humans up to 320 pounds. The chair measures only 14 x 5 x 4.5 inches when packaged inside the included carrying case that features a zippered closure in addition to handles on each side and a daisy chain for storage or attaching to another piece of gear like a backpack, raft, etc.
While this chair is built for maximum portability, the carrying case doesn't provide a shoulder strap for transport. If this is an important feature to you, our testers have had luck in the past with simply creating our own shoulder strap out of webbing or cordalette that we had around the house. Otherwise, the chair is so light that you can simply place it under your arm while you approach your destination, depending on the overall length of the approach. The Chair One packs down to a size that is a little larger than a one liter water bottle, making it easy to throw into a backpack whether you're hiking to an alpine lake or headed even further into the backcountry, this is the lightest and most packable option that we tested.
Even though the Chair One is lightweight and compact, Helinox still included high-performing and blue-sign certified 600D polyester to offer quality without adding weight to the design. In addition to the durable, recycled polyester fabric, the design features an anodized aluminum alloy frame with nylon resin hubs for additional strength. So while this is a tiny chair, it has technology built into the design that supplies a substantial strength to weight ratio. The weight limit on this little guy is 320 pounds.
The Chair One also features durable attachment points for the lightweight frame in addition to rubberized feet for better stability and traction. Just be aware that these rubberized feet can be difficult to use in soft surfaces like sand or loose dirt, so we recommend buying some tennis shoes for each foot, slicing a small hole in the tennis ball, and this will prevent you from sinking in these specific zones. Setting up on granite slabs? Simply remove the tennis balls and store inside your travel rig. Overall, our testing team was impressed by the high quality design of this ultralight camping chair and experienced no issues with durability during our testing period.
The Chair One is setup and ready to use in one minute or less. Simply unzip the carrying case, remove the chair, setup the shock-corded poles into their appropriate position before attaching the fabric of the chair into place. There are no accessories included. No cupholders, slots for books, padded armrests, literally no bells and whistles due to the compact design that's meant to prioritize function and durability within a lightweight package.
While the Chair One features a simple design with an easy setup, our testers found it necessary to put a little strength and muscle into the final setup. The first three attachment points go together rather quickly, while the final attachment point is a little difficult to get into place, for this reason our testers docked the score a bit for this metric. That being said, most people are going to be familiar with the Chair One design that's intuitive and easy to setup beyond that little bit of muscle required.
If you're interested in a lightweight and packable camping chair that is built for portability but sacrifices some creature comforts along the way, the Helinox Chair One is a solid consideration. The compact chair weighs only 2 pounds, yet supplies a weight limit up to 320 pounds thanks to durable 600D polyester and an anodized aluminum alloy frame. The design is pretty stripped so it doesn't include creature comforts like padding, armrests, or cupholders, however, if you're limited on space, this chair compact and lightweight camping chair offers performance that can't be beat.
If you like the ultralight performance offered by the Helinox Chair One but are after a little more structure and support, check out other packable options like the Helinox Sunset Chair and the REI Co-op Flexlite Camp Dreamer. Both chairs feature a shock-corded frame that's easy to assemble while both designs offer a higher backrest for additional support. If portability isn't as important and you want a chair that offers a huge weight limit, more square footage, along with a ton of accessories, check out our very favorite, the ALPS Mountaineering King Kong. And finally, if you want to lounge in comfort with your sweetheart, check out the Kelty Low Loveseat that is our favorite when it comes to two person seating.
