Lely wrote:any of y'all ever tried them? I am considering a model made by REI and another by some company called Alite. These things weigh in the neighborhood of 1.5 lbs each and appear to pack down fairly small. looks like a better alternative than rocks or logs, especially for winter hikes when there is way more downtime. (I am not a night hiker).
I know some of you have never tried them, and will never try them, because you wouldn't dare consider the extra weight. and that's ok. No need to post that here. I'd rather hear just from those who have actually tried them to get some perspective. thx for any feedback be it good or bad.
I have used a Helinox One for the last 8 years on trips both at home and abroad. I'm firstly a canoeist, so the weight is then less of a problem. The chair is comfy, compact and very durable indeed. Its probably used at least once a week, plus on several longer trips and many weekend trips, maybe been out with it 500 times or more. The only sign of wear is a small hole from a spark from the fire, and one elastic is finally wearing thin. Worth the extra cost over the cheaper copies in my opinion.
On the other side, the feet do sink in soft ground, but there are various solutions to help with this. I do carry it for short overnighters on my back, but generally travel lighter then.
A friend has a Thermarest version that is in a sort of plastic pod. Similar quality but I prefer the Helinox, seems more stable and less to go wrong.