- Back Row: Lacol, Helinox, Naturehike
Front row: Uquip, Triwonder, Fishing Chair
Very front row - 10l bucket
Knees suffering? Have trouble getting up off the ground? Want to sit above the dirt in the morning while drinking good coffee and taking in the ambience? Then maybe a hiking seat is for you. Alas, while all of these seats will get you above the dirt, none of them is overly comfortable, my camp coffee is rarely good, and on the last walk the ambience was mostly fog. Nevertheless a seat can be a nice thing to have. Whether it’s worth the extra carry weight, well that comes down to personal choice.
For the record, I am a 185 cm tall male weighing 95 kg with dodgy knees. I typically don’t need a seat at the end of the day when I still seem to have a lot of nervous energy. I mainly use it at breakfast time when my joints are at their stiffest. Apart from wanting the lightest possible seat, I want it high enough so I don’t have to squat down too far, I want it low enough so I can attend to the stove on the ground, I want it simple enough so I don’t have to spend much time setting it up, and I want it to be more comfortable than a rock. Is that too much to ask? Here is what I have tried recently, in chronological order, with my comments, and as usual YMMV. (NB the weights and seat heights are my measurements, weights are without stuff bags, heights without anyone in them).
Lacol Stool (weight - 390g, seat height - 425mm, seat - 340mm triangle, max load - NA)
I bought this when I used to commute from South Brisbane to the Gold Coast. Quite a few fellow train travellers used these or something similar. We’d give polite nods to each other as we sat in the corridor. I only used mine a few times - it was/is a pain to assemble because the seat is difficult to stretch over the frame. The base is also relatively small so it feels unstable which is not good on a train. As a hiking stool it doesn’t work for me because the seat is too high. It was cheap though and lighter than some. I can’t remember what I paid for mine but I see they’re on AliExpress for about $30 including shipping.
Helinox ground chair (weight - 640g, seat height - 130mm, seat - 450mm wide chair, max load - 120 kg)
The only hiking chair I own as opposed to stools. Light for a chair but it’s heavier than many stool options. It’s fiddly to set up and take down but easier than the Lacol. It is also rather wobbly, and you sit low to the ground so it feels like you could tip backwards, though it never actually has. If you like to stretch your legs out this is a great option, but that makes it better for relaxing at the end of the day rather than for making the morning brew. You also sit in this rather than on it, so sitting up or getting in and out will have you working your abs.
Naturehike Ultralite Stool (L) (weight - 355g, seat height - 250mm, seat - 250mm square, max load - 100 kg)
I had high hopes for this. It’s light, it’s simple to set up (you just open it up and it’s ready), and it’s cheap. Unfortunately the seat area is tiny, even in the large size. 25cm square is just not enough for me, and the corner posts tend to dig into parts that they shouldn’t. If you’re a more petite person it may suit.
Uquip Trinity Stool (L) (weight - 345g, seat height - 325mm, seat - 310mm triangle, max load - 150 kg)
Another simple folding stool. With its small triangular seat it’s kind of the G-string of stools, but the triangle shape does seem to work a little better than a square. Like the Naturehike it’s light and very quick to set up. The seat platform is not all that comfortable but the seat height is good. I quite liked this until someone pointed out how much the legs bowed out when I sat on it. 150 kg load rating? I very much doubt it. So notwithstanding its other good qualities, I’m reluctant to use it any more.
Tri Wonder Stool (L) (weight - 610g, seat height - 350mm, seat - 310mm square, max load - 110 kg)
I must have misread the specs because this is quite heavy for a stool. And why it’s called the Tri-wonder when it has 4 legs remains a mystery. It’s easy to set up though, the four legs telescope out, you pull the seat part taut, and it’s done. The legs are stainless steel which explains the weight. It feels robust but the legs are linked at their mid points by a rather flimsy looking mild steel tab which gives me concerns for the long term integrity. The height is good though, and the seat is 31 cm square. It’s only 6cm wider/longer/squarer than the Naturehike but that’s enough to offer significantly better comfort. I have since seen that Naturehike offers something similar with aluminium legs. It saves 100g and may be worth considering.
Aliexpress Fishing Chair (weight 410g, seat height 370mm, seat - 440 x 150mm rectangular strip, max load 200kg? Who are they kidding!)
I saw this on Aliexpress and thought, for $30 I’ll give it a go. It’s an odd design that looks like it would be better as a footstool, but it actually works quite well. There’s a knack in getting the seat fitted to the supports on assembly, but once you figure that out it’s easy peasy. The seat height is a little higher than preferred but the seat itself is quite comfortable although you do need to use your abs a little more with this one. I worry about the strength of the plastic hubs that some stools use, but this one is quite chunky. 200 kg load rating? I doubt it, but it handles my weight just fine.
And one from left field . . .
Bucket 10l with lid (weight - 580g, seat height - 260mm, seat - 260mm round, max load - NA).
Don’t laugh. Need something to stop your crackers breaking en route? Want a solid surface to prepare your lunch? Need a lot of water to extinguish your out-of-control campfire? Bring a bucket with a lid and it will do all these things plus you can sit on it in camp. The problem is whether it will fit in your pack. It won’t fit in my 60l Exos for example. It will fit in my Kelty H-frame but that means taking a much heavier pack. And no, I haven’t actually taken this on a bushwalk, but I have thought about it.
- All the chairs folded and in their bags
