Wasted $45 on a 'lightweight' camping chair that barely held me up

Bought one of those backpacking chairs from a random brand online last spring. It was supposed to be under two pounds and pack down small, but the first time I sat in it at a campsite near Lake Tahoe, the legs buckled sideways. I'm not even a big guy, maybe 180 pounds, and it just gave out after ten minutes. Anyone else fall for those ultralight chair claims that just don't hold up on actual gravel?

2 comments

2 Comments

william91722d ago

And honestly the level ground thing is key. I had the same problem with mine at first until I started really paying attention to where I set it up. Even a tiny rock under one leg or a slight slope can mess everything up with those ultralight frames. I also throw a small flat rock or a piece of bark under any leg that feels loose just to keep the pressure even. Made a huge difference for me.

angela_coleman22d ago

Gotta disagree with you here, honestly. I picked up a similar ultralight chair (like a Helinox clone from a no-name brand) and it’s held up fine for two summers now, even on sharp gravel at Joshua Tree. I’m around 200 pounds and it’s still going strong, no wobbling or buckling. The trick for me was making sure the feet are planted level before I sit down, because on uneven ground, anything lightweight will tip if you’re not careful. Maybe yours had a manufacturing defect or something, because I’ve had the opposite experience with these chairs.