Backpacking chair for the obese?

So I'm going backpacking with our young men in mid July. We did this a couple years ago and I want a comfortable place to sit down after I catch all the fish (again) to tell them about it. We are only hiking like 3ish miles to base camp. I added that I'm obese to the title because those cute "backpacking" chairs won't hold me and when everyone is laughing I want it to be because of the awesome stories I'm telling and not because I bent the paperclip chair and fell on my backside. I also don't want to carry a regular camp chair.

Is carrying a hammock the best option I have? There are plenty of trees so hanging one won't be an issue.

I love my Helinox Savanah chair. It will hold a 320 lb man and still be comfortable. It is light enough I would definetly take it on a short backpacking trip.

$220 for a camp chair? I'm in the wrong business.

I'm pretty sure Costco has that chair (slightly smaller) without the blue anodizing 2 for $89
I'm pretty sure I saw a big boy version there in person last Saturday.


Also there's this bariatric version

I have a couple of the knockoff Helinox chairs, bought because I didn't want to pony up for actual Helinox.

They suck. Nobody wants to use them. They're not very comfortable. But they were 1/4 the price.

I now own 2 Helinox chairs, because they're that much better.

If you can test-sit a Costco version, maybe it's OK. Plus the return policy will ensure it's OK.

@nnnnnate if you want to use one of my Marchway chairs you're welcome to it. 😁

For $220 I wouldn't trust myself in that chair dave. I am not easy on anything. That one is different than the helinox chairs I'd seen a few years ago and it looks more comfortable, but I'd still taco that thing quick.

The bariatric version of Gravys chair is 11+ lbs.

I'm pretty sure one guy is bringing his hammock chair. Its 11 pounds.

Gravy said:

$220 for a camp chair? I'm in the wrong business.

I'm pretty sure Costco has that chair (slightly smaller) without the blue anodizing 2 for $89

https://www.costco.com/cascade-mountain-tech-ultralight-highback-chair%2c-2-pack.product.100743175.html

I'm pretty sure I saw a big boy version there in person last Saturday.


Also there's this bariatric version

https://www.costco.com/mac-sports-double-camping-chair.product.4000247624.html

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Different strokes for different folks. Buy once, cry once for innovation and quality.

nnnnnate said:

For $220 I wouldn't trust myself in that chair dave. I am not easy on anything. That one is different than the helinox chairs I'd seen a few years ago and it looks more comfortable, but I'd still taco that thing quick.

The bariatric version of Gravys chair is 11+ lbs.

I'm pretty sure one guy is bringing his hammock chair. Its 11 pounds.

https://www.costco.com/rio-swinging-hammock-chair.product.4000079781.html

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It is a super comfortable chair! I have several Rec Outlet versions and a few Klymit versions of the smaller chairs and the quiality and durability are not the same as the Helinox chairs. Like @I Lean said, there is a very substantial and noticable difference in comfort and quality.

Rec Outlet sometimes has the smaller Helinox branded chairs for sale. You might check there and try one out.

I would personally never consider carrying the weight of a chair backpacking. If I were forced to carry one it would be a Helinox.

- DAA

I am cheap and I am not hard on things. I have two of the Tusk versions, the medium and the large. Both have survived my 220lb butt in them for several years. They mostly go on ADV moto camping trips and are adequately comfortable for my use.

moab_cj5 said:

Different strokes for different folks. Buy once, cry once for innovation and quality.

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I'm all for buy once cry once.
but innovation this chair is not. Collapsable camp chairs have been around for decades. I've sat in the Helinox : it's an "overpriced slightly better built."
The fact that there are a dozen similar chairs at a fraction of that price illustrates this fact.

I also have the tusk version and I definitely left it outside for an entire year and it still is fine.

DAA said:

I would personally never consider carrying the weight of a chair backpacking.

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You're a mans man though Dave. I'd be disappointed if you showed up to a campsite 5 miles in with a chair.

I'm not going to buy one of these helinox/tusk type chairs. I don't trust them for me and I'm pretty happy with my regular camp chair assortment.

I found some stuff on rigging up a cheap hammock to work like a chair so I'm going to try that.

Also, you guys are all lightweights compared to me. I'm not allowed to ride in lifted Jeeps, cause I'm like the fat chick, I'll make it scrape.

DAA said:

I would personally never consider carrying the weight of a chair backpacking. If I were forced to carry one it would be a Helinox.

- DAA

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Ahh, come on now. My one real "indulgence" when backpacking is a Monarch chair by Alite (not in business any more, but now offered by Grand Trunk). I've carried that thing hundreds of miles, including on my long Philmont trek and have never begrudged its pound on my back when I get to lean back and recline. I guess we all have our little creature comforts. My son, who is, of course, much younger and tougher than me, carries a can of Coke for each day on the trail. That's a fair amount of extra weight on a week-long outing.

My indulgence for backpacking is whiskey and cigars. Sometimes a steak and small titanium grill.

- DAA

The guy I said that will probably carry a real chair surprised me with 2 cans of dr pepper a couple years ago when we got to our camp spot. It wasn't even the worst thing he packed up there. His pack was like 80 lbs and included a 5 lb bag of cinnamon bears. He did carry a lot of stuff for his 9 year old that tagged along.

The worst geared up person went to the other leader. Who needed knee replacements ten years ago (he got his first last month and the next will come in July). He brought so much crap that wasn't useful at all. Including a liter bottle of olive oil because he needed a couple tablespoons to cook fish one night. It would have been fine, but he could barely walk because of the bad knees so the useless weight was extra bad.

The indulgence for me was my exped megamat.

DAA said:

My indulgence for backpacking is whiskey and cigars. Sometimes a steak and small titanium grill.

- DAA

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No smoking here, but the whiskey would definitely be appreciated, particularly on an outing with a bunch of teenage boys trying to drive one crazy. Of course, that particular indulgence is not Scout-appropriate.

I would like to hear more about how you keep steak fresh and what little grill you have. Steak IS Scout-approved!

Gravy said:

I'm all for buy once cry once.
but innovation this chair is not. Collapsable camp chairs have been around for decades. I've sat in the Helinox : it's an "overpriced slightly better built."
The fact that there are a dozen similar chairs at a fraction of that price illustrates this fact.

I also have the tusk version and I definitely left it outside for an entire year and it still is fine.

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Since you are all knowing, I won't argue, but Helinox was (by their words) the first to develop said style of chairs:

"Inventing a new Category​

With the introduction of the original Chair One back in 2012, we’re proud to say we created the category of lightweight, portable furniture. And that’s what we continue to make today: products that stem from a knowledge of materials, next-generation construction and advanced manufacturing. Every design reflects durability, packability, lightness and a modern aesthetic."

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Good thing we each get to choose how we spend our money. Life would be boring if we were all the same.

I hope your hammock idea works out Nate! If you need a hammock to experiment with, I have one I will give you. I have been given a few of the parachute type over the years at work events and can easily part with one for you to play with.

DesertRam said:

No smoking here, but the whiskey would definitely be appreciated, particularly on an outing with a bunch of teenage boys trying to drive one crazy. Of course, that particular indulgence is not Scout-appropriate.

I would like to hear more about how you keep steak fresh and what little grill you have. Steak IS Scout-approved!

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I got kicked out of Scouts for getting caught smoking on outings one time too many. True story... The last Scout backpacking trip I went on, with my Son, about a dozen years ago, I just wandered off by myself to smoke and drink in the evenings and nobody raised an eyebrow. And we, my Son and I, completely kicked everyone's ass to the moon on fishing that trip .

My grill. I bought it a long, long time ago from "a guy" that was making them. It was the only place I knew of to get one at the time. He's long since disappeared. But I just googled titanium backpacking grill and see there are dozens of choices now and all a lot cheaper than mine was way back when . But it's really just a grill grate. Big enough for one steak or two small fish. Have to build a fire and setup rocks to use it. But it's super light. Like, 3 oz. light.

For the steak, it's a first night deal. I make sure it's frozen when I start and just put it in my pack in a ziplock. By the end of the first day it's good and thawed and ready for the grill. I'm planning to use it again in about five weeks to cook a couple steaks on the first night of a fishing/backpack trip with my Daughter.

- DAA

I made a small grill out of stainless filler rod to bridge the gap on my two burner stove to set a can of beans on it without falling over.

"2012, we’re proud to say we created the category of lightweight, portable furniture."




(All definitely invented by Heliox in 2012 😉)


A better mousetrap at best....
We all justify spending our money in some ways or we wouldn't congregate here 😂
Also... I'm a hypocrite (like the rest of us) at best. 😉

But strength to weight ratio is a thing. Especially for backpacking.

- DAA

^^^^ Says the guy who carries a carbon fiber and machined billet aluminum bear cannister, instead of a much cheaper downsized water jug with a big lid.

- DAA