What makes up the best ultralight backpacking chair? If the best backpacking chair simply means the most comfortable regardless of weight, there are a lot of options. However, if you are looking for an ultralight backpacking chair, that’s a whole different ballgame and is exactly why I set out to do this review. Ultralight backpacking chairs are a conflict in that you want comfort and stability, but with an ultralight backpacking chair you typically start to lose a little of both.
What Makes the Best Ultralight Backpacking Chair?
There are a number of factors to consider when selecting the best ultralight backpacking chair for your specific needs. Weight, stability, seat size, height, and recline angle are all things we noted while testing these 10 best ultralight backpacking chairs. Which is most important to you will guide which one you select. For this project, we went out and picked up every model we could find in the 1- 2 lb class as one pound was about as light as we could find out there. After testing each of these 1-2 lb backpacking chairs, we came away with the following primary factors that we took note of in making a selection:
- Weight
- Stability
- Seat Size
- Height
- Recline Angle
- Leg design
- Flexibility
Each of these played a large roll in the overall comfort and usability of the chairs. As a general rule, the lighter weight 1 lb chairs tended to not be as comfortable and flexed a lot more than some of the heavier 2 lb chairs. The leg design played a huge roll in their stability as we generally found the chairs with a side to side supported leg design to be overall more stable than a front to back supported leg design.
Another massive aspect to the comfort of the chairs was the recline angle. Some recline WAY back, which wasn’t our favorite, and some sit up more, which we all found to be more pleasant and comfortable. One even has an adjustment to change the angle of the back of the seat (the Nemo Moonlight) which is super cool.
Check out our huge lineup of backpacking gear reviews! We have a TON of ultralight backpacking tent reviews, several backpacking hot tent reviews, a bunch of ultralight sleeping bag reviews, many ultralight sleeping pad reviews, and even ultralight backpacking pillow reviews!
The Specs: Best Ultralight Backpacking Chairs
Here is the rundown of specs for all of the ultralight backpacking chairs we tested in this review:
| Backpacking Chair Specs | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chair | Weight | Comfort Rating (1-10) | Stability Rating (1-10 |
| Big Agnes Skyline UL Chair | 27oz | ||
| Big Agnes Skyline UL Stool | 18oz | ||
| Big Agnes Micha Basin Chair | 35oz | ||
| REI Flex Light Air | 16oz | ||
| REI Flex | 27oz | ||
| Nemo Moonlight | 30oz | ||
| Klymit Ridgeline Short | 30oz | ||
| Helinox Chair Zero | 16oz | ||
| Alps Axis | 24oz | ||
| Leki TimeOut Chair | 30.3oz |
Best LIGHTWEIGHT Backpacking Chairs
Alight, let’s dive into the details of the 10 backpacking chairs we tested. For this review we focused on the things we felt were super important in a backpacking chair: weight, comfort, and stability. There’s always some give and take, so let’s see if we can find the best of all worlds!
Check Out These Backpacking Chairs In Our Video Review!
Klymit Ridgeline Short
The Klymit Ridgeline Short is the first ultralight backpacking chair we are looking at. It is a durable chair that is still reasonably lightweight at 30 oz. The robust 900D polyester mesh gives it a super durable feel, and it offers a max weight of 265 lbs, slightly more than others in its price class. Certainly not the lightest we tested, but also one of the least expensive.
WHAT WE LIKED
The Klymit Ridgeline Short is budget friendly for a backpacking chair, is very stable and made of durable material that feels like it’ll last a long time. Some of the others don’t offer this durable feeling. Setup is fast and easy, and it is quite comfortable, with the exception noted below in the next section.
- Durability
- Easy setup
- Great price point
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
The Klymit Ridgeline Short wasn’t the most comfortable according to our panel, primarily due to reclining back a little too far for our liking. It felt a bit more like a napping chair than one you’d sit around the fire with. Now, if you are looking for a chair that leans a ways back, this one would certainly be one to consider. However, for most of us, it leaned back a bit too far for our comfort. The packed size is a bit larger than some of the others in this review, but still not bad at all.
- Leans back too far
- On the heavier side
- Larger packed size
Alps Mountaineering Axis Chair
Next up in our search for the best ultralight backpacking chair is the Alps Mountaineering Axis chair. The Alps Axis chair is budget friendly at just $59, lightweight at just 24 oz, features a durable 420D polyester honeycomb ripstop material, has an average max weight of 250 lbs, and is the lowest to the ground of all the chairs we tested, which has its pros and cons. It’s less tipsy, but harder to get out of. The Alps Axis chair is the only backpacking chair in this group where all of the legs weren’t attached. One section is separate and requires additional assembly. It’s not bad, but it does take an extra step to set up.
WHAT WE LIKED
The price point of the Alps Mountaineering Axis backpacking chair is attractive, and the low seat height makes it super comfortable if you are wanting to stretch your legs out and lean back. It’s not as comfortable though if you want to sit forward or have your knees up. It seems well-built, and the low seat height lends to its stability.
- Durability
- Comfortable
- Stable
- Great price point
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
The same thing that gives this backpacking chair stability makes it less comfortable to sit in. That low seat height makes it much more difficult to get in and out of and limits you to only a reclined, legs extended position to be comfortable. If that’s the position you prefer when lounging, you’ll like this chair. However, if you want to have the ability to be comfortable both sitting up and reclining, this isn’t the best option. The Alps Axis chair is one of the largest chairs we tested when collapsed. Most of the others pack up smaller, taking up less space in your pack.
- Low to the ground
- Harder to set up
- Larger packed size
REI Flexlite Backpacking Chair Review
Next in our search for the best ultralight backpacking chair is the REI Flexlite chair. I was interested to try the REI Flexlite chair as I’d heard good things about it (the Flexlite Air we’ll cover later). Coming in at 27 ounces, it’s on the heavier side of the group we tested, but the ripstop polyester also feels more durable. The seat height sits at 11 inches off the ground and the max weight it can hold is 250 lbs. The REI Flexlite chair is one of the more durable ultralight backpacking chairs that we tested, but we also felt like it reclined too far for our comfort as you felt like you might fall back.
WHAT WE LIKED
The REI Flexlite lightweight backpacking chair is made of super durable ripstop polyester. It felt like the most robust material of the chairs we tested. The price point is great on this chair at $69, and it folds up pretty small at 4.5 in x 15 in, so it doesn’t take up excessive room in your pack. It’s very stable laterally as well, which his nice.
- Durability
- Lateral stability
- Great price point
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
As we noted above, the front to back design of the support system of the legs that the REI Flexlite backpacking chair features seem to make this chair more susceptible to tipping forward or backward, but makes the side to side stability very good. This wasn’t ideal for sitting up to put your boots on as it tended to want to tip forward while doing this.
Another thing we didn’t care for about this chair was how far it reclined. It leaned back the most of any chair we tested, and all of us that used it didn’t like that aspect. It was comfortable, but only if you really want to recline and even when doing so, there wasn’t any support for your head.
- Reclined back too far
- Tipsy front to back
- On the heavier side at 27 oz
Big Agnes Skyline UL Lightweight Backpacking Chair
Next in our search for the best ultralight backpacking chair is the Big Agnes Skyline UL Chair which was one of our favorites of the chairs that approached the 2 lb mark. The horizontal support bar of the leg design seemed to provide better front to back stability, but it was also very stable side to side. At 27 oz it’s on the heavier end of the 1-2 lb range that we tested, but it was a great mix of comfort, stability, weight, and compactness. The Robic Nylon Polyester seems like it’ll hold up well and it was one of the more comfortable chairs we tested.
WHAT WE LIKED
The Big Agnes Skyline UL lightweight backpacking chair gives you a lot of lateral and front to back stability while still maintaining a moderately low weight and small pack size. It’s easy to set up, very comfortable, and doesn’t recline too far back, but allows you to recline if you prefer to do so. It’s a great balance. The chair feels solid when you sit in it. It also supports a robust 275 lbs, more than others in its weight class. If you are pushing the typical weight limit of 250 lbs of most backpacking chairs, this is a great option.
- Durability
- Very stability
- Very comfortable
- Doesn’t recline too far
- Compact
- High weight limit
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
The Big Agnes Skyline UL Chair didn’t have a lot of things we didn’t like about it. A mesh material in the seat might make it even more comfortable, and I wish it wasn’t quite as heavy as it is, but that’s typically the tradeoff with these things. The lighter they get, the less comfortable and less stable they tend to be.
The price point on this chair is up there, so you have to be ready to pony up some extra cash for the Big Agnes Skyline UL Chair.
- On the heavier side at 27 oz
- Higher price point
Leki Timeout Ultralight Backpacking Chair Review
Next in our search for the best ultralight backpacking chair is the Leki Timeout Backpacking Chair. This is a unique chair that I happened across in my search, and it looked interesting. It boasts the highest max weight rating at 320 lbs, which is super impressive for a chair that weighs in at 30.3 oz. While it’s certainly on the heavier side of the chairs we tested, it sits higher off the ground which makes it easy to get in and out of.
WHAT WE LIKED
The Leki Timeout lightweight backpacking chair sets up easy, packs down to a nice small size, and is surprisingly stable for as high off the ground that it is. You could tell when sitting in it that it is more robust than others, and the 320 lb weight rating was apparent. The Leki Timeout didn’t recline too far, and was one comfortable chair overall. Great lateral and horizontal stability. It even comes with a nice little cup holder that hangs off the side. This chair was one of the surprises in this review!
- Durability
- Extreme stability
- Extremely comfortable
- Doesn’t recline too far
- Compact
- Highest max weight limit
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
The Leki Timeout lightweight backpacking chair is an all-around fantastic backpacking chair. There are only a few things that left us wanting, and one of those was the narrow seat. Even though it was very comfortable, the seat was the narrowest of the chairs we tested. While this didn’t cause an issue for us, we noticed we could feel where the legs meet up with the fabric on the front corners of the seat. It wasn’t bad, but noticeable.
The other less than ideal part of the Leki Timeout backpacking chair was the weight. At 30.3 ounces, it was one of the heavier ones we tested. While still impressive that it has a 320 lb weight limit and offers the comfort that it does for a total weight of just over 30 oz, it’s still on the heavy side.
- On the heavier side at 30.3 oz
- Narrow seat
Nemo Moonlight Ultralight Backpacking Chair Review
The next of the ultralight backpacking chairs in the “heavier” categories is the Nemo Moonlight Reclining Chair. At 30 oz, it’s on the heavier side of the chairs we tested, but it’s also the only backpacking chair that allows you to adjust how much you recline. That is a game changing feature, and one that makes the Nemo Moonlight Reclining Chair the most unique chair we tested. The mesh seat material is very unique, but very comfortable. The side to side support design of the legs and wider stance make this one of the most stable chairs we tested as well.
WHAT WE LIKED
The Nemo Moonlight Reclining Chair is one comfortable backpacking chair! It’s the only chair that we tested that offers adjustable reclining angles, adapting to whatever situation you are in. The mesh seat is unique but very comfortable, it has a max weight capacity of 300 lbs, and has excellent stability. It sits comfortably off the ground, so it’s relatively easy to get in and out of. It also packs down surprisingly small for such a large chair, and is surprisingly light weight given all the features it offers.
The Nemo Moonlight Reclining Chair was one of our favorites if you are willing to take a few extra ounces over some of the other ultralight models.
- Adjustable reclining angle
- Very durable
- Extremely stable
- Extremely comfortable
- Compact folded size
- High max weight limit
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
There wasn’t a ton not to like about the Nemo Moonlight Reclining Chair, but it is on the heavier side at 30 ounces. While that’s not too bad, especially considering all that you get, it is still nearly two pounds. You could shave almost half the weight by selecting one of the ultralight models.
The Nemo Moonlight is also the most expensive backpacking chair that we tested at $150. All those features in a lightweight package requires you to drop a little extra coin.
- On the heavier side at 30 oz
- Expensive
Big Agnes Mica Basin Lightweight Backpacking Chair Review
The last of the ultralight backpacking chairs in the “heavier” category is the Big Agnes Mica Basin Chair. At 35 oz, it’s the heaviest of the group we tested, but we also felt like it was the most comfortable overall. It is more of a “sit around the camp fire” kind of chair, but because it’s just over 2 lbs, you can easily take this thing into the backcountry for a relaxing night by the lake or eating dinner by your tent. This chair is stable and solid, supporting up to 300 lbs, and the seat is wide and deep, making it flat out comfortable to sit in.
WHAT WE LIKED
The Big Agnes Mica Basin Chair was right there as the most comfortable backpacking chair we tested. Its wider seat, taller back, and robust frame made this thing easy to love. Surprisingly, it was still relatively compact when folded up, but certainly not the smallest of the group, with a packed size of 3.5 x 17.5 inches. Not bad for a chair of this size, but a little larger than others we tested.
- Higher back
- Higher seat height
- Very stable
- Extremely comfortable
- Doesn’t recline too far
- High max weight limit
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
The Big Agnes Mica Basin Camp Chair didn’t have much we didn’t love about it, however, it is the heaviest chair we tested and is a little on the larger side when folded up, so it takes up a little extra space in your pack. It also is the most expensive chair we reviewed, right there with the Nemo Moonlight at $150. That’s certainly on the steep side for a backpacking chair, but the comfort will have you coming back to it.
- Heaviest chair we tested
- Expensive
Best ULTRALIGHT Backpacking Chairs
Alright, now we are finally to the true ultralight backpacking chairs. These are all truly incredible in how light they are, all hovering at right around 1 lb.
REI Flexlite Air Ultralight Backpacking Chair
First up in this ultralight backpacking chair category is the REI Flexlite Air. This is the lightest chair that we tested at a minuscule 16 ounces flat. As you can imagine, you give up some things to get this incredible light weight, one of which is stability. The REI Flexlite Air is the most unique feeling chair when you sit in it as it truly does flex A LOT.
The first time I sat in it, I almost wondered if it was going to hold because it sways and moves with you. Very interesting. It’s still relatively comfortable, and doesn’t recline too far either, so it’s a good option if you want the absolute lightest chair you can find, but still want a full chair. It’s certainly not the most stable chair of the group, but is still reasonably so outside of the flex. Just by moving around in the chair you watch the legs and support flex in all different directions, and it almost feels like sitting in a water bed.
WHAT WE LIKED
The REI Flexlite Air backpacking chair is crazy light, and packs down super small. Not the smallest packed size, but close. With a backpacking chair this ultralight, you expect to compromise somewhere, so having less stability was somewhat expected. It is still surprisingly comfortable though, and the seat height is high enough to make getting in and out of the chair easy enough. Amazingly, the price point on the REI Flexlite Air is pretty reasonable for a truly ultralight backpacking chair at just $100.
- Higher seat height
- Doesn’t recline too far
- Lightest chair we tested
- Good price point (relatively)
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
Like the REI Flex, the front to back support legs made this chair not the most stable of the group. Add to that the extreme flexibility of this chair, and it felt a bit questionable as to whether or not it would hold my weight of 185 lbs. I knew it would, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I questioned it in my mind. It also tied for the lowest max weight limit, but that’s not surprising being the lightest chair we tested. While the chair was reasonably comfortable, it definitely wasn’t anywhere near as comfortable as others that were heavier. Again, not surprising given the insanely low weight of this chair.
- Low max weight limit (250 lbs)
- Too much flex in frame
- Felt unstable (mostly because of the flex)
- Not the most comfortable
Big Agnes UL Stool Ultralight Backpacking Chair
Next in this truly ultralight category is the Big Agnes Skyline UL Stool. This is based off of the Big Agnes Skyline UL Chair, but shaves some weight by losing the back. To be honest, I didn’t expect much from this stool and almost left it out of the lineup, but I’m sure glad I didn’t as it was probably the biggest surprise.
The Big Agnes Skyline Stool comes in at just 18 oz and offers the smallest pack size at just 3.5 x 12 inches. It’s about the size of a Nalgene bottle. When pack space and weight are at a premium, this is our pick hands down. Now being a stool, it’s obviously in a little different class than the others, but to our surprise it was still one of the most comfortable. Its max weight is tied for the lowest at 250 lbs, but like the others in this class, you kind of expect that with an ultralight backpacking chair.
Why did we like this stool so much? Well, practically speaking, using this for taking off boots at the end of a long day, putting boots on in the morning, and even relaxing inside a hot tent like the Seek Outside Cimarron Hot Tent or the Seek Outside 8 Man Tipi Hot Tent we recently tested, the Big Agnes Skyline UL Stool just makes sense. It takes up less space in the tent, which is nice when space is at a premium anyway. It’s not as comfortable as a reclining chair when you are wanting to sit back and relax, so that’s the main downfall of this stool.
WHAT WE LIKED
The Big Agnes Skyline UL Stool was WAY more comfortable than we expected. While you obviously lose the ability to relax and recline like a chair, it is still surprisingly comfortable. It is better, however, for taking your boots on and off and takes up less space inside our Seek Outside Hot Tent, which is a bonus. It also packs down the smallest of all the chairs we tested, and the seat height is comfortable.
- Lightweight
- Easy setup
- Takes up less space
- Smallest packed size
- Very comfortable
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
The Big Agnes Skyline UL Stool isn’t as comfortable as a nice chair with a back, so that’s a bummer. At $100, it’s also on the expensive side for a stool. It would be nice if it had a higher max weight or lighter weight given that it’s heavier than the REI Flex and Helinox Chair Zero, but only a stool.
- Low max weight limit (250 lbs)
- Expensive for a stool
- Can’t recline – no back
- Heavy for a stool at 18 oz
Helinox Chair Zero Ultralight Backpacking Chair
The last chair in this ultralight backpacking chair review is the Helinox Chair Zero. This true ultralight backpacking chair comes in at just one ounce heavier than the REI Flexlight Air, but our team felt like it offered more comfort and a lot more stability. It didn’t lean back too far like some of the others, which was also a bonus.
Once again, the lateral support design of the legs seem to give it extra stability both side to side and front to back. Add to that the fact that you get an actual chair with a full back for 17 ounces is pretty amazing. It’s also impressive that it offers a max weight of 265 lbs at that crazy light weight.
The Helinox Chair Zero comes in at just 17 oz yet still offers good stability and comfort while packing down the smallest of all the ultralight backpacking chairs (other than the Big Agnes UL Stool). If you are wanting an ultralight, compact, full chair with a back while still offering comfort and stability, the Helinox Chair Zero is our pick.
WHAT WE LIKED
The Helinox Chair Zero is ultralight, super compact, comfortable, and still very stable. It’s hard to believe they packed all those things into this chair at just 17 oz, but they did. This would be hard to leave behind, especially for those long nights inside the Seek Outside Hot Tent during late season hunting trips.
- Ultra lightweight
- Easy setup
- Comfortable
- Smallest packed size of all chairs
- Stable
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
There wasn’t a lot to dislike about the Helinox Chair Zero, but some of the heavier backpacking chairs were a little more comfortable and a little more stable. Naturally, those are things you are going to give up in a true ultralight chair. It is also on the spendy side at $130, but as usual you pay extra for ultralight.
- Expensive
- Not quite as comfortable as some of the heavier chairs
Our Picks For Each category
Best Ultralight Backpacking Chair Overall
Helinox Chair Zero
When keeping the weight to a minimum is the highest priority, the Helinox Chair Zero is our choice for the best ultralight backpacking chair. The ultra lightweight aspect, combined with the stability, comfort, and small pack size make this chair a big winner.
Runner Up: Big Agnes Skyline Stool
Most Comfortable Backpacking Chair
Big Agnes Mica Basin
If comfort is the number one requirement, the Big Agnes Mica Basin takes the cake. It’s about as good as you are going to get in the backcountry, but you do pay a weight penalty at 35 oz.
Runner Up: Nemo Moonlight
Best Balance of Weight & Comfort
Big Agnes Skyline UL Chair
If you are looking for a backpacking chair that is super comfortable yet still lightweight, the Big Agnes Skyline UL Chair is our pick for the best of both worlds. At 27 oz it keeps the weight down, but is still stable, comfortable, and compact.
Runner Up: Nemo Moonlight
Most Versatile & Comfortable
Nemo Moonlight
The Nemo Moonlight is the most unique of the bunch with the ability to adjust the angle you recline. It’s also super comfortable, very stable, and surprisingly compact, especially given its features. If you are okay with a few extra ounces, this thing is a dream in the backcountry.
Runner Up: Big Agnes Skyline UL Chair
Best For Inside a Hot Tent
Big Agnes Skyline UL Stool
If you are using a chair inside a hot tent like the Seek Outside Cimarron, space is a concern and the Big Agnes Skyline UL Stool is perfect. It’s also surprisingly comfortable, the most compact of this group, and perfect for taking your boots on and off.
Runner Up: Helinox Chair Zero
Best Backpacking Chair On a Budget
REI Flexlite Camp Chair
If you need to keep the cost down, we felt like the REI Flex offered the best value of the group. It’s durable, very stable, and compact. It reclines far too much for our liking, but each of the options in the budget category had some things we didn’t care for, so it’s a matter of picking which one you can live with.
Runner Up: Klymit Ridgeline Short
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I am absolutely not interested in backpacking chairs and I am not a hunter. But your thorough, careful and insightful reviews always got me reading.
Hats off, guys!
Thanks for the feedback Arne! Really appreciate it and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
I think you should have included Trekology chair. Same weight as some of these and very comfortable. Also comes with a sand cover which stops legs from sinking into soft ground, sand etc.
Thanks for the suggestion Robert! We’ll have to get that one in there next time!
Thank you. Your assessment of these chairs helped me make the decision to buy the Nemo Moonlite chairs.
Thanks Jason! Glad it was helpful in making your decision. Thanks for reading!
Just got my new hiking chair ( https://www.tentworld.com.au/helinox-cafe-chair-black ) and I’m already in love with it!
It’s lightweight, compact, and so comfortable – the perfect companion for those long hikes and scenic breaks. No more sitting on rocks or logs for me!
Excellent! That looks like a great chair as well! Thanks for reading!