Chair One | Helinox’s Lightweight Chair

Lightweight chairs are great to have for trips and different occasions. From overlanding to local picnics, a chair like Helinox’s Chair One is a lightweight and excellent camping chair. In fact, my dad used an earlier model of the Chair One on an airfield in Iraq while waiting for an aircraft to pick him up for an in-country trip. The air crew members around him were quite interested in the chair as he set it up on the field.

“Chair One’s comfort is legendary, and with its ability to move easily from backpacking trips to music festivals to days at the beach, its versatility is unmatched.” ~ helinox.com

Chair One Overview

The Chair One is a small, lightweight chair with a frame and seat cover. What sets the Chair One apart from other camp chairs is the size and the fact that the frame and the seat cover are separate components. Because the chair consists of two parts, its length is only 13.5 inches long in the storage bag. This compact length makes the Chair One helpful in storing it in a backpack, duffel bag, or in a car trunk without occupying too much space.

The Chair One’s frame consists of aluminum alloy poles similar to camping tent poles. The connecting hubs are made from resin to withstand rugged use or a drop onto rocky soil. The seat cover is durable, and the fabric has a sturdy feel to it. Helinox also added three mesh panels to the body to help with ventilation during warm spring and summer days. As I mentioned earlier, along with the chair, Helinox also included a storage bag to store the disassembled chair. The bag has two carry handles on either end. There is also a row of PALS webbing on the bag’s bottom side. In the worst case, I can use the webbing to tie the packed chair to my pack’s exterior when backpacking.

Helinox Cair One Video Overview:

“It’s also one of the smallest and lightest Helinox chairs and sits lower to the ground than some of our other models.” ~ helinox.com

Assembling the chair is a breeze. It only takes me a minute to put the frame together and slip the cover onto it. When I took the chair on a picnic with my wife, I could even assemble the chair with one hand as we were getting ready to eat. Once completed, the chair is 25 and a half inches high, which is a decent height for me since the chair’s edge does not dig into my hamstrings. One thing to note is that the Chair One needs to be on a level and firm ground to prevent someone from falling out of it. However, the Chair One is also comfortable, and I never experienced discomfort while sitting in it. In fact, I find this chair to be more comfortable to sit in than other camping chairs.

To disassemble the Chair One, simply remove the seat cover from the frame, and fold it. Then disassemble the frame before rolling it up in the folded seat cover. After the cover and frame are rolled together, insert the two components into the storage bag. Just like assembling the chair, it only takes me a couple of minutes to get it ready to go.

Helinox Chair One Specifications courtesy of helinox.com

• Assembled Height: 25.5 in
• Assembled Width: 19.5 in
• Assembled Depth: 20 in
• Assembled Weight: 1 lb. 15 oz.
• Packed Height: 3.5 in
• Packed Width: 13.5 in
• Packed Depth: 4.5 in
• Packed Weight: 2 lbs. 2 oz.
• Capacity: 320 lb.
• Warranty: 5 years
• MSRP: $109.95

Final Thoughts

Helinox’s Chair One is a versatile chair that is a must-have for anyone interested in replacing their camp chair in upping their camp chair game. Especially in the summer when folks are gathering outside for get-togethers and cook-outs, this chair is great to have on hand. Thanks to the Chair One’s lightweight, this chair is excellent for camping and backpacking trips. For future outdoor trips, I’ll take the Chair One and enjoy it while sitting in front of the fire circle with friends and family.