Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Lightweight stool recommendation

Check out the Alite Monarch chair. It is a two-legged chair that weighs less than 20 oz. Once you get the hang of balancing the chair is extremely comfortable. Sierra Trading Post has them for $49.95

And no, I didn't know of REI's anti stance.

I have that one to but I love the four legged a lot more

I've heard the camp time stool is good.

Thanks for the link. I'm emailing it to my non-Campfire friends.

So what did you decide to go with?

The Stansport Camp Stool is 16 Oz. and can be had online for a bit over $20.00 shipped.

http://www.stansport.com/index.php/g-613-s.html

I have a similar stool, but it's not aluminum and weighs 2 Lb. The only problem is that the legs will sink in soft ground and the end caps will come off when you pull the stool out. I drilled a hole through each leg and cap and used a wire tie wrap to secure the end caps.

For $20 more than rei you could get the helinox chair from mystery ranch

http://www.mysteryranch.com/hunting/hunting-pack-accessories/helinox-tactical-chair

+1 on the Alite Monarch. I like it so much it is my most used chair at home as well.

I've heard nothing but good things about the Helinox.

They call it a tactical chair. Man, talk about an overworked name.

That's just the Mystery Ranch version. Apparently, if you add a couple pockets and some loop for patches, anything can be "tacticool". But it also seems to be less expensive through MR.

There is a huge difference between the MR branded Helinox and the REI one. The MR does weigh 14% more (4 oz) but can handle 40% more weight for the extra ounces. The colors are also more subdued. I've got two and don't worry when my larger friends borrow it. I've heard of the REI branded ones with legs bent.

The thing that kills little chairs in the outdoors for me though is how much the legs sink into the ground. Usually, at least one leg finds soft ground and the thing is then not level. PITA. Snow? Fuhgedaboudit. The Monarch Alite w/ only 2 legs would suck proportionately.

The Alite Mayfly and Bison, on tge other hqnd,look really interesting to me because there are extra bars across the legs that go sideways (one across the the two front legs and the other across the two rear legs). This changes the pressure into the ground from points to lines and should be great in preventing sinking. You won't be able to tell the difference in the store but will otice it right aways when in the field...

The Monarch has cross bars in addition to the two fairly wide legs that give it good stability.

Some stools do need special consideration when the ground is soft to prevent rolling it at inconvenient times.

That chair looks pretty good. The potential problem that I see right off is that to fold that small, it has a lot of joints which means places to break.

Any info on that chair's durability?

No. Most of what reviews I've read focus on comfort IIRC. I've sat in one in the store only and it is indeed very comfortable. It looks kind of fragile and flimsy but when you set in it it feels sturdy and solid.
+1 on joints. I suspect it would hold up well overall, but as mentioned, invariably one leg sinks slightly then you start getting side torquing and I believe THAT'S what causes riveted joints to break or rivets to fail. I would have a tendency to try to take special care to try and keep it level and flat.

It's probably great on a concrete slab!

I sort of expect a $20 chair to only last a week or so in a backcountry camp. I'd hate to drop $100 on a chair and have the same durability.

Actually I was at REI today and looked at that chair. It doesn't have riveted joints, or joints at all for that matter. All of the pieces fit into that corner brace thing. It's a nylon or plastic piece. The tubing is small, like 3/8" or so. I believe it would be great on a hard flat surface. I believe one would have to be careful with it on softer surfaces, to maintain it without damage. I will say again, it is very comfy.

I get back in camp, or just hanging in camp I always hate sitting ON something like a typical camp stool with no back support. After a day hiking or hunting I want to sit IN something comfortable and lean back.

Never been able to do that.

Crazy Creek chairs don't quite get there. Too hard to get down on the ground then get back up again.


That's why this REI chair is so attractive to me. For the lightweight and comfort, I may take the risk of finding out if it will hold up or not.

Eat lotsa fiber. Mine'll often float.