I attempted to prevent my Helinox from sinking into the sand by placing rocks under its legs. Unfortunately, the rocks gave way, resulting in a comical cartoon like scene where I fell, spilled my coffee and my stove burned a hole in the seat. So far with my Big Agnes I have spilled zero coffee. Big Agnes is for me too.
Another nice thing about that Big Ag, at least on snow trips, is that since the ground points are much farther apart, you can set it up easily on most snowshoes and have them be a platform for the chair.
I’ve added (usually called air flow) hollow practice golf balls to the legs of my Helinox. Stops it from sinking into the ground. Adds very little weight, is easy to clean, remove and replace if needed.
I've got the Big Agnes chair and I love it. The fact there is no plastic pivot joints is some smart engineering.It's so comfortable, I use it at kids sporting events as well as out in the woods.
I have the Helinox and use a foot print that is designed to keep it from sinking. You can also drop a rock on the footprint to prevent flyaway in windy conditions.
I bought the skyline based on your reviews. In our backpacking group there were a variety of chairs and my skyline was the clear favorite. Thanks for sharing as this helped me determine the best choice for my luxury item.
i own the nemo moonight and love it It straps to the bottom of my pack really well and I'm not doing any long intense treks so the bit of extra weight doesn't matter to me. its the king of comfort and i bring it with me everywhere, even just little day trips to the park because its so compact.
If you get the Helinox Chair Zero. Get the base attachment, it’ll stop you from sinking in. I’ve had mine since they came out with it and I absolutely love it.
I don’t buy many REI branded things, but went with the REI Flexlite Air chair and am glad I did. It weighs a pound and is 2/3 the cost of all three of these chairs. I’ve used it for two backpacking seasons now and have never had an issue.
I'm a big fan of the Big Agnes Mica Basin. While it is significantly heavier than the SkylineUL, it supports much more weight. As a 275lb person with some wider hips, I find the Mica Basin more comfortable and I have no fear of it breaking under me. Very much worth the added weight for me personally!
Just purchased a Helionox Chair Zero High-back. For the weight (24oz) it is by far the most comfortable backpacking chair I’ve sat in. Any chair is great to get your butt off the ground, but when you can lean back and put your head back, that’s a whole new level of comfort. To be able to sit down and lean back after a long day’s hike is well worth the extra few ounces over the Chair Zero or REI’s low back chair. And even with the high back it comes in at 4 ounces less than the Big Agnes, and 6 ounces less than the Nemo. Once you try it you will not go back to low-back chairs.
Agree I’ve found the high back zero to be great! Was the most comfortable when sat in models at shop. My thermal jug of water feels heavier when take it to the beach. And made a ground sheet for it as worked better than wiffle balls on legs to stop the sinking in sand.
Chair Zero Sinking fix: 4 ping pong balls. I bought them at a Sheetz gas station for a couple dollars, cut an “x” shape, stuck them on, and somehow they’ve stayed on for at least 3 years.
Top tip to prevent sinking - take a piece of polycro (or a sit mat) and place it under the chair. Just make sure it's larger than the chair's actual footprint to ensure the legs don't slip off 👍 You can even use a trash bag in a pinch!
I have the BA Skyline UL stool and I love it. It's light, much cheaper and does the job for me. No need to recline in most cases for me and if I need to I just lay on the ground.
Get the Chair Zero mat to help prevent sinking into the ground. I’m 5’1”, so the 9” height from the ground isn’t an issue for me. Chair (or no chair) selection is an individual decision. Highlighting three chairs definitely helps to inform your subscribers and viewers. Thank you!
Seconding this. I have the mat and the rubber ball ends, and will bring either depending on where I'm going, and it makes a huge difference. I'm 5'2" and it's a perfect chair height for us shorter folks!
@@vinhcentle3117 honestly I prefer the rubber balls because the mat can be difficult to get on/off but the lower weight of the mat is better for a long hike for me.
Another consideration may be weight capacity. NEMO is a full 300 and BA is just 275. Chair Zero is 265, unless you go up to the Chair Zero L, which has a 320 load capacity.
Traditional hiker here. I carry one of my wood kitchen chairs that goes with my dining table. Sure it’s extremely ungainly, oppressively heavy, but not only sits fine, was essentially free as I owned it already, but can be used as firewood in a pinch.
Traditional hiker here. I carry one of my car seats from my old beater I arrive at the head with.Sure it's extremely ungainly, oppressively heavy, but not only sits fine, was essentially free as I owned it already, but can be used as an emergancy shelter in a pinch.
Traditional hiker here, i have a simple chair, table, backpack, tent, quad bike. Sure, the only hiking I'm doing is into the bushes when I need to "drop some weight", but it was essentially free as I owned it already. I mean, how else am I gonna carry 3 cartons of beer to last me the overnight hiking trip?
One difference that you missed, the Nemo Moonlite doesn’t have sides, so it fits a wider butt. My wife has a big butt, so the other two chairs are too narrow for her. We picked up two of the Nemo Moonlite chairs a few weeks ago from REI for $75. We are very happy with them.
We have or have tried all the chairs you reviewed plus a couple more. The Nemo moonlight did not work for me as the shape tended to cause my legs to fall asleep/made my hips uncomfortable. We use our big Agnes chairs most - just so much more comfortable for all of our shapes and sizes. We use the big Agnes mica basin XL for my husband and the skyline UL for me.
All good chairs. I’m still enjoying my Helinox though. It’s fine for my shorts legs. Light weight and I throw my cheep sit pad under it on soft ground to mitigate any sinkage. Great review on all three.👍
The great chair debate rages on haha. Yay, my chair of choice won! I also loved the dan Becker cameo. Great video great analysis and I appreciate the disclaimer at the beginning. I completely agree with you about the skyline, absolutely love that chair.
Great video! I have the Helinox Zero high-back and have the accessory ground sheet that you can purchase separately and that keeps it from sinking into the ground and because of that and the weight of the chair and comfort, it is my favorite chair. But I also do like that big agnes chair a lot as well.
9” is low but I’m used to it now. Also, the sinking is always fixable with something found at the campsite. The weight and pack size eliminate all the other options presented here. The Helinox chair one is more comparable to these others @32oz. I have one and would never think to bring it backpacking.
We have 2 of the moonlight chairs and absolutely love them . We take them every backpacking trip and car camping and have used them at the beach multiple times . You can grab them from rei a lot of the times for 50% off and at that price it's really hard to miss out on such a fantastic little chair
@@DUNGSTA I've used both and the Big Agnes sinks more in sand and soft dirt than the Nemo. Not a deal breaker, but makes a difference for me and as such I prefer the moonlite.
I think you should be sitting in sandy conditions if you’re going to say any of these chairs really doesn’t sink in. My experience is such that all of these chairs will sink into the sand, and the only way to prevent it is to have a rectangle of material with corner “pockets” that the bottoms of the chair legs can fit into. Overall, sandy and soft soils that any of these chairs will sink into are pretty rare, but I visit Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore frequently and it is definitely an issue there. Secondly, while added height is a benefit for some it gives back pains if you’re cooking on a canister stove that’s sitting on the ground. I’m 6’1” and prefer the Helinox Chair Zero, as a result. The best chair for me is the Helinox Chair Zero Highback. Depending on soil conditions, I may bring a base as well.
I am old and need to sit frequently when hiking. I found a nylon and aluminum camp stool that sets up instantly, is comfortable, sturdy, weighs under a pound, sits fairly high, and costs $5.00. I sat in one for 2 hours at a parade with no fatigue. It is sold at Daiso, a popular Japanese retailer here in So Cal. The chair has no name, but they sell mountains of them, just ask for the camp stool. They have a small camping section with some lightweight and useful items, like anodized aluminum tent pegs. The pegs are nearly identical to MSR Groundhogs, right down to the same notches and nylon loops, for $1.78 for a two pack.
I just did a side by side comparison between the Nemo Moonlight and Moonlight Elite today and chose the Moonlight. Weighs a little more but without the case it's only 6oz more , well worth it. The recline feature on this chair is so nice too. I'm getting the Helinox Chair Zero Highback, which is a little ligther at 1.4 pds., tomorrow and the Big Agnes Skyline UL and will decide between the 3. The Big Agnes does look great being wider and higher up. Just have to make a decision about weight.
For a few ounces more to carry, I'm thrilled with my iClimb. At $32, it's much more comfortable for my wallet, and a very stable, great quality chair. Also comes with an additional set of wide feet for sand, snow or soft ground.
If you are looking to take that Big Ag chair to the next level when out in cold weather - Goose Feet Gear which is a great little small batch custom down place out of GA, made me and a friend of mine a down under-quilt that fits under it. Huge addition from a cold weather standpoint.... Toasty bum when sitting out and drinking coffee in the cold season. Packs down to about the size of a tent peg bag and of course weighs nothing. Check them out... guy that runs it is wonderful.
The skyline is my go too chair as well. I have the other two as well. I’ve put trecking pole road pads on the chair zero for my girl friend. She loves it.
Devon, could you do a new chair video, and add the new new Nemo chair plus talk about the additional cover for the skyline? I think that would be a really cool video seeing all four, AND showing people the two different Nemo chairs so no one gets confused.
There's an easy hack to keep chair zero from sliding down in snow/ sand. I bought a mesh netting for $2 that works great. It's designed as under chair stowage are but it just fits around the four feet. It's sold at the Daiso shops for $1.75
Big Agnes are awesome....Have purchased the UL Chair and the UL Stool. Guess what the bag actually works....not as fiddly as some packing chairs i have owned. Fold , stuff and go....! Cheers!
Helinox GROUND is the absolute best if you don't camp in snow .. sturdy , light and absolutely comfortable for anyone including myself over 90kg. Doesn't sink of course. 1lb5oz / 615gr , capacity for 120kg
I debated between the helinox and the REI flexlite. I bought the REI one and I've been happy. I would like slightly higher seat height but for the price and the weight, it's been great!
Thanks. Recently upgraded from the less than ideal REI stool. Your thought were very helpful. I chose the Skyline UL and it fits like a glove. Can’t wait to get it out there.
A solution I've seen to the Chair Zero sinking in is cutting holes in some ping pong balls or those mini-whiffle ball things. Basically the same concept as the ball addon that Helinox sells, but lighter and cheaper.
I wish I had known about the all-metal frame hubs on the Nemo Moonlite before I bought my latest camp chair. I value robustness over a few extra ounces, and I add a few enhancements (footprint, mesh drink holder, lumbar cushion) anyway.
Helinox Ground is my pick just because it is so stable. I do wish it was a more upright seat and because it is so low if you are wiped out at the end of the day you land up rolling out of it, but it also does not sink into the ground or wobble. I really love to take it for dayhikes where I want to do a watercolour sketch and even find myself just tossing it in my bike bag or in a tote if I am going to a potluck and I'm not sure if I need to bring a chair.
because of this vid, I've purchased the skyline UL. And you are right! Sooooooo much better than the others! love my sky line UL! Paid $120 from amazon (on sale).
Completely agree. I have both the Chair zero and the BA UL. Chair zero is great for weight but the BA skyline UL is much more comfortable. Wife prefers the BA UL as well. Chair zero is adequate compared to weight but that is it. Agree that if you are going to bring a chair, take the extra weight and get the BA UL. Its worth it.
I bought three of the Chinese ones on amazon three years ago expecting them to break, I'm still on the first one. Pretty good for $18 each, I've compared them to helinox, not a lot of difference.
Amen on the chair zero sinking. Some bargain basement Amazon knockoffs have feet with little flanges that don’t sink. I am aware of the mat helinox sells, but come on guys, they can fix the issue for what they are charging already.
i think the better overall option from helinox in all honesty is the ground chair. it doesnt need the piece to stop it from sinking in and is i would say even a little more comfortable. Unless you camp only on hard ground, that is.
Another plus for the Nemo mesh is that in the morning there is no dew on the chair. Other people we were with there chairs were soaking wet every morning. I guess you could just put them away at night but still.
Nemo Moonlight is only an oz.heavier than the Big Agnes. If it’s the most comfortable, it seems like a no brainer to go with that if you are willing to carry the extra weight, or you’re a bigger person. I have an REI air chair. It’s about the same as the Helinox Zero. When I car camp, I go with a full size bag chair.
I believe the packed weight is 4oz heavier, but still. People are WAY too picky about tiny weight differences. The Nalgene bottle of wine I stuff in my food bag weighs a lot more than the difference between these chairs.
Thanks for this video! However, If you use that Nemo chair as a competitor for the Zero, you could have rather chosen the Helinox One for a fair comparison. Also the big agnes. I would chose the Zero because of its packing size and it's overall weight. Saying "you don't really notice those extra 10 oz of weight" is a very bad argument in my opinion, because if you use that argument on all the gear you take with you, you will hike with significantly more weight. Sure, viewed in isolation, that's no difference. But realisticly you rather go for more comfort for your sleeping mat and sleeping bag. That being said: I would buy a groundsheet for the zero. I don't even take mine off and always bring it. This allows for a normal seating experience even in snowy areas and it's way more sinking resistant than those other chairs, that just have inceased foot size.
I love Moonlight but my issue with that chair are straps, they wear out and after short period they become useless! My straps are useless now, went to store to try another one it was floor model but was same issue! I am surprised nobody mentions that problem! Will try BA thanks
BTW, I think the stool version of the Skyline looks great too. Looks better than the Helinox for those ultralight trips where you're not relaxing as much in camp, more cooking food and stuff.
Great review, cons to the heli zero are spot on. But as a heli zero user for the last 5 years, while the advantages to the other two chairs are worth considering, the weight trade-off is not worth it to me personally. But good lord I wish helinox would raise their sitting height by just a few inches/ounces for these 62 yr old knees 😂😢😮!
The etsy shop hikelight makes a dyneema ground sheet that weighs 0.8 oz and doubles as a bag with bungee. Best solution I have found that keeps it from sinking without adding much weight.
The big Agnes chair is nice. However; I have one, and the locking tubes for the forward facing arms cracked. I fixed this by riveting that collar to the outer tube. So far so good, but it’s a design flaw to watch out for.
I think the designers for the Helinox never tried the design on soft ground. I tried it out at my local REI along with the NEMO Moonlite Elite, and several REI Co-op chairs. The Helinox was the best. Never knew it would sink though.
Have all three and agree the skyline is the most comfortable. Chair zero is awesome though for the low weight. All three are much better than the wobbly REI chairs.
Well I just ordered the moonlight because I did get that one for the cheapest and I'm just a sucker for new and innovative desings. I'm also not sure if the highest chair is best for inside a tarp shelter or canvas tent. Helinox is too fragile, but if big agnes had been cheaper it woul'd surely have been a really good option.
Love my Skyline. Also, Helinox ground chair is my 2nd favorite. So small and light, I keep it in my daypack for a lunch seat. It also doesn't sink in sand like most. I bought a Helinox sand mat for my Skyline. It's a little tight, but it works.
I like the mesh seat but ironically one of the challenges we faced with ours was that we were getting a cold bottom (up here in Canada) and needed to get an insulated pad to sit on the chair. The chair we had (The Sportneer) became unusable after one outing. When I went to sit in it on our next hike the elastic cordage inside went limp and it took two of us to hold the poles in place until I could put the chair on the ground. Another issue I have with these chairs is that they are all built for people who have a BMI under 15. I am hiking to exercise and my weight shows that. I would sacrifice carry weight for a rugged build anyday.
Have to use Chair Zero with it's proper groundsheet. Consider it part of the package and not "extra weight". It's only 6.5 oz more and improves the functionality by 100%.
Helinox Ground chair with the Zero seat material. only 30grams heavier than the Zero, super comfy particularly in recline legs extended mode, the slightly wider footprint gives my butt a bit more room, low to the ground lets me use it under my Deschutes or XMid in the rain and it doest sink because there are no legs!
Helinox also to a custom footprint although it's quite easy to make one outbox a bit of tarp. The Helinox is easily the most comfy. Why not take the Zero with a footprint?
I still love my old Alite Monarch Butterfly. A weird two leg system for some, but shifting my leg position let’s me recline and it’s the most comfortable chair for me.
I have the Skyline and love it, when I sit in it I don't feel it wobbling around like the Helinox, when I sit in that chair I always feel like it is going to break lol. And I'm not a weight weenie so the extra 11oz doesn't bother me
I'm sorry because I know there's affiliate links on here, but for those not looking at the super-high premium.... I've had the REI Flexlite chair for about 4yrs now. The two that I have are the 28oz. (793g) version, but the new version drops and oz. for 765g. The difference here is the $69.99 pricetag. It's strong, durable, never had it sink too much though the feet aren't splayed a bunch. But at less than 1/2 the price of the other brands and competitive in weight, its a bargain.
Helinox Ground Chair FTW 😂 Sure it's lower but that's part of why it is so comfortable for me. It also doesnt sink much, which is good as there's not much room to accommodate any sinking. Haha
Had to rewatch this Dev, since Dan just published his newest chair video, lol. And no one is still talking about the BA Skyline UL, AND no one, I think, knows about the additional insulation cover. A shame, lol.
I have both the Chair Zero and the Skyline UL. Since getting the Skyline I havent taken out the Chair Zero at all. The increased weight is totally superseded by the giant increase in comfort. If I really dont want the weight, I'll just use a sit pad. The Chair Zero is too low for me and it does sink into the ground more easily than most other chairs I've used. The Skyline does fit in the dyneema chair bag I got the Chair Zero so that shaves some weight off of the somewhat beefy carry bag the Skyline comes with.
I have all three. However none of them go with me if it's over 15 miles or a multi day. The BA Skyline UL stool is my hands down favorite. So far I haven't missed the backrest, it's that good.
I didn't think I'd like it at first, but boy I was wrong. It's the weight of the Helinox with the height of the Skyline UL chair. A perfect compromise. Comfy too.
