Chairs - Full-height seat and compact packing?

Larry Fine

Larry Fine

Joined
Aug 21, 2018
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Location
Richmond, VA
Bike
'01 & '96 11, '07 13
I'm looking for a chair to take to my Ride-To-Eclipse trip. I've been looking in the forum and online.

The closest I've found so far is a choice between the Helinox Cafe and the Sunset.

It would be nice to have the higher seat and the higher back in the same chair.

helinox.com

Café Chair

Taller and more upright than the Chair One, the Café Chair is tailored for dining. The seat height works with a standard table and pairs perfectly with our Café Table. Portable and light, stable and comfortable, the Café Chair is ideal for cooking, dining, or the first (of many) camp card games.
helinox.com helinox.com

helinox.com

Sunset Chair

Hands-down, it’s one of the most popular chairs in the Helinox line-up–for good reason. The Sunset Chair sits high off the ground so it’s a breeze getting in and out, plus the supportive high-back design makes it a must for campers, glampers, loungers, and picnickers to take just about anywhere.
helinox.com helinox.com

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A friend of mine has one like the Sunset model (Helinox Chair Two) that he uses on camping trips. I've tried it and it's comfortable but we both think the 320lb load rating is a bit of a stretch. He's about 250lb and I'm around 230lb and the chair holds us (individually) but seems a bit wiggly when we move around.
It is more comfortable than the cheaper Amazon ones that look like it and the high back is great for napping.
He's had it for several years and he doesn't plop into it and it still holds him just fine.
 
The Sunset looks like it fits your wants if you do a small modification. The Kermit chair has optional slip on legs so why not do the same for the Sunset? Four pieces of 1/2" emt about 14" long w/ crutch tips should do the trick. You will have to cross drill each and put a bolt through to prevent it from sliding all the way up the Sunset's leg. Adjust the length and bolt location to suit you. I'm assuming the capacity (weight rating) of this chair is good for you.

Or forget the bolt and just use longer sleeves of emt that top out on the plastic spider.
 
I have one that looks like the Sunset, had it at OH-SToc, it was a Costco purchase, on sale $30 CAD. First two times it was a PITA to set up until you get the technique. Comfortable and packs real small, I like it.
 
John OoSTerhuis said:
LMGTFY: https://kermitchair.com/
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$350 for a wooden chair??? Too much, too heavy, and too large for a chair I may not use again.

I'm not doubting you about the quality, and I'd consider it if I was trailering and had the money.

I'm looking for one that will open and close easily, pack on a bike, and minimal size and weight.
 
I have seen a thread "somewhere" about reasonably prices camp chairs.
It may have been over on ADVrider, there's a camping sub-forum I believe.
Have seen a lot of Kermit chairs, especially at BMW rallies I used to attend. (I know, right?) Butt while I'll spend money on things I want and really like, I'll admit I never liked a chair THAT much.
 
Oh my… inflation! IIRC, I got mine a few years ago with extensions and custom embroidery (“John OoSTerhuis STOC 1058”) for around $160.

As to weight, you’re riding a 700 locomotive so adding a couple of pounds shouldn’t matter much. As for size, yes it’s full size chair, and did I mention it has ARMRESTS! It’s easy to set up and it’s STURDY! I’ve used mine for many days during my trips into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, plus the backyard, and inside for large gatherings.

As for pack size, yes, it’s not going to fit in panniers or topcase, but if you‘re camping most tents’ poles won’t either so you’ll have a bag strapped across the pillion seat or back rack that the tent and Kermit will pack into. You’re motocamping, not backpacking.

FWIW, John
 
John OoSTerhuis said:
Oh my… inflation! IIRC, I got mine a few years ago with extensions and custom embroidery (“John OoSTerhuis STOC 1058”) for around $160.
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I have one too, and I have to question the value of any chair priced at $300 and designed to be taken apart and knocked about camping. Yes, it is very well made and will last a long long time, but $300 is still a lot of money. Too, assembly is complicated, though I doubt anyone hanging around this website will be challenged.

I made mine because at the time, I thought even the $100+ was a lot of money. Afterward, given the amount of work that went into the chair I agreed the price was worth every penny.

I've tried the Helinox chairs and yes, they do sink into the earth and can be a bit fussy to assemble. In fact, I recommend that @Larry Fine buy from a source that is easily returnable and see how his butt fits the chair. Like custom (and stock) mc saddles, not every fundament fits every chair. If Larry can hie his butt to REI, 2020 Old Brick Rd, Glen Allen, VA he can try several in person. From personal experience, I've found that a chair that is comfy at first does not keep my body happy a couple of hours later.
 
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SMSW said:
If Larry can hie his butt to REI, 2020 Old Brick Rd, Glen Allen, VA he can try several in person.
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I did before, actually, but their in-store stock is rather limited.

I may consider buying a cheap chair after we get to Cleveland.
 
Larry Fine said:
I did before, actually, but their in-store stock is rather limited.

I may consider buying a cheap chair after we get to Cleveland.
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We have a large REI store in a shopping center called Pinecrest in an eastern suburb of Clebug (411 Park Ave, Unit 143, Beachwood, OH 44122). Its about 5 minutes from where I live.
 
SMSW said:
We have a large REI store in a shopping center called Pinecrest in an eastern suburb of Clebug (411 Park Ave, Unit 143, Beachwood, OH 44122). Its about 5 minutes from where I live.
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I'm imagining stores being sold out of chairs by then. :nuts:
 
Larry Fine said:
I'm imagining stores being sold out of chairs by then. :nuts:
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Give them a call before you leave home. It's a fairly big store. We also have a number of Dick's Sporting Goods stores around here - they have some stuff, and walmarts too. No idea what Dick's or Wallyworld has, but its cheap.
 
I know you are planning to stay in Independence, and have contingency plans, but you should know that the weather is drastically different, i.e. better, from Mansfield south. We suffer from lake effect clouds, as mentioned in your earlier thread.
 
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