Best Ultralight Backpacking Chairs

Our curated selection of the best ultralight backpacking chairs – all incredibly versatile, easy to use, compact, and suitable for the trail or the campsite.

The list includes products from the most outstanding outdoor brands. Some of them are very expensive but this also implies some excellent warranty conditions. All of them can be described as collapsible and this means they need a very easy assembly.

The weight is not the only important parameter when this is about carrying stuff in the pack. So all these chairs are also incredibly compact and you will realize this from the descriptions below.

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Our list of ultra-lightweight backpack portable chairs

Each of the chairs in the list has something that sets it apart from its competitors, as we point our in the descriptions. This can be one feature or a combination of a few of them.

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1. Helinox Chair Zero

First on our list of the best ultralight backpacking chairs is one of the best-known chairs, and it is hard to find anything lighter. When assembled, it weighs only 1 lb 1 oz (490 g). The official capacity of this chair is 265 lb (120 kg).

Equally impressive is also its packed size which is 13.5 x 3.5 x 3.5 inches (35 x 10 x 10 cm). So this means that the packed volume is only 2.74 liters. This is almost the same as in the Big Agnes Skyline chair.

The chair is collapsible and it needs a simple assembly. But the frame is shock-corded so all the elements are permanently interconnected and they easily fit in each other. When needed, you have the frame ready in seconds, and then just attach the seat on the ends of the poles.

The overall dimensions are (H x W x D) 25 x 18.5 x 20 inches (64 x 48 x 52 cm). So from this and from the picture, you realize that the chair offers a reasonably good backrest. What sets this chair apart is its incredible 5-year warranty.

Please see more in the video:

Pros:

• Incredibly light.
• Very easy to use.
• Nice carry bag.
• Warranty conditions.

Cons:

• The price.

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2. Trekology Ultralight Camping Chair Yizi Lite

This chair weighs only 1.65 lb (750 g), and you realize from the picture that it is also very compact. The packed size is only (L x D) 12.6 x 5.9 inches (32 x 15 cm). There are two elements, a shock-corded frame and the fabric that attaches to it.

The frame is an aero-grade 7075 aluminum alloy and the fabric is a polyester combined with a breathable nylon mesh. The feet are with plastic caps.

The feature that you would not expect in such a light and compact chair is a side pocket for small items. The chair comes with a carry bag.

The official capacity is 200 lb (91 kg) and the overall dimensions (L x W x H) are 21.2 x 21.7 x 21.7 inches (54 x 55 x 55 cm). Note that the seat height is 9.8 inches (25 cm). The price is simply incredible.

You can see more in this video:

Pros:

• The weight.
• The packed size.
• The price.
• The side pocket.

Cons:

• Not so great capacity.

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3. Big Agnes Skyline Ultralight Backpacking Chair

The third installment on our list of the best ultralight backpacking chairs is the Big Agnes Skyline UL Chair from a new series from Big Agnes that includes a Stool version. So this is a true chair with a backrest.

With a weight of only 1 lb 11 oz (765 g), this is an ultralight backpacking and backpack-portable chair. This is even more so when you realize that its official packed size is only (L x D) 17 x 3.5 inches (43 x 9 cm). So its volume when packed is around 2.73 liters. For this reason, it is included also in our list of best compact camping chairs.

The official capacity is very good 275 lb (125 kg), and the overall dimensions when unfolded are (H x W x D) 26 x 21 x 17.5 inches (66 x 53 x 44 cm). Note also that the seat is 15 inches (38 cm) high.

This is a collapsible chair with a shock-corded aluminum frame plus a piece of seat fabric that you easily attach to the frame. Observe that there are no plastic hubs, this is a detail that makes it different from some of its competitors. The fabric is an ultralight 70D Robic rip-stop nylon, with a waterproof UTS coating.

Please see more in this video:

Pros:

• Very easy to use.
• Ultralight.
• Nice carry bag.

Cons:

• The price.
• Narrow feet.

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4. NEMO Moonlite Reclining Chair

As the name of this chair suggests, the feature that sets it apart is its completely unique and original patent-pending reclining system. You have a continuous multi-position adjustability within a certain range, there are straps on the sides that allow for this.

Similar to all the other chairs from NEMO, it needs a simple assembly and this means just attaching the fabric on its shock-corded frame. You also have a unique ball and socket connection point where the seat attaches to the backrest pole.

The fabric is a 100% post-consumer recycled polyester and it is bluesign approved. The tubes in the frame are a premium forged and hardened 6061 series aluminum.

The packed size is impressive 14 x 4 x 4 inches (35 x 10 x 10 cm), and the weight is 1 lb 14 oz (850 g). The capacity is very good 300 lb (136 kg). The overall dimensions are 20 x 20 x 26 inches (52 x 51 x 65 cm), and the seat height is 15 inches (38 cm). You have the NEMO Lifetime Warranty.

More in this video, please have a look:

Pros:

• The warranty.
• The reclining design.
• The weight.
• The packed size.

Cons:

• The price.

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5. Alps Mountaineering Axis Chair

Last up on our list of best ultralight backpacking chairs is this selection from the Alps brand. To start with the weight and the packed size of this chair to realize how ultralight and ultra-compact it is. So the weight is 1 lb 14 oz (850 g), and the packed size is impressive 16 x 6 x 3 inches (41 x 15 x 8 cm).

The fabric is a combination of a 420D honeycomb ripstop polyester and a nylon mesh for ventilation. It attaches to the frame and you have pull loops in the top corners that make the process easy. It comes with a nice carry bag that can be attached on the front under the seat so you can use it as a storage pouch to keep you stuff off the ground.

The frame is a hubbed aluminum and the best feature of this chair that sets it apart is the legs design. As you realize, you have those bars on the ground so the chair will not easily sink no matter where you use it. With such legs it is safe to use also in a tent.

Note that the seat is quite low, you have 6 inches (15 cm) on the back and 8 inches (20 cm) on the front. The overall dimensions are (L x W x H) 24 x 22.5 x 21 in (61 x 57 x 53 cm), and the official weight capacity is 50 lb (113 kg).

Pros:

• The weight.
• The packed size.
• The legs design.

Cons:

• The seat height.

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Final thoughts

Our selection of the best ultralight backpacking chairs follow the same design concept that includes two elements: The frame and the fabric. This implies a simple assembly but this all is easily done in seconds.

There are differences in the capacity but they are not so substantial. Perhaps more important are the differences in the weight and in the packed size, so focus on these parameters when you choose a chair for you.

As mentioned above, all of them come with something unique, and this is also something to bear in mind. Extra features may add weight and you can see this when you check the Nemo chair with its unique reclining design. But perhaps this feature is not so important to you, focus on the features that matter more.

Our Choice