Review: Helinox Chair One (re)

When South Korean camping upstart Helinox launched the Chair One back in 2012, it transformed what camping furniture could be. By using materials and manufacturing techniques usually reserved for ultralight tents, they made it possible for you to take a comfortable, packable chair just about anywhere.

Despite the high price, Chair One gave Helinox camping cult status, and spawned dozens of cheap imitators. But with the Chair One (re), they’ve (re)freshed the original chair by improving sustainability, increasing strength, and boosting comfort. Unfortunately, there's now 18 different options in the Helinox collection, and serious competition from brands like Nemo. It's a different chair landscape altogether, but the latest design is a worthy successor to the original.

Rest Easy

If you’re unfamiliar with Helinox chairs, assembly is impressively easy. Give the poles a gentle shake and they click satisfyingly into the nylon resin mounting brackets. You stretch the seat fabric over the four upright poles, and then you're ready to sit. The whole process takes just a few seconds.

Anyone who has ever sat on the original Chair One, or any of the previous Helinox options, will know just how low they sit to the ground. After a long day’s hiking or cycling, getting up out of a Helinox chair can be a struggle. If you’re 20 years old, you won’t have an issue, but sadly, I’m not.

Mercifully for old bones, the Chair One (re) now sits 30 percent higher off the ground—about 2.5 inches measured at the front of the chair—compared to the original. It doesn't sound like much, but it is a huge improvement. For many, it's enough of an upgrade to justify a purchase. It’s also a more comfortable height if you’ve got long legs, or are sitting with fellow campers who have regular—not lightweight—camping chairs.

The extra height, combined with the new seat design and tensioning strap, makes the Chair One (re) appreciably more comfortable than the original design. I’ve also got samples of the Chair Zero ($140) and Incline Festival Chair ($60), and I think it is comfier than both, although I forgive the Zero, as it is so brilliantly portable.

Anyone looking for a comfier camping chair from Helinox will need to opt for the high-back design. The new Chair One High-Back (re) ($150) has a great cushion-compatible headrest, but the payoff is a 5 inch longer carry bag and a few more ounces in the pack. Both options now feature a handy flap pocket however, which is perfect for stashing your headlamp and phone in. I've lost count of the times I've found my phone on the damp floor after sitting in a Helinox, as the angle means things easily slip from unzipped pockets.

Light and Portable

The Helinox Chair One (re) continues the tradition of being very small and impressively light. It packs down to 14.6 x 4.7 x 4.3 inches and weighs 2 pounds, 7.5 ounces. It’s a relatively tiny package for what is a generously proportioned and comfortable camping chair, with a 320-pound capacity. It’s worth noting however that it is 8.5 ounces heavier than the original Chair One, which weighed 1 pound, 15 ounces and measured 14 x 4.5 inches when assembled.

I don’t think the weight gain with the (re) is significant enough to dock points here, especially given the gains in seat height. If you’re that bothered about weight, you’d opt for the Chair Zero, which weighs 1 pound, 2 ounces … or you’ll sit on the floor.

Interestingly, the added ounces come despite Helinox opting to use a 300-denier bluesign-certified recycled polyester, which is 50 percent lighter than the 600-denier used in the original Chair One. The added weight appears to come from chunkier mounting blocks and a second tensioning line that runs along the circumference of the seat. This simple addition does a superb job of distributing weight evenly across the frame, making it feel sturdier, despite the fabric being more breathable.

In addition to the use of recycled polyester, Helinox has also started to use lightweight aluminum poles, made from repurposed raw materials. This proprietary aluminum alloy is made using the scraps usually discarded during the manufacturing of traditional DAC tent poles.

But they’re not perfect. For starters, if you’re sitting on anything other than firm ground, the feet will sink in. Helinox knows this happens, which is why they offer a ground sheet ($35), which attaches to the bottom of the chair to keep its legs above ground, and Vibram rubber feet ($40), which also prevent sinking. Both are neat solutions, but both add weight, bulk, and expense. That said, if you’re not through-hiking, the rocking feet ($69), which turns the chair into a rocker, are almost worth it just for the disapproving looks from the fast-and-lite brigade.

A Lot of Alternatives

As I mentioned before, there are now countless imitators, but also some genuinely great and downright comfortable camping chairs. WIRED reviews operations manager Scott Gilbertson loves his Nemo Moonlite camp chair ($160), which packs a fraction smaller and weighs just 2 pounds, 2 ouces, and he was surprised by the quality of REI’s 1-pound Flextite Air Chair ($100). Decathlon’s Quechua MH500 folding camping chair is a sensational value at $60, but having compared them side-by-side at music festivals last summer, it’s not quite as stable, comfortable, or undeniably cool, as the premium-priced Helinox.

The compact design of Helinox chairs means it’s easy to sling in the car, backpack, or even tote and enjoy a comfortable, supportive seat wherever you end up. They’re great for festivals, picnics, hikes, and watching sports. My ultralight buddies have mocked me for carrying a Chair Zero on more than one bikepacking trip, but I’m the one laughing after 100 miles in the saddle. If you're looking for a premium sitting experience from the makers of the original suspended camp chair, you won't be disappointed.