Helinox Chair Zero LT Backpacking Chair Overview

Backside Line

The Helinox Chair Zero LT is a backpacker’s delight: ultralight, comfy, packable, secure, and simple to make use of. It’s the highest decide in our backpacking chair information as a result of it’s sturdy throughout the board with out large trade-offs to fret about. 

The Chair Zero LT isn’t absolutely the lightest backpacking chair we examined, nevertheless it’s shut. And its stability beats the opposite chairs in its ultralight weight bracket. We discovered its light-but-sturdy body withstood back-to-front rocking and side-to-side leaning after we plopped down on a sandbar alongside the Gila River for some backcountry stargazing.

You actually should squint to inform the brand new Chair Zero LT and outdated Chair Zero aside. However we gave the brand new LT model the sting due to its upgraded ripstop seat cloth and added stability strap – which retains the chair legs from sinking an excessive amount of into sand or comfortable floor. 

Certain, you should purchase backpacking chair for much less. However if you wish to purchase an ultralight backpacking chair with no evident weaknesses, the Helinox Chair Zero LT is our prime advice.

How We Examined

We backpacked with the Chair Zero LT in New Mexico’s Gila Wilderness and Bandelier Nationwide Monument. To detect slight variations from different backpacking chairs, we additionally examined the LT facet by facet with the remainder of the lineup. This included stability exams on sand and non-level campsites, weigh-ins on a kitchen scale, timed exams for packing and unpacking, and rounds of “musical chairs” to rank-order them for consolation.

Consolation

Ultralight backpacking chairs typically sacrifice some consolation, however we discovered the Helinox Chair Zero LT lots cozy. 

After we first examined this chair exterior White Sands Nationwide Park, we sat comfortably for hours, catching the sundown and dawn at Organ Pipes Nationwide Monument. That consolation carried over to our backpacking journey within the Gila Wilderness. Leaning again with our toes elevated on a log, we watched the setting solar flip the white canyon partitions peach. Then we watched planets and stars come out for one more hour with out our butt begging us to go away our seat.

Our broad-shouldered tester generally has points with backpacking chairs digging into his higher physique or hamstrings, however not with the Chair Zero LT. Its scoop seat carried his weight nicely. The backrest hit excessive sufficient to supply significant assist after an 18-mile day within the Gila Wilderness with loads of pack weight, vertical acquire, and water crossings. We discovered the LT barely deeper than the unique Chair Zero, too – which made the seat really feel roomier and cozier. 

We additionally examined the Helinox Chair Zero LT in each cold and warm temperatures. The seat’s ventilated ripstop cloth saved our again cooler and drier than anticipated when a New Mexico warmth wave turned the broiler as much as 90 levels in March. We additionally sat comfortably on a pair 20-degree mornings, sitting within the Chair Zero LT as we fired up our range for espresso and oatmeal. 

This isn’t probably the most comfy backpacking chair we examined, however its consolation was excellent – particularly contemplating how mild it’s. 

Weight & Packability

Totally packed, the Helinox Chair Zero LT weighed 1 pound 2 ounces on our tester’s kitchen scale. It’s one among solely 4 aluminum backpacking chairs we examined that principally weighs a pound. That’s ultralight by our requirements. 

The LT packs into its 14 x 4.5 x 4.5-inch carrying sack – concerning the size of a foot-long sub and the diameter of a Nalgene bottle. Packed up, the Helinox Chair Zero LT match simply into the stretch bottle pockets of our backpacking pack. We might additionally match it vertically and horizontally inside our 50-liter pack, so that you shouldn’t count on any packing conundrums. 

The common backpacking chair is probably not well worth the added pack weight. The Helinox Chair Zero LT gives loads of consolation and assist at camp with a palatable weight penalty. In case you’re solely keen to hold an ultralight, ultra-packable backpacking chair, the Helinox Chair Zero LT ought to be in your quick record. 

Stability

Stability is one space the place the Helinox Chair Zero has at all times punched above its weight. The Helinox Chair Zero LT follows go well with. 

Although it’s an ultralight design, the Chair Zero LT boasts DAC aluminum poles, that are lighter and stronger than customary aluminum. Helinox positioned these poles in optimum positions to squeeze as a lot stability as doable out of such a light-weight body. 

In contrast with the REI Flexlite Chair – one other prime decide with an analogous weight – the Helinox Chair Zero LT was far more secure in our side-by-side testing. For one factor, Helinox’s heart pole runs facet to facet, rising the chair’s lateral stability. The Chair Zero LT’s legs additionally unfold wider, which gave us a extra secure base after we camped at a number of spots in New Mexico.

The brand new Helinox Chair Zero LT takes stability up a tick by together with an X-shaped stability strap with pockets for every chair leg. This straightforward contraption solves the steadiness drawback brought on by a chair leg sinking into sand or soggy floor – particularly if you happen to lean or attain too far. With the chair legs secured within the X-strap, our Chair Zero LT didn’t dig into our sandbar campsite alongside the Gila River. This saved us from toppling over at camp, at the same time as we leaned again to stargaze or reached to the facet to seize a drink, map, or headlamp. 

In case you’re particularly involved about stability, you may go for a heavier backpacking chair – or a floor chair with a decrease heart of gravity. However if you happen to’re in search of an ultralight backpacking chair that’s really secure, the Helinox Chair Zero LT and NEMO Moonlite Elite are our prime suggestions.

Ease of Use

Like most backpacking chairs, establishing the Helinox Chair Zero LT is simple. It’s very like establishing a backpacking tent – solely faster. 

Like many tents, the chair body consists of aluminum pole segments linked by shock wire. You merely snap the segments into place, stretch the seat cowl over the body, and slip the ends of the poles into the nook pockets. It’s extraordinarily straightforward.

The LT additionally fastened a tiny nitpick we had with the unique Chair Zero: The Helinox branding is now centered on the prime of the seat – which makes it a lot simpler to establish the highest and backside of the seat cloth. That small element sped up our meeting of the Chair Zero LT, which took us lower than a minute with out hurrying. 

Although some backpacking chairs have awkward hubs that make them cumbersome to pack, the Chair Zero LT slipped out and in of its stuff sack simply within the area. The stuff sack is compact however not too tight, which made repacking the Chair Zero LT speedy, too.

Ought to You Purchase the Helinox Chair Zero LT?

If you need a cushty and secure backpacking chair that solely weighs a smidge greater than a pound, the Helinox Chair Zero LT is one of the best backpacking chair on our record. Plus, its stability is noticeably higher than the myriad chairs in the identical weight class. This significantly pays off if you happen to camp on sand or close to water. 

In case you worth worth over efficiency, there are cheaper alternate options out there. However we discovered the Chair Zero LT’s price ticket lots truthful. We couldn’t give you any actual complaints after months of testing and side-by-side comparisons with different prime contenders. The Helinox provides us precisely what we would like out of a backpacking chair: a big enhance in campsite consolation and not using a vital enhance in pack weight. 

What Different Backpacking Chairs Ought to You Think about?

In case you’re not bought on our prime decide, please browse the opposite chairs that made our record of the greatest backpacking chairs. 

REI Flexlite Air Chair Overview: If the Helinox Chair Zero LT is simply too wealthy on your blood, the Flexlite is a number of ounces lighter and prices much less whereas offering comparable consolation – however much less stability. 

Helinox Floor Chair Overview: The Chair Zero’s low-riding cousin boasts higher stability and sits low to the bottom, so you possibly can stretch your legs comfortably at camp. It’s one of the best floor chair we examined. 

Large Agnes Skyline UL Chair Overview: In case you place a premium on stability and luxury – and don’t thoughts an additional half-pound of pack weight – the Skyline is the premium consolation decide among the many backpacking chairs we examined and reviewed.