NEMO Moonlite Elite Reclining Backpacking Chair Assessment

Backside Line

The NEMO Moonlite Elite backpacking chair is expensive however has a calling card that different light-weight camp chairs can’t declare – it’s a recliner. 

For 2 months, we examined the Moonlite Elite Reclining Backpacking Chair at a number of New Mexico campsites to match it towards different prime performers. Though it solely weighs simply over a pound, it’s impressively steady. NEMO’s light-weight design options embrace comfortable recycled mesh seating, high-grade aluminum tubes and hubs, and slim however sturdy cordage. 

NEMO additionally threw in a carrying case that doubles as a platform to stop the chair from sinking into sand. There’s no scarcity of premium design options and extras with the Moonlite Elite – the ultralight, backpacking variant of the common Moonlite Camp Chair.

That being stated, we appreciated the reclining system, nevertheless it was not as particular as we had hoped. Plus, bigger backpackers could really feel poked and prodded by the corners of the chair, which hit our 200-pound tester in all of the fallacious locations. Nevertheless, that wasn’t true with our smaller gear analyst, who thought of the Moonlite Elite one of many comfiest chairs we examined. 

In case you’re on the lookout for an progressive, well-built camp chair that’s really backpacking weight, the Moonlite Elite nonetheless ranks among the many finest backpacking chairs we’ve examined. 

How We Examined

For 2 months, CleverHiker editor and kit analyst Jory Brass weighed and measured 11 backpacking chairs and carried them into the New Mexico wilderness to check every chair’s consolation, packability, stability, and ease of use. Our assessment relies on these first-hand discipline assessments, side-by-side comparisons, and previous testing notes from different CleverHiker gear analysts.

Consolation

The reclining suspension on the Moonlite Elite works as promised, nevertheless it isn’t the revelation we hoped it could be. 

Putting the Moonlite Elite subsequent to different backpacking chairs, we discovered that its reclined seat place was just like the traditional seating angle of a number of chairs we examined. In different phrases, it isn’t that rather more reclined. This was additionally clear the primary time Gear Analyst Jory Brass sat within the NEMO recliner. He spent a minute making an attempt to determine the right way to decrease the chair into its reclined place earlier than realizing it already was in its reclined place. Sure, you’ll be able to lean again a few inches – and that’s snug. But it surely’s no backcountry La-Z-Boy.  

Our testing additionally revealed potential consolation points for greater backpackers. In our earlier assessment, Gear Analyst Ian Krammer – a lighter dude – didn’t have any consolation considerations. Nevertheless, Gear analyst Jory Brass struggled to take a seat within the Moonlite Elite for lengthy durations of time as a result of the molded nook mounts dug into his broad shoulders and the outsides of his thighs. Particularly after an extended day of climbing, we didn’t like aluminum poles tipped with laborious plastic triangles gouging into our traps and quads like small spears. We suggest sitting on this chair earlier than chopping the tags to verify its smaller body received’t poke, prod, or rub you the fallacious method. 

Maybe our expectations had been too excessive right here, however we didn’t discover the Moonlite Elite Reclining Backpacking Chairs as comfortable as we anticipated. We had been extra impressed with its weight and stability.

Weight & Packability

Listed at one pound two ounces, the Moonlite Elite Recliner is tied for the second lightest backpacking chair in our lineup of backpacking chair champions. 

The “Elite” model we examined is a full pound lighter than NEMO’s common Moonlite Reclining Camp Chair. Nevertheless, the listed weight is misleading as a result of it doesn’t embrace the multipurpose floor sheet-carrying case (which weighs 3-4 ounces). Even so, this can be a true backpacking chair – one that gives loads of again help and stability with out weighing us down on the path.

The packed dimension isn’t fairly as spectacular. On the plus aspect, the Moonlite’s poles and hubs are extra streamlined than most since they’re made out of high-quality aluminum. These high quality supplies slim issues down. On the minus aspect, NEMO ditched a standard stuff sack for a dual-purpose Platform Pack – a floor sheet that doubles as a tortilla-style carrying case that allows you to wrap the Moonlite Elite like a burrito.

As we describe within the subsequent part, we like how that Platform Pack provides stability on mushy floor when used as a floor sheet. Nevertheless, when used as a carrying case, that sheet makes the Moonlite Elite’s stuffed dimension bulkier than backpacking chairs with comparable weight. Plus, we don’t like carrying the chair (or any ultralight gear for that matter) exterior of our pack in that burrito-style wrapping. As we tackled powerful trails, we fearful that chair parts might fall out since they weren’t utterly enclosed like they might be in a standard stuff sack. In case you’ve ever had carnitas, beans, or guac spill out of your burrito, you’ll perceive our doubts about NEMO’s roll-style Platform Pack.

Regardless of our questions on its carrying case, the Moonlite Elite Reclining Backpacking Chair earned strong weight and packability scores. Its premium supplies decrease weight and bulk, making this chair applicable for backpackers.

Stability

The chair’s premium supplies and intelligent engineering additionally contribute to the Moonlite Elite Recliner’s surprisingly good stability. As a rule of thumb, light-weight gear normally scores low for stability and help. Nevertheless, NEMO’s backpacking chair ranks excessive for stability regardless of its low weight. 

Gear analyst Jory Brass was impressed at how effectively the Moonlite Elite carried his weight as he rocked back and front and shook it aspect to aspect throughout his stability testing. Its stability is flawless on degree floor, and the chair holds its personal on mushy, sloping floor or uneven granite slabs. 

Among the many ultralight backpacking chairs with again help, the NEMO Moonlite Reclining Backpacking Chair has the very best stability in comparison with our different favorites in our gear information.   

Every thing about this chair’s construct conjures up confidence. The body poles are made with high-quality aluminum, and so are the hubs – an improve over the plastic connection factors of most chairs. The middle pole runs aspect to aspect – not entrance to again – for lateral stability. Plus, the seat snaps onto that sturdy aluminum body with ball-and-socket connectors which can be sturdier than the material pockets on the common chair. The legs kind a base of 16 inches, and the again legs are barely longer to accommodate leaning again within the chair’s reclined place. Lastly, the Moonlite Elite Reclining chair sits low to the bottom, protecting campers’ heart of gravity comparatively low.   

Final however not least, NEMO’s roll-style Platform Pack additionally will increase the chair’s stability on mushy or sandy floor. The ft of most backpacking chairs sink into sand, mud, and mushy soil, which causes wobbling and generally sends campers sprawling. The Platform Pack addresses this stability drawback. You merely unfold it out on the bottom and safe the chair’s ft into the nook pockets to distribute weight throughout a wider floor. This characteristic labored for us within the Sandias. The platform prevented the Moonlite’s legs from digging right into a mushy mattress of pine needles at our campsite, sustaining a degree base. 

In case you do quite a lot of backpacking (or kayak tenting) that requires you to camp on sand or mushy riverbanks, the Moonlite Elite Reclining Chair could be a steady alternative – due to that platform. 

Ease of Use

In contrast with different backpacking chairs, the NEMO Moonlite Elite has a little bit of a studying curve. Organising most backpacking chairs is intuitive. Nevertheless, it took us a number of minutes to arrange the Moonlite Elite the primary time, after our preliminary response of “WTF” after we first unrolled the Platform Pack to seek out a number of items piled inside. Fortunately, NEMO has hooked up an instruction card to the multipurpose Platform Pack/carrying case, color-coded the connector factors, and labeled the underside of the seat to make issues a bit simpler. After a couple of assemblies, it solely took us barely longer than others to arrange this chair within the discipline.

Likewise, it took us a bit longer to interrupt down the chair and repack it. The ball-and-socket connectors make for a safe seat, however they decelerate the method. Stowing it additionally slowed us down. The roll-style case doesn’t encourage as a lot confidence as a stuff sack because it leaves openings the place chair parts probably might slip out of the roll, which isn’t particularly tight. 

These quirks are removed from deal breakers. Nevertheless, unpacking, assembling, disassembling, and repacking the Moonlite Elite isn’t as computerized as it’s with the opposite backpacking chairs we examined and reviewed. 

Ought to You Purchase the NEMO Moonlite Elite Reclining Backpacking Chair?

The NEMO Moonlite Elite Reclining Backpacking Chair is a premium choose for backpackers who need an ultralight but steady chair for the backcountry. The optionally available Platform Pack additionally makes this chair a standout for individuals who recurrently camp on sand or mushy tent pads that current stability challenges. 

We discovered the reclining suspension to be good however not nice. Broad-shouldered backpackers might want to watch the place the chair’s corners, cords, and edges hit their our bodies. This isn’t an ideal backpacking chair, nevertheless it’s a extremely good one for those who’re keen to pay a premium for a number of progressive design options (and some we’re not so certain about).

What Different Backpacking Chairs Ought to You Contemplate?

For extra selections, please browse our full information to the finest backpacking chairs, which incorporates these alternate options:

Helinox Floor Chair Assessment: This floor chair isn’t as mild because the Moonlite Elite, nevertheless it’s additionally very steady, reclines as a lot because the Moonlite, and prices $50 much less. Its scoop seat can also be a greater consolation match for greater backpackers. 

Helinox Chair Zero Assessment: Our top-ranked backpacking chair ticks all of the containers for consolation, weight and packability, stability, and ease of use with fewer caveats than the NEMO Moonlite Elite Reclining Chair. 

Trekology Yizi-Lite Assessment: In case you skilled sticker shock with the NEMO recliner, the Yizi-Lite additionally allows you to sit at a reclined angle, is a greater match for bigger backpackers, and prices virtually 4 occasions lower than the Moonlite Elite.