REI Flexlite Air Chair Overview

Backside Line

The REI Flexlite Air Chair will get our vote as the perfect worth in backpacking chairs. It solely weighs one pound whereas offering the consolation, again assist, and packability we would like out of a backpacking chair. Gear analyst Jory Brass has been utilizing his Flexlite since 2015, so he was stoked to match REI’s latest mannequin to 10 different seats for our newest information to the perfect backpacking chairs.

Based mostly on our first-hand testing, the Flexlite Air is a standout. It ranks on the prime of our checklist whereas costing a lot lower than different premium backpacking chairs. We’re particularly impressed with the way in which REI balanced this chair’s weight and packability with its consolation and assist. We’ve no qualms about carrying this ultralight chair into the woods as a result of we all know it can make an enormous distinction in camp when it’s time to unwind after an enormous day of climbing.

Minimalists might balk at carrying an additional pound on their again, and a few backpackers will need a extra secure backpacking chair. That being stated, the REI Flexlite Air is without doubt one of the greatest total scoop seats we examined – and one of many extra inexpensive ones, too.

How We Examined

For ten years, CleverHiker Editor and Gear analyst Jory Brass has carried the REI Flexlite from the Grand Canyon to Tasmania as he backpacked iconic trails in the USA and Australia. For this overview, he examined the most recent Flexlite Air for 2 months in New Mexico. He in contrast its consolation to that of 10 different backpacking chairs by prolonged sitting periods, weighed it, hauled it to backcountry campsites, and subjected it to some abuse. He additionally timed how lengthy it took to assemble, disassemble, and repack it.

Consolation

The REI Flexlite Air Chair is comfy, particularly for an ultralight backpacking chair. The inside track-style seat has loads of house for our sturdy gear analyst, who’s been utilizing this chair for a very long time with none critical consolation complaints. As its title suggests, the Flexlite’s aluminum poles have some flex to them. This improves consolation for the reason that chair flexes with our physique actions as we shift within the seat, lean again, or attain over for our espresso, camp range, or map. 

We additionally like this chair’s again assist. Backpacking chairs are extra of a necessity than a luxurious for gear analyst Jory Brass, who has a nasty again. Though the REI Flexlite Chair doesn’t provide the perfect again assist, it has supplied him with loads of assist over the previous ten years of backpacking. Its backrest hits excessive sufficient to lean again and take a load off his again and shoulders. For extra assist, you’d want to purchase a considerably heavier backpacking chair. 

For essentially the most half, we like this chair’s top, form, and seating angle. With a seat top of 11 inches, the Flexlite sits comparatively excessive off the bottom, making it simpler to sit down down and arise than a number of chairs we examined. The chair’s design permits us to sit down considerably upright whereas additionally leaning again and increasing our legs in entrance of us. 

Nonetheless, not all physique sizes and styles match optimally within the Flexlite. Longer sits will trigger the entrance fringe of the seat to dig into Jory’s hamstrings when he stretches out his legs in entrance of him. This will prohibit circulation, however occasional readjustments preserve the blood flowing nicely sufficient on this place. Apart from this occasional subject, the REI Flexlite Air proved to be a cushty chair to hold into the backcountry.

Weight & Packability

The ultralight backpacking chair can be straightforward to hold into the backcountry, given its comparatively low weight and small packed measurement. 

Weighing just one pound, the REI Flexlite Air Chair is without doubt one of the lightest conventional backpacking chairs in our gear information. In order for you a cushty backpacking chair with a backrest, that is the lightest one we examined. Minimalists might refuse to hold an additional pound for some campsite consolation, however this chair provides so much to our camp expertise with out weighing us down on the way in which there.

Its packed measurement can be smaller than common. We usually strap backpacking chairs beneath our backpack, however this one suits contained in the expandable facet bottle pockets of our mid-sized backpack. We appreciated that versatility within the subject. Some backpacking chairs hog pack house. Not this one.

Weight and packability are the place the REI Flexlite Air Chair offers critical worth. It’s the lightest scoop seat-style backpacking chair we examined, but it prices considerably lower than the closest competitors on this class. For those who’re on the lookout for an inexpensive ultralight backpacking chair, the REI Flexlite Air is in a category of its personal.

Stability

We love the REI Flexlite Air Chair, however stability is its lowest metric. In contrast with different backpacking chairs we examined, it’s comparatively tippy. The chair’s middle pole runs entrance to again – not facet to facet – which limits its lateral stability. With its legs spreading lower than 10 inches large, the REI chair additionally has the narrowest base out of the backpacking chairs we examined. We seen these legs lifting off the bottom as we leaned again to chill out, leaned ahead to are likely to our camp range, or leaned to the facet to seize our espresso mug. Plus, the Flexlite’s aluminum poles do certainly have some flex to them. These options add as much as stability that’s solely satisfactory.

That being stated, Gear Analyst Jory Brass hasn’t had troubles within the REI Flexlite Chair over ten years of use. He vaguely remembers tipping over as soon as on the Allegheny Entrance Path when one chair leg dug into gentle soil subsequent to a creek and despatched him sprawling – which was extra humorous than painful. He compares this chair’s stability to a whitewater kayak. With much less preliminary stability than large leisure kayaks, whitewater kayaks might really feel “tippy,” however their remaining stability is healthier while you put them on edge. Likewise, the REI Flexlite Air might wobble greater than beefier backpacking chairs, however its versatile body holds its edge fairly nicely. You’ll want to be approach out of stability to fall out of this chair.

For those who’ve picked a pleasant, degree campsite, it’s best to really feel pretty assured concerning the Flexlite’s stability. The chair’s limitations are extra noticeable on sand, gentle soil, and uneven terrain. For us, the chair’s common stability is an affordable tradeoff for its ultralight weight.

Ease of Use

In our expertise, the REI Flexlite Aire Chair is the standard, tent-style backpacking chair. Its aluminum leg segments are related with shock wire for comparatively fast meeting and disassembly. The flex within the aluminum legs makes it simpler to stretch the seat cloth over the body and stick the poles into the seat’s nook pockets. Within the subject, it took us about 30 seconds to unpack and arrange the Flexlite Air Chair – and an analogous time to interrupt it down and repack it in its handy stuff sack. The common backpacking chair took us twice as lengthy. 

The one drawbacks we discovered are stability-related. Since this ultralight backpacking chair isn’t as secure as heavier camp chairs, you might want to observe your stability extra or spend a bit of time discovering the candy spot the place the chair legs are weighted evenly.  

General, this backpacking chair is fairly straightforward to make use of. 

Ought to You Purchase the REI Flexlite Air Chair?

We extremely advocate the REI Flexlite Air Chair for backpackers on the lookout for an ideal stability between weight financial savings and luxury. That is an ultralight chair that packs loads of consolation and again assist into its one-pound package deal. The chair’s light-weight construct sacrifices some stability, however that’s a good trade-off for extra weight financial savings and higher packability. We additionally advocate the Flexlite Air Chair for value-oriented consumers for the reason that different ultralight backpacking chairs we advocate price 40-80% extra. That’s why the REI chair is one among our CleverHiker Price range Buys.

What Different Backpacking Chairs Ought to You Take into account?

The REI Flexlite ranks excessive on our checklist, however we share extra prime picks on our full information to the greatest backpacking chairs.

Helinox Chair Zero Overview: The Flexlite completed second to the top-ranked Chair Zero – which is barely extra comfy and secure whereas weighing two ounces extra and costing fairly a bit extra. 

NEMO Moonlite Elite Overview: The opposite ultralight backpacking chair on our checklist, the Moonlite has standout stability and in addition includes a distinctive, reclining suspension.

Trekology Yizi-Lite Overview: For those who’re most centered on consolation and value, this inexpensive low-rider from Trekology is one other one among our greatest finances buys.