Helinox Chair Zero Ultralight Compact Camping Chair

Curated from 87 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: February 16, 2025

Helinox Chair Zero Ultralight Compact Camping Chair

Brand: Helinox
Price: $139
Snoop Score:
5.3
Sentiment
6.7
Popularity
5.2
Technical
5.4

Snoop's Take

The Helinox Chair Zero Ultralight Compact Camping Chair is designed for outdoor enthusiasts seeking a lightweight and portable seating solution. Weighing just 1.1 pounds and packing smaller than a water bottle, it is ideal for camping, backpacking, and hiking adventures. Consumer feedback highlights the chair’s exceptional quality and comfort, with users praising its ultralight design that enhances outdoor experiences: "The lightness brings glorious comfort to already glorious times and places." However, some users noted its high price point compared to alternatives and mentioned its limitations on soft surfaces, expressing concerns about stability in such conditions. Overall, the Helinox Chair Zero is highly recommended for those looking for a compact and comfortable chair for short hikes and backpacking trips, despite some reservations regarding its performance on soft ground.

Not for you? Check out our other rated Chairs

Had one on my Christmas list for years but couldn't stomach paying £130.

Positive Feedback

Anyone find a cheaper but comparable chair to the Helinox Chair Zero?

Negative Feedback
Product
5.3
Helinox Chair Zero Ultralight Compact Camping Chair
Backpacking & Hiking
10 / 10
Car Camping
1 / 10
Beach & Picnic
2 / 10
Festivals & Events
2 / 10
See how this compares to all Chairs

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Ultralight and compact for easy transport
Had one on my Christmas list for years but couldn't stomach paying £130.
Excellent quality and durability
I have gone through a couple Helinox chairs. They are excellent quality, and better built than all the clones, including REI.
Comfortable and lightweight for outdoor use
The lightness brings glorious comfort to already glorious times and places.
Low weight makes it ideal for backpacking
Much nicer than the standard Chair Zero. The additional support of the highback adds additional stability to the frame and this chair doesn't feel nearly as wobbley as the standard Chair Zero.
I always thought it was amazing. I'm 5'10" 180lbs for reference and it always felt very stable and I felt I could sit back far enough to be as comfortable as needed.
Comfortable for short hikes
The Helinox Chair Zero is awesome for short (5 days or less) hikes.
Useful modifications for better performance
I added oversized rubber feet made for trekking poles for winter use, without them the chair would obviously sink into the snow.
That's genius! I'll look at that. At the very least they'll take up much less room in my outer pack pocket.
Compact design with added stability
I have no problem with stability on a sandy beach or soft soil or rock cobble.
Amazing for backpacking trips
Helinox Chair One Review + Mod

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
High price point compared to alternatives
Anyone find a cheaper but comparable chair to the Helinox Chair Zero?
It's currently $150 on Amazon. Is there something similar from another brand that might be cheaper?
The REI flexlite air is a bit cheaper and goes on sale often. It's a better chair imo.
Not suitable for soft surfaces like sand
Not a great beach chair. The legs will sink in and your butt will be on the ground.
Sinks into soft surfaces
Both sink in.
Sinks into soft ground
I am going to start backpacking with a chair.
both those options seem better than sitting on a slab of nylon with trekking poles as your backrest.
Fragile legs on soft ground and rocks
I've found the helinox chair legs to be a little fragile when using them on soft ground and rocks.

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Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Humor about personal experiences with budget chairs
Honestly my go to for Beach Chairs are Tommy Bahamas can get at Costco like $40-45 each
Discussion about accessories to improve usability
The groundsheet for the Helinox will make it work in sand.
Chair Zero and Flexlite Air can be used on a sand beach by using Whiffle golf balls on each leg.
Discussion about fabric chair base footprint solution
I made myself a lighter Helinox chair footprint out of webbing straps. 35g and seems to work.

Hidden Hero Hacks

Unexpected tricks and side‑door uses you’ll love.
Discussion about alternatives for beach use
the legs on all backpacking chairs are quite thin so the feet will sink in sand a lot.
you could find a solution for the REI chair that would still put you significantly below the cost of the Helinox and groundsheet.
Creative solutions for improving chair functionality
I use a scrap piece of tyvek!
Creative solutions for improving chair stability
If you use an inflatable pad, there are a few companies that make a sleeve kind of thing that you put your half-inflated pad into doubled over and it turns it into a chair.

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Discussion of budget alternatives for family camping gear
The REI sale is coming up in a couple days. You might check out what they have.
REI'S Flexlite Camp Boss chair is super comfy and higher off the ground than a standard compact chair, but still packs up small.
The REI Flexlite Air chair weighs about 1lb and will support up to 250lbs. They have gotten plenty of use And fairly comfortable for a chair That weighs 16oz.
Cascade mountain tech sells a similar style of chair. 65 dollars on Amazon, or sometimes costco will sell 2 for 90 dollars.
Discussion of alternative camping chairs
The Snow Peak is simple and sturdy, but you do have to put it together.
The amazon chair weighs closer to 1.5 oz on my personal scale but sits pretty comfortably and seems as sturdy as any ultralight backpacking chair.
They are fantastic, and for €39,99 they are an absolute win.
Discussion about budget alternatives for camping chairs
Low to the ground, hard to get out of when high or drunk...lol. But fairly light and comfortable
REI Flexlite is decent and goes on sale quite often.
Comparison to Trekology chair
Personally I don’t find the Zero worth it - weight wise or comfort wise.
Discussion of budget alternatives for camping chairs
There's always the budget option from 3F UL (a little heavier but worth it):
Comparison to other camping chairs
nothing like an afternoon nap in the bush!
I really like it and will probably sell my one in favor of the zero high back.
Discussion about alternative chairs
lol ! I was thinking the Ground Chair would weight just about the same as the Zero with "accessories"

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Humorous comments about the chair's appearance
So I just bought this chair and none of the reviews mentioned this.. 😩
Your chair can start an only fans
That seat print has me a little torqued ngl
I get the impression that wouldn’t be the chairs first experience with only fans.
Frustration with manufacturer support process
There is no way a reseller (Amazon or otherwise) has parts for someone else's product, and the warranty if present is the responsibility of the manufacturer anyway.
This is what happens when you buy from Amazon instead of a local store.
Warranty support experience shared
They fixed one for me for the cost of shipping.

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