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Best camping chair? Best camping chair?
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Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon




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  #1  
Old 23 Nov 2011
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Best camping chair?
Hi all,
I haven't been able to find much discussion in the HUBB about camping chairs that are the best compromise between volume, weight and comfort.
In other sites there is some about the Kermit or the Monarch chair, do you have any experience/suggestions?
I have to say that I ride 2up, so that makes it even more a difficult choice, but since I have back problems I really need a chair to rest after a long ride.
Cheers!
Last edited by emiraff; 23 Nov 2011 at 06:09. Reason: title correction
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  #2  
Old 23 Nov 2011
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Chair

Kermit 100% for sure. Very sturdy. Sara


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  #3  
Old 23 Nov 2011
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Therm-a-Rest Chair Kit Lite 20

If you have a Thermarest, these take up no room and weigh little. Very comfy for laying back in but you are on the ground.

I carried a little tripod seat but ended up giving it away as most camp sites we used had decent seating areas, if not, we just used the panniers.
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  #4  
Old 23 Nov 2011
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..tried lots.
Simon and I have tried loads of different ones...
from persevering initially to 'no way are we carrying chairs!' ...
to, after a couple of years using the thermarest 'chairs' - found these to be great. although at the end of a day we got very lazy about shoving the matresses in and then getting them back out again to sleep on. found also that often they were damp - even though using a tarp on the ground when sitting.
the damp patch is never nice to sleep on LOL.

so then had a 3 legged tiny stool. simple, easy, small, but boy! with a bad back, as we often have, not a good 'restful' way to sit. mine broke when someone slightly overweight sat on mine :-)

then we went to the USA and saw and tried the Kermit chair. All of our problems solved. absolutely amazing. not the lightest or the cheapest, but for what you get the best. sturdy, comfortable, for all sizes and heights (im 5'3" and Simon is 6'4") great to sit and rest back after a hard days riding off -road. a real luxury. small pack size...but not sure about carrying 2 on one bike plus pillion and all the other stuff.
we have 2 bikes to spread the load - so we are lucky.

have a look at this video that we put together on how the kermit goes up. 2RTW Extras - The Kermit Chair Video - YouTube
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  #5  
Old 23 Nov 2011
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I use one of these. It's a stowaway chair from Rei in America. I think it's more or less the same size as the Kermit chair. Maybe the quality's not quite as good, but it's cheaper and FAR quicker to put up (pull the arms outward and you're there). VERY comfortable.

It's a luxury, though. It's not the smallest length-wise (details are at Rei.com); then again, I have a 10cm deep air bed, so a few creature comforts are ok!

I don't know where you're from, but I had it shipped to the UK. It is cheap in the USA, but the shipping and import tax increased the price a little too much. I paid as much for these than I did for the chair!
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Old 23 Nov 2011
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We have used kermits and while without doubt very comfy and amazingly well designed they necessarily suffer from size and weight issues. We could not find a spot on the bikes to secure them that I was comfortable with from a security point of view without significant engineering.

So this year we have gone to the other extreme and are going to try the Alite Monarch for a month of travel in New Zealand.

monarch-camp-chair
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Old 23 Nov 2011
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I use a fold flat chair. it packs either horizontally across the pannier tops or vertically against the top box so uses virtually no space at all. deploys in 2-3 seconds.

see here packed vertically in Austria


Last edited by oldbmw; 29 Dec 2011 at 00:10.
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  #8  
Old 28 Dec 2011
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Kermit!
A bit bulky and maybe a bit porky (and certainly a bit pricey!), but a Kermit is the cat's ass!!!!
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Old 29 Dec 2011
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Decathlon do a 'low' version- perfect for not getting back ache when cooking.
solid to max 100kg load
Last edited by Bertrand; 10 Jan 2012 at 15:04.
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Old 29 Dec 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldbmw View Post
I use a fold flat chair. it packs either horizontally across the pannier tops or vertically against the top box so uses virtually no space at all. deploys in 2-3 seconds.

see here packed vertically in Austria
The rivets in these types of chairs fail after a while. I would replace the factory rivets and replace them with semi decent bolts / Nylock nuts. Or just throw it away a get another for $5
Cheers Ben.
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Old 30 Dec 2011
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The rivets in these types of chairs fail after a while. I would replace the factory rivets and replace them with semi decent bolts / Nylock nuts. Or just throw it away a get another for $5
Cheers Ben.
You are correct they are not at all expensive, but the chair is over ten years old and used a lot. Both on bike trips and car trips. The good thing about inexpensive gear is it does not matter when they deteriorate as they are cheap to replace. But you can't equate usefulness with price. My tent cost £9.99 8 years ago I still prefer to use my £10 gaz stove rather than my expensive omnifuel, even when journeying by car. My frame bed was £12 and my Coleman hudson 450 sleeping bag about £30 keeps me warm even in below freezing temps. (after two miserable cold years with a hi tech expensive mummy type bag).

stick with what works irrespective of price or fashion.
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  #12  
Old 30 Dec 2011
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this one?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bertrand View Post
Decathlon do a 'low' version- perfect for not getting back ache when cooking.
9 euros - solid to max 100kg load
Hi Bertrand,

Is this the one you mean?
Chairs & Tables Camping Low chair

Thanks,
Emiliano
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  #13  
Old 4 Jan 2012
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My wife and I use Kermits and they are our bit of luxury, anyone who has tried them never swaps back !!!!
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  #14  
Old 4 Jan 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by emiraff View Post
Hi Bertrand,

Is this the one you mean?
Chairs & Tables Camping Low chair

Thanks,
Emiliano

Yes Emiliano - it is exactly that one although mine is looking a little more worn!!
I looked at the Kermit but decided it was not for me- too heavy too. I will be replacing my old Quetchua with the same one.
Last edited by Bertrand; 10 Jan 2012 at 16:19.
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  #15  
Old 10 Jan 2012
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Pico chair
I've been looking for a chair as well. Kermit was my preference but too fiddly perhaps.

I found this, maybe not as robust as the Kermit but a lot easier and quicker. Slightly larger when folded.
I've ordered one from US and will let you know how it goes in a couple of weeks.

See here GCI Outdoor's PICO Chair - YouTube
Cheers
Steven
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