Value Rating: 9
Durability Rating: 9
Overall Rating: 9
Location of Test: Out and about!
Duration of Test: 1 week
Product Name: Chair One
Product Brand: Helinox
Best Use: Camping/General Sitting
The Full Review:
The Helinox Chair One has become a staple in my camping supplies! It’s super compact, lightweight, and easy to set up. I generally keep mine in my car because of how little space it takes up. Despite its small frame, the Chair One feels really stable when you’re sitting in it. I was worried that it would feel shaky or like the frame would pop out of position, but the design is super solid. It’s also comfortable, especially given how small it is. It has a low profile, but not so much that you’re sitting in a quad, making it comfortable enough to sit in for the whole afternoon. It’s also consistently easy to get the chair back in its case.
Setting up/disassembling the Chair One takes approximately thirty seconds. It’s also honestly pretty fun, as the poles snap into place easily (you can even try spinning the frame to get the poles to go into their sockets). Once the poles are all snapped into the spine, the ends slide into long sleeves in the chair’s body. That’s it. For a chair you have to assemble, it’s pretty foolproof and definitely adds to the win of having such a light, portable chair. The design really is clever and effective - the chair is super easy too (dis)assemble yet retains its sturdiness once set up. It won’t pop out of place if you carry it across the campsite, and doesn’t shift if you lean one way or the other.
The Good:
Easy to set up, comfortable, portable
The Bad:
Higher priced, still somewhat small in frame
The Bottom Line:
These chairs are awesome and are great for either camping or for just hanging out outside.