TreeLineBackpacker

An update to the already excellent Helinox Chair One, the (re) revision improves comfort by better redistributing body weight around the frame of the chair while the high back allows the user to slot in makeshift pillows for additional comfort. Let’s take a look:

The Chair One is a lightweight, packable camp chair constructed of high quality DAC aluminum legs, 300D recycled polyester fabric, and nylon resin hubs. It comes in two versions, the standard and the high-back (tested here) and includes a convenient double zippered carry pouch that can double as a pillow sleeve that can be stuffed with a jacket or blanket to create a pillow which slots into the headrest. It comes in at 35″ high, weighs 2.55 lb. /1157 g and is rated to hold 320 lb. / 145 kg. It features a handy phone pocket on the side, ventilated side panels, and retails for $149.

Let’s start with what’s most important, comfort. The Chair One High Back RE is one of, if not the most, comfortable lightweight camp chair I’ve tested. The seat is shaped and cradled in a way that is gently supportive yet somehow distributes the weight across the fabric, while the high back allows the neck and shoulders to relax in a way that most camp chairs don’t allow. The back panel has a handy sleeve that allows a jacket or pillow to be stuffed inside (the carry sack doubles as a stuff sack for this purpose) which many users will find beneficial. I found it applied just a touch more tension around the hips and thighs than the rest of the body, but this wasn’t a problem for me. The stance is somewhat laid back and relaxed, which is ideal for lounging and resting, whereas some camp chairs will be more upright for campfire interaction or conversation. This laid back and relaxed orientation is something I much prefer.

Construction wise, the Chair One is on point. The DAC aluminum is incredibly thick, strong, and robust, and only flexes just a bit under my bod weight on the back of the chair (I’m about 165 pounds). The legs feel stout, robust, and hold true under my weight with no issues. The nylong resin hubs feel plenty strong and exhibit no signs of flexing, stretching or losing their shape during my testing. The 300D fabric for the seat itself is similarly robust, with no signs of the fabric stretching or tearing. The stitching is also on point. No frays or lose threads were found on my unit. The zippers on the carry sack and teeth are a touch small given the rest of the construction I feel , but I’ve not had any issues with hangs or snags with them so this isn’t really a concern. Just a note. It is built rock solid and certainly worth the asking price given.

Setup is quite easy. The poles snap into place with no guesswork, and given it is all shock corded it can’t really be put together wrong. The poles slide into the fabric pockets for the easy quite easily aside from the final pole (I recommend doing the legs/base side first) which requires just a touch of strength just to flex the aluminum pole into position. This isn’t difficult so really anyone should be able to do it. Packing it up is just as simple. Each process takes maybe a minute and a half, with packing it up taking maybe two minutes if it is going back into the carry pouch.

Packed size and weight are quite good. The legs and jointed poles allow it to pack up to a size that happily fits inside small duffle bags or in the hatch of a small car. It isn’t something I would try to backpack with, but at 2.55 pounds it is plenty light enough to carry short distances to find a fishing hole or nice view for a picnic.

Overall

Helinox Chair One High Back (re) has officially claimed the thrown as my new favorite lightweight camp chair. The posture is relaxed, lenient, and allows for ample rest camp side. The chair cradles the body without creating pressure points, and the high back does an excellent job of supporting the head and neck. The headrest and even provides a novel option to slot in additional padding for neck support. It’s lightweight, extremely well built, and can be set up and broken down quite quickly, without requiring a lot of straining to do. I can’t think of anything else to ask for, making it easy to recommend.

The Highest of Recommendations

Want to learn more about this product and their other offerings? You can check out their products Here. This is not an affiliate link.

For information on our rating system and our testing procedures, check out our About us/ Contact us page.

Big thanks to Helinox for sending this over for review. I reached out and they were happy to provide me sample for testing. We couldn’t do this without their support.

Our full disclosure can be found on our about us page. Thanks as always for reading! Don’t forget to follow our blog for future updates and reviews (link on the right also).

If you have any questions, comment below, send us an email, or find us on Twitter or Facebook (links on the right).