Honestly I'm not sure I'd put a lot or weight .... so to speak ... on the durability of the Helinox plastic hub connectors.
I ordered one of the Helinox and am going to take it on a week-long camping trip. And I'm not small (6-2, 225). I'll report back in a month or so. I have a Kermit too, so I'll try and make some direct comparisons. - Mark
I'm a member of REI ... a "cautionary" purchase like this I would always make at REI because REI wants you happy for ... forever http://www.rei.com/help/guarantee.html
Just got my Helinox and it is very small, very light, very trick and setup is a breeze. But.... as someone else said, it just doesn't look like it would hold up very well with a larger person and it has a flexy-feel while you're sitting in it that doesn't inspire confidence. Perhaps it is more durable than it looks/feels, but the 320-lb weight capacity spec seems wildly out of touch with reality to me. - Mark
I really like this chair. I can't help but say "Ahhh" every time I sit in it. Ok, as mentioned above by a big person, this chair is better suited to a person of 'sensible' size. I'm 1.67m tall and 70kgs (5'6" and 154lbs) and it fits me like a glove. The chair packs very small and weighs practically nothing. Build quality is excellent. DAC / Helinox makes high-end hiking equipment and their alloy tent poles are used in many of the more expensive tents. The black junction pieces are not like the black plastic things you find on cheap chairs - these are very robust. I tried it on some soft ground. The feet are similar to the feet on my camera tripod - they sink in a bit but then set firmly. I reckon if you can ride your bike over a bit of ground you can confidently sit in a Helinox without disappearing. Yet to try it in sand. The feature I was particularly looking for is related to seat shape. My spine is well past 'use-by' date and it is critical that the lumbar region be well supported. This chair nicely forces my spine to stay straight while reclining. Sitting upright while fiddling with stoves etc feels perfectly stable and natural. I really like this chair - o, already said that.
Glad you like yours. I ended up sitting it in for 5-minutes, imagining I was around a campfire. In the end, it just feels too flexy and wobbly to me and I couldn't see myself taking a risk on this chair for the week-long camping trip I have planned in a few weeks, not when I have a Kermit that I like except for its weight/bulkiness. The seating angle and balance seems off to me too, like it's going to tip over backwards. Decided to return it. YMMV. - Mark
Metal stud on one of the curved pieces came out and was lost. 1 call to Kermit and a new one is on the way. My buddies had a big laugh because they all buy the Wally World $12 ones and swear by them. I have been telling them how great my Kermit is. They had a good laugh on me all weekend. Still love my Kermit though.
I had a chance to sit in a Helinox a few weeks ago. At 5'9" and 210lb, it supported me well. The seat height was almost enough for a comfy get-out, but the size of the seat was a bit small. I have liked the seat in the Alite Mantis, but it was too low. Need some combination of the two.......
Alite Monarch purchased a month ago and I love it. It fits in my little three man tent when it's raining and packs down next to nothing. Sitting around a campfire sipping scotch requires a bit of care, but so does sitting at a picnic table after enough. I used it for two weeks running around the Maritimes and New England. A real keeper for me.
My Helinox chair came today. I'm 6',195 lbs. and it fits fine. Quality of construction and materials seem to be excellent. It sways some but it's a 2 lb. chair,I don't expect rock solid. I tried leaning on the back legs, then front legs, then side legs to see if anything would give way but all held up. I put my 40 lb. dog in my lap and did the same,all went well. As for the plastic joints,they seem to be well designed and well built. The $15 discount store chair I've used for 12 plus years has smaller plastic joints and has held up fine(but it's huge and weighs about 8 lbs.). I got the Helinox for the taller height and the price wasn't bad. I thought I would see how it looked and sat and ship it back if I didn't like it. For $72, I'm happy and plan to keep it.
Nope. Mantis - for the 4 legged version, rather than the 2 legged rocker Monarch. Mantis: <dl><dt>dimensions (in.) 29 x 21 x 22</dt></dl> <dl><dt>packed size (in.) 17.5 x 5 x 5</dt></dl> <dl><dt>seat height (in.) 8 </dt></dl> Monarch: <dl><dt>dimensions (in.) 23 x 21.5 x 17</dt></dl> <dl><dt>packed size (in.) 12 x 4.5 x 4.5</dt></dl> <dl><dt>seat height (in.) 7 </dt></dl> Helinox: Assembled Dimensions - 26" H x 21" W x 20" D Seat Measurements - 13.5" from ground, 13.5" deep Packed size: 13.8 x 3.9 x 4.9 (w x d x h) So Subtract sitting height from overall size to see how big the seat is: Monarch = 16"H x 21.5"Wx17"D seat, 7" off the ground Mantis = 21"H x 21"W x 22"D seat, 8" off the ground Helinox = 12.5" H x 21" W x 20" D seat,13.5" off the ground? Or Helinox = 25.5"Hx20.5"Wx 19.5"D seat, 13.5" off the ground? Somebody measure a Helinox!
And that really was my question. 26" is total height, not seat height. That makes it: Monarch = 16"H x 21.5"Wx17"D seat, 7" off the ground Mantis = 21"H x 21"W x 22"D seat, 8" off the ground Helinox = 12.5" H x 21" W x 20" D seat,13.5"off the ground So I want a Mantis with Helinox legs on it. The backrest tubes are the "long poles" in the packed dimension, so the mantis legs could be 17" long, maybe get a seat height of 14-15" since some of that is above the "axle" already. I note the Kermit is 11.5", 17.5" with the extensions. A Pico is 17" seat height.