# Small foldable camp/travel chair needed **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 25, 2007, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-foldable-camp-travel-chair-needed/413112 "2007-07-25T17:16:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-foldable-camp-travel-chair-needed/413112/1 "2007-07-25T17:16:34Z")
I recently purchased this chair: [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00021Y7EW/104-5245071-9027911](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00021Y7EW/104-5245071-9027911) so I could use it when watching movies in the park. However, I bike down to where they show the movies (about 7 miles) and the chair is too big to fit in my backpack. It’s heavy, too…it’s nice that it’s sturdy but I really don’t need something that can hold 500 pounds, I’m pretty small. Can anyone recommend a small, light foldable chair? Wants: A back on the chair Small enough to fit in a backpack Light Low-slung (not too high off the ground, so as to not piss off the people sitting behind me) Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-foldable-camp-travel-chair-needed/413112/2 "2007-07-25T17:21:52Z")
I’d head to Target/Wal-Mart/CVS and get a quad chair for $5, honestly. They all have clearance sales right now, and a chair like you describe (look for “beach” on the label for a short chair) won’t be hard to find. Fitting inside a backpack (if it’s the school style backpack, not a backpacker’s frame) might be tough, though. Consider getting a bungee cord and strapping the folded chair to the outside. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-foldable-camp-travel-chair-needed/413112/3 "2007-07-25T18:03:46Z")
A bungee will help, even with my current one (my compromise solution last night (since the chair when folded was a good foot and a half above the top of the backback) was stick the bottom in the backpack and tie the cord on top to the loop on top of my backpack. It was functional but precarious and awkward). But I was just hoping for something lighter and easier to schlep around. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-foldable-camp-travel-chair-needed/413112/4 "2007-07-25T18:23:22Z")
Camp \*stools \*are the lightest and smallest when folded, but personally I need back support if I’m going to be sitting still for a few hours. I just got this great little [Tri-lite](http://www.rei.com/product/744930) stool for drumming (chairs are hard when drumming) and I like it a lot. It’s a little unstable at my weight (it’s rated “up to 200 pounds”, and I’m 245, so I’m really pushing it) but much more comfortable than the ubiquitous three sided camp stools. It will absolutely fit inside a small backpack when folded, and it’s something ridiculously light like 20 ounces. There’s a hanging store display of the Tri-lite being outweighed by a water bottle; it’s marketed to backpackers, which is a good way to find really light stuff. Perhaps a [Quik-E-Seat](http://www.rei.com/product/744952) would be the best compromise. I sat in it at the store, and it’s pretty good, and small enough for a largish backpack (or bungeed to a small pack without being too topheavy) and three pounds. I’m not down with the triangular seat myself, but when my ass gets smaller, I may reconsider that. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-foldable-camp-travel-chair-needed/413112/5 "2007-07-25T19:23:16Z")
[Why not a chair that is your backpack.](http://www.picnicfun.com/products/realtree-rucksack-seat?idcategory=) ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-foldable-camp-travel-chair-needed/413112/6 "2007-07-25T19:55:14Z")
Try [Crazy Creek](http://www.crazycreek.com). They are definitely low-slung (they sit on the ground) and are quite comfortable! ---
**Author:** ![Ginkgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3bc359/32.png) [@Ginkgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ginkgo)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-foldable-camp-travel-chair-needed/413112/7 "2007-07-26T02:16:07Z")
I use the [GCI Trail Sling](http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=39192811) for outdoor music events, and it’s by far the best compromise I’ve found. Folds up to an incredibly small size, is very lightweight, and also fairly comfortable. It takes a little practice to set up quickly, but the instructions that come with it are clear and detailed. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-foldable-camp-travel-chair-needed/413112/8 "2007-07-26T03:07:44Z")
Make sure it’s rated for the weight of the heaviest load it needs to bare. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-foldable-camp-travel-chair-needed/413112/9 "2007-07-26T03:13:02Z")
[QUOTE=Mooch] Try [Crazy Creek](http://www.crazycreek.com). They are definitely low-slung (they sit on the ground) and are quite comfortable! [/QUOTE] Seconded. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-foldable-camp-travel-chair-needed/413112/10 "2007-07-26T04:07:17Z")
Consider [this one](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AY9S7C/104-6224662-3070337) . It’s a backpack chair, I think it weighs about 5 - 6 lbs, and I found it quite comfortable to sit in and very easy to carry. It’s low, like a beach chair. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-foldable-camp-travel-chair-needed/413112/11 "2007-07-26T15:58:45Z")
Ooh-- the GCI trail sling Ginko mentioned looks perfect. It will fit in my backpack, it’s light, and I like that it’s raised a bit off the ground (or I might have gone with the Crazy Creek ones). I am 5’3" and need to see over tall people 🙂 I like the Quik-E-seat and I was going to get that before I saw the trail sling, but the super light weight and small size of the trail sling have lured me away. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-foldable-camp-travel-chair-needed/413112/12 "2007-07-26T16:12:30Z")
I have two of the GCI Quik-E-seats and they are good for what they are, but I don’t think they are good for long term comfort. I use mine to take a load off my feet during lulls in pistol competition, but I agree that the Trail Sling looks much more comfortable long term. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-foldable-camp-travel-chair-needed/413112/13 "2007-07-26T16:15:44Z")
All these cool little chairs! I wish I still went to outdoor concerts.