Camp furniture suffers some of the most constant and careless abuse of any of our gear. Left out in the rain, pounded with UV rays, tossed into the back of pickups, and subjected to pets, kids, and adults generally using chairs and tables hard every day in camp means we tend to replace them frequently. They can also be heavy and bulky—awkward to stow and carry. This is especially true if you’re committed to a lightweight set-up in a smaller vehicle or even on a motorcycle. Helinox has been making tough, featherweight chairs, tables, and cots for backpackers for years, and they’ve expanded their lineup to include some options that are also attractive for overlanders.
I’ve been using a Helinox Chair Two with the optional rocking feet and headrest as my primary camp chair for a couple of years now. I tend to focus on keeping my kit simple and as light as possible, and at 2 pounds 12 ounces and just 18 inches of packed size, it tucks away readily in a small corner of my rig and adds negligible weight. It’s remarkably comfortable, too, considering its thin fabric construction. Helinox’s ultralight chairs raise the bar even higher.
Tested here are the Chair Zero and the Chair Zero High-Back, which weigh in at just 17 ounces and 1 pound 8 ounces, respectively. Utilizing proprietary DAC aluminum frames and rigid nylon joints, the chairs are easy to assemble and feel rock solid (even while rocking). The elastic that connects the individual lengths of tubing together also seems robust enough to handle many years of stretching (it’s held up well to long-term use on my Chair Two). Made from 600D polyester, the seating surfaces are both water and UV-resistant, and they dry quickly. For my money, the High-Back version is worth a little extra mass in trade for a bit more comfort. But the Chair Zero could be perfect for moto adventurers on a mid-size bike and a mid-size budget.
Ergonomically, the big challenge with the Helinox Zero line is that they are designed to sit low to the ground. With your backside only about a foot off the floor, sitting at a traditional-height table for a meal is not really possible. And folks with creaky knees or wonky backs might have a harder time getting in and out of the low-slung chairs. However, they are at the perfect height for cooking on a compact camp stove placed on the ground, and I find the angle of repose to be just about right for long sitting sessions while I’m reading a book or scanning the night sky for shooting stars.
Helinox addresses the table trouble with the Table One. Similar in design and construction, it weighs less than two pounds and is sized perfectly for the Zero chairs. With convenient cup holders and a taught mesh fabric surface that drains, it’s a convenient way to add storage or work surfaces to your camp. The Hard Top version includes an even beefier table top for more stability (though more weight as well). In addition to the traditional Helinox black and blue colorway, there are now bright tie-dye and paisley color schemes available on some products (reminiscent of bandanas) to add a touch of whimsy to your lightweight furniture set-up. The Chair Zero and Chair Zero High-Back come in black, grey, or white.
$149.95 | Helinox Chair Zero
$179.95 | Helinox Chair Zero High-Back
$139.95 | Helinox Table One
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