Head-to-head · Best Comfortable Camping Chairs

Helinox Sunset Chair vs REI Co-op Flexlite Camp Chair

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Helinox Sunset Chair comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.5 vs 4.2). The gap is mostly about Campers who want a genuinely comfortable high-back chair that packs small enough to carry to the beach, festival, or short trail. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Comfortable Camping Chairs

Helinox Sunset Chair

4.5

$169.95as of Jun 7

The Sunset Chair is the comfort-meets-packability pick: a high-back, 3.2-pound chair that breaks down to half the size of most camp chairs yet supports 320 pounds on a high-tech aluminum frame. OutdoorGearLab loves it for packability and durability, and the carry bag doubles as a headrest. The downsides are no armrests and a steep $170 price.

Strengths

— High back with optional headrest for genuine comfort
— Just 3.2 pounds and packs to half the size of most camp chairs
— Strong high-tech aluminum alloy frame holds 320 pounds

Watch-outs

— No armrests, which gets uncomfortable over long sits
— Expensive at $170 for a packable chair
— Less plush than padded chairs like the King Kong

$169.95 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #5 in Best Comfortable Camping Chairs

REI Co-op Flexlite Camp Chair

4.2

$89.95as of Jun 7

The Flexlite Camp Chair is the ultralight pick: at just 1.7 pounds it is the lightest chair in OutdoorGearLab's entire lineup and packs to the size of a loaf of bread. It is a hammock-style scoop seat that's great for smaller campers and short carries. The trade-offs are real, it gets wobbly when you shift, and larger or taller campers find it less comfortable.

Strengths

— Just 1.7 pounds, the lightest chair in this comparison
— Packs down to about the size of a loaf of bread
— Intuitive setup with reinforced pole pockets

Watch-outs

— Frame is unstable and wobbly when you shift side to side
— Less comfortable the larger or taller you are
— 250-pound capacity, the lowest in this group

$89.95 · Buy at rei.com Full review →

How they stack up

Helinox Sunset Chair

The most packable comfortable chair here, far lighter than the ALPS Mountaineering King Kong, GCI Outdoor Comfort Pro, and NEMO Stargaze EVO-X while more supportive and higher-backed than the REI Co-op Flexlite Camp Chair, though it lacks armrests.

REI Co-op Flexlite Camp Chair

The lightest and most packable chair here, beating even the Helinox Sunset Chair on weight, but far less comfortable and stable than the ALPS Mountaineering King Kong, GCI Outdoor Comfort Pro, or NEMO Stargaze EVO-X, and lower-backed than the Sunset.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Helinox Sunset Chair	REI Co-op Flexlite Camp Chair
Weight	3.2 lb	1.7 lb
Weight Capacity	320 lb	250 lb
Frame	Aluminum alloy	Aluminum, hammock-style
Back	High back with optional headrest	—
Packed Size	18.5 x 4.5 x 5.5 in	15 x 4.5 x 4.5 in
Headrest	Carry-bag pillow	—
Warranty	5 years	—
Price Class	Premium packable	Mid
Seat	—	Ripstop polyester with airflow slits
Setup	—	Pole-and-pocket
Sold By	—	REI Co-op

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