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As Backpacker’s ultralight columnist, I’ve never been one to carry a camp chair. It’s the quintessential luxury item: very comfy, but very heavy. Any self-respecting ultralighter sits on the ground instead. But as I’ve gotten older (and busier), I’ve found myself straying away from my ultralight foam sitpad in search of comfort. By and large, my backpacking trips are shorter, less demanding, and feature more downtime in camp with my hiking partners than before. With my current style of hiking, a good camp chair just makes sense.
For a Lighterpack addict like myself, finding the right seat was never going to be simple. I had to find the perfect mix of comfort, light weight, and multi-use practicality. The chairs I’ve tested so far have impressed. I have a Helinox Chair Zero, which I find comfortable, if a bit unstable. I’ve sampled the NEMO Moonlite Elite and the REI Flexlite, both of which almost made the gear list. But ultimately, my chair of choice isn’t a chair at all. It’s a hammock—even though I don’t sleep in one overnight. Here’s why.
For starters, they’re way more comfortable. In a hammock, I can sit up, lay back, lie down, or elevate my sore feet; they’re basically nylon recliners. In comparison, ultralight chairs can provide a bit more back support, but in just one position. Hammocks support the head and neck where few chairs can. Finally, even the lightest chairs, which weigh-in around the one-pound mark, are a bit unstable owing to their narrow legs.
Nearly as crucial as comfort is weight: The right minimalist hammock and strap system will save a good chunk of it compared to any camp chair on the market. So what is the right hammock? A simple one. People who sleep between the trees overnight look for long hammocks with integrated bug nets and specialized footboxes to stretch out fully. For a chair, a straightforward ultralight model like the Eno Sub6 or the Grand Trunk Nano 7 is the way to go. I’ve been using the Sub6 with the ENO Helios straps, which, in my eyes, is a nearly perfect system. It weighs just over 10 ounces, sets up in less than a minute, and packs down to the size of a softball.
Still, I never imagined I’d take a hammock chair on longer, more goal-oriented trips. But then I tried the Dutchware 2T’s, a cleverly designed system that has stayed in my pack all season. This pint-sized hammock (it measures just 65 inches in length) is made with silnylon and lies completely flat. That means it can also serve as a ground cloth, rain cover for a pack, gear bag, or small emergency tarp. Including Dutchware’s Whoopie Hook Strap System, it weighs in at just 9.7 oz.
If things go sideways, the individual parts of this hammock setup (tarp, straps, hooks, and adjustable lengths of cord) are like an emergency kit. If I really wanted to, I could set up my hammock chair in the evening, and then repurpose the silnylon for use as a ground cloth and guylines to set up my tarp at night. It has a few drawbacks, like an awkward suspension system at the feet and a length that prevents you from laying all the way down. And hammocks in general have their limitations, like requiring well-spaced trees. But for me, its multi-use perks are worth it. The real proof that I’ve found the best camp chair? My friends are always asking if we can swap seats.
