Sitting on a smooth rock or bare dirt is only comfortable for so long: two minutes tops. If you plan on spending a few hours lounging by the river, or watching the alpine sunset from your favorite mountain, you’ll probably want a lil’ something to soften the bumps and lumps. I browsed though our chairs and pads to see what might work best for me. Weight, setup time, and comfort are the three main areas of scrutiny, and wow, what a difference between brands and products!
We’ll start with the Crazy Creek Hex 2.0 Chair. Most of you are probably familiar with Crazy Creek. Their classic chair has been updated with perforated foam to reduce weight and so the pad can be rolled up for space savings. The first thing I noticed it that it’s narrow! I know they want to keep bulk down, but even for a skinny guy this chair is a fairly tight squeeze. It manages to stay mostly comfortable though, so I wouldn’t rule it out. Most chairs are 20″ wide…this one is 15″.
Crazy Creek Hex 2.0 Chair
Setup time for this beast is practically nil. Unfold chair, snap buckles together, sit. Weight is so-so. 21.9 ounces is lightweight for a chair, but it’s pretty heavy in terms of backpacking. I would put this squarely in the car-camping category, or for bring-the-kitchen-sink affairs like rafting. Certainly one of the least difficult to use and setup. Comfort is lacking. The padding is quite thin, but the chair itself seems very durable. Treated nylon keeps the water from soaking in, so you can at least avoid wet-butt.
Weight: 5/10
Setup Time: 10/10
Comfort: 6/10
Final Score: 7/10
Neexxxt! Therm-a-Rest Trekker Lounge 20. Ok, so everyone has heard of Therm-a-Rest. Part of Cascade Designs (MSR, Platypus, Seal Line, Tracks, etc…), they’ve been making pads for the better part of 40 years. Since they’re known for their comfortable pads, it only makes sense they would design a few chair kit options. Now, the Trekker Lounge requires the use of a sleeping pad. I used the “Trail Lite”. Any of their “Fast-and-Light” Regular size pads will work with this, but if you don’t already have a pad, this kit probably isn’t the best choice. The coolest part about the Trekker Lounge is that is doesn’t need to be removed. Once you slide it on to your pad it can remain in place overnight.
Therm-a-Rest Trekker Lounge 20
Setup for this guy is a little more involved. Best to start with the pad only partially inflated. Slide the pad into the blue sleeve sections. Flip the grey stretchy sleeve over the top of the pad, then fold the blue sections for a double thickness seat. A strap goes across to keep the bottom folded, and then snap together the buckle to turn it into a seat. Much easier done than said, but it still took a couple of minutes. At 18 ounces, it’s not overly heavy, nor is it ultralight. Aside from comfort, the biggest benefit is that it protects the pad from sharp objects while sleeping or sitting. I would have to say the Trekker Lounge gets the award from most comfortable. I don’t think I would take it backpacking, but maybe on an easier, more lackadaisical trip.
Weight: 7/10
Setup Time: 6/10 Comfort: 10/10 Final Score: 7.5/10
Therm-a-Rest Trekker Lounge 20
Therm-a-Rest knows that not everyone has a sleeping pad, not everyone wants a full size chair, and not everyone is willing to carry a bulky seat. Enter, the NeoAir Seat. Not seen in the photos is their unique triangular aluminized baffles that trap and reflect the warm air inside the pad closer to your body. There isn’t any insulation in the traditional sense, but there is no doubt this seat is warmer than your regular air pad. It’s actually small enough to take anywhere, and even picky-old-me can handle a 2.5 oz weight penalty. Comfort is top notch, but I have to dock a point or two for the lack of back support. Obviously it’s an apples to oranges comparison–I shouldn’t penalize the NeoAir Seat for something it wasn’t designed to do–but two of our four compared seats have back support. You notice when it’s missing.
Weight: 10/10
Setup Time: 9/10
Comfort: 6/10
Final Score: 8.5/10
Last, we have the TravelChair “Slacker”. Near instant setup, satisfactorily comfortable, tough. These little chairs can hold 275 lbs, and your car’s trunk is the perfect home for one or two. This is certainly not a backpacking item, but it’s so easy to pack and carry that you’ll end up using it all the time. It’s the best for fishing!
TravelChair Slacker
Weight: 4/10
Setup Time: 10/10
Comfort: 7/10
Final Score: 7/10
So the “winner” — if it was a competition — is the NeoAir Seat. Your mileage may vary. All four have their place, and all of them are more comfortable than sitting on the ground. Of that I am sure!
