Latest news with #ChairZero
Forbes
13-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Forbes
6 Lightweight Items For Fastpacking, Hiking And Backpacking
Having good gear while exploring in the outdoors can make or break an adventure. It's nearly summer, which means it's time to dust off the hiking boots, pull out the tent, locate your hiking poles, and determine what essential items you might need or want for upcoming outdoor trips. Whether you're planning on an easy day hike, a challenging multi-night backpacking adventure, or a fun hut to hut fastpacking journey, here are some smart items worth their weight to bring along on your next romp in nature. If you're going to be out on the trail, it's important to bring along a lightweight headlamp, even if you aren't planning on hiking in the dark. Just as essential as a First Aid kit, a headlamp is an important safety gear item. Unplanned night hiking without anything to light the way, or keep you safely on the trail, can be very dangerous. For an ultralight option, bring along the Knog Bilby 400 Headlamp. It's not only lightweight, it's also powerful and perfect for all backpacking adventures. There are only so many days you can sit in the dirt while at your campsite. Bringing along a lightweight chair, which folds in a tiny package and can easily be carried, is a luxury item to be sure, but one you'll be happy to have. The smallest and most compact chair in the Helinox lineup is the Chair Zero. Weighing in at only one pound, this small but mighty comfort item has an award-winning design and can support up to 265 pounds. Your back will thank you. Choosing lightweight gear items is important when backpacking for multiple days. When hiking and backpacking, it can be cumbersome to slather on sunscreen to every inch of exposed skin throughout the day, every day. A smarter solution is a sun hoodie that can be pulled up and over your ball cap, shielding your face, neck, shoulders, and arms from harmful rays. The Nuyarn Ultralight Merino is the high-performance material that can really go the distance. Ultralight, durable, and breathable, a long-sleeved shirt is super comfortable and can be worn multiple days in a row, especially with quick drying material. Choose from the Feathertop Ultralight Hooded Long Sleeve Tee from Le Bent, or the Tern Ultralight Merino Wool Hoodie from Outdoor Vitals. Binoculars add enjoyment to wildlife viewing, especially for kids and families. For wildlife viewing, it's nice to have a pair of binoculars or a monocular to spot birds, deer, and other woodland creatures. The Nocs Provisions Zero Tube is compact, lightweight, and hard-wearing, making it easy to bring along on outdoor adventures—it's slim enough to fit in your pack without being bulky or weighty. Waterproof, fog proof, and impact resistant, Nocs has designed a perfect solution for backpackers and outdoor enthusiasts. We've all heard that cotton may be problematic for hiking and backpacking. It's important to wear a moisture wicking fabric that dries quickly and can keep your body temperature regulated. The ARTILECT Nuyarn Sprint Tee is not only lightweight, it's made from merino fabric, a fast drying, breathable, and durable material that feels soft to the skin. This is the go-to hiking shirt for summer, whether you're on a multi-day backpacking adventure or a gentle day hike. Adding color to your outdoor wardrobe can also brighten up your experience. From backpacks to hiking boots to the perfect sun shirt, each item has an essential role. For women, going to the bathroom in the woods can be a challenge. Who wants to be fully exposed every time they feel the urge to relieve themselves? Enter: Gnara. This company makes smart pants, leggings, and shorts with a built in zipper that opens wide enough to do your business when nature calls. The perfect adventure pants, from the perfect women owned and operated company, choose from the Go There Pants, Go There Shorts, or the Go Free 7/8 Leggings.
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WIRED
14-04-2025
- WIRED
Helinox Has Upgraded Its Cult-Classic Camp Chair
Interestingly, the added ounces come despite Helinox opting to use a 300-denier bluesign-certified recycled polyester, which is 50 percent lighter than the 600-denier used in the original Chair One. The added weight appears to come from chunkier mounting blocks and a second tensioning line that runs along the circumference of the seat. This simple addition does a superb job of distributing weight evenly across the frame, making it feel sturdier, despite the fabric being more breathable. In addition to the use of recycled polyester, Helinox has also started to use lightweight aluminum poles, made from repurposed raw materials. This proprietary aluminum alloy is made using the scraps usually discarded during the manufacturing of traditional DAC tent poles. But they're not perfect. For starters, if you're sitting on anything other than firm ground, the feet will sink in. Helinox knows this happens, which is why they offer a ground sheet ($35), which attaches to the bottom of the chair to keep its legs above ground, and Vibram rubber feet ($40), which also prevent sinking. Both are neat solutions, but both add weight, bulk, and expense. That said, if you're not through-hiking, the rocking feet ($69), which turns the chair into a rocker, are almost worth it just for the disapproving looks from the fast-and-lite brigade. A Lot of Alternatives As I mentioned before, there are now countless imitators, but also some genuinely great and downright comfortable camping chairs. WIRED reviews operations manager Scott Gilbertson loves his Nemo Moonlite camp chair ($160), which packs a fraction smaller and weighs just 2 pounds, 2 ouces, and he was surprised by the quality of REI's 1-pound Flextite Air Chair ($100). Decathlon's Quechua MH500 folding camping chair is a sensational value at $60, but having compared them side-by-side at music festivals last summer, it's not quite as stable, comfortable, or undeniably cool, as the premium-priced Helinox. The compact design of Helinox chairs means it's easy to sling in the car, backpack, or even tote and enjoy a comfortable, supportive seat wherever you end up. They're great for festivals, picnics, hikes, and watching sports. My ultralight buddies have mocked me for carrying a Chair Zero on more than one bikepacking trip, but I'm the one laughing after 100 miles in the saddle. If you're looking for a premium sitting experience from the makers of the original suspended camp chair, you won't be disappointed. Photograph: Chris Haslam
