Helinox Chair Two Review (Bought & Tested!)

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Helinox Chair Two Review
I’ve had this Helinox Chair Two for over 5 years now, so we’ll see how this has held up.

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Summary: If you’re looking for an ultra-portable and lightweight camp chair with a high-back, this Helinox Chair Two is probably the lightest one out there. It has a very low seat height though.

Helinox Chair Two V.S. the 20 Other Camp Chairs I Tested
6
Setup
5.9
Comfort
7.3
Breathability
5
Features
9.1
Quality
10
Weight
Overall Score 6.7 / 10

RELATED: The 21 Best Camping Chairs

Pros: Excellent longevity, high-quality materials
Cons: Smaller seat size, low seat height

I’ll link to my YouTube review here when it’s done (TBA)

Check out the Helinox Chair Two:

Check price on Amazon

Table Of Contents
  1. 1. Set Up
  2. 2. Pack Away
  3. 3. Unfolded Dimensions
  4. 4. Seat Size
  5. 5. Seat Height
  6. 6. Backrest
  7. 7. Breathability
  8. 8. Pockets
  9. 9. Materials & Quality
  10. 10. Longevity
  11. 11. Portability
  12. 12. Warranty
  13. 13. Pros & Cons
  14. 14. Bonus – MUST Read!

1. Set Up

To set up this chair, follow these steps:

  1. Lay the poles on the ground.
  2. Locate leg poles (4), chair front poles (2 short), and back of chair poles (2 long).
  3. Grab the fabric, locate the backrest with the rigid top.
  4. Secure the long pole pockets onto the 2 long back poles.
  5. Secure the bottom of the chair to the short poles at the front.

Setup time: ~45 seconds

The pole structure of the Helinox Chair Two.
The fully setup pole structure.
The author is securing the seat fabric into the poles of the Helinox Chair Two.
Secure the seat fabric into the long poles.

2. Pack Away

To pack away the chair, follow these steps:

  1. Remove the fabric and lay it on the ground.
  2. Fold the fabric in half, then fold the edges.
  3. Break down all poles and place them on top of the fabric.
  4. Roll everything up tight before putting it into the carry bag.

Pack away time: 50 seconds (including getting it back in the bag)

The author is folding the seat fabric of the Helinox Chair Two.
Fold the edges of the seat fabric.

3. Unfolded Dimensions

As for the unfolded dimensions, here’s what I measured:

  • Width: 21.1in (53.6cm) from one bottom corner to the other.
  • Length: 25.25in (64.1cm) from back of chair to front of seat.
  • Height: 33.3in (84.6cm) from ground to top of chair.

4. Seat Size

Now, if you want more detailed seat measurements, here is everything to know. The steel bars on the sides eat into usable space significantly.

  • Total seat width: 21.1in (53.6cm)
  • Seat depth: 11.0in (27.9cm)
The author is sitting on the Helinox Chair Two.
The seat is definitely not big, cutting off mid-way through my thighs (I’m 5’3”/160cm, 53kg/117lbs), but overall it was still comfortable.

5. Seat Height

As for seat height, there is a gentle slope from the front of the seat to the bottom:

  • Front seat height: 13.0in (33.0cm) with no one sitting on it.
  • Bottom of seat height: 10.0in (25.4cm) measured from the ground.
  • Actual seat height: 7.5in (19.1cm) when sat down.
The author is sitting on the Helinox Chair Two.
This difference is about 5.5 inches (14.0cm) lower than the front measurement. It isn’t ideal if you have trouble getting out of a low seat.

6. Backrest

Now, for the backrest height and width:

  • Backrest height: 27.75in (70.5cm)
  • Backrest width: 15.0in (38.1cm)
  • Recline angle: 28 degrees
The author is leaning on the backrest of the Helinox Chair Two.
It covers my entire back, and it even has a head support.

7. Breathability

For ventilation, this chair comes with breathing slits and mesh coverage:

  • Breathing Slits: 2 around the seat area, measuring 6.25in (15.9cm) by 2.5in (6.4cm).
The backrest slits of the Helinox Chair Two.
My older versions have these 2 slits on the backrest.
Close up look of the breathing slit of the Helinox Chair Two.
The breathing slit is not really big.

New version

The new version of this chair has a lot more mesh than mine (more similar to Helinox Sunset).

  • Estimated Mesh Coverage: Calculated at about 31% of the chair surface.

8. Pockets

As for pockets, there are 2 on this chair, one on each side:

  • Dimensions: Each pocket measures about 7.5in (19.1cm) in length and 5.5in (14.0cm) in width.
  • Capacity: Can fit a book, sunglasses, phone, drink, etc.
A book on the pocket of the Helinox Chair Two.
The pocket can fit a book.
An iPhone and a sunglasses case on the pocket of the Helinox Chair Two.
You can also put your phone and sunnies here.
A can on the pocket of the Helinox Chair Two.
It also fits a regular can.

If the newer model is similar to the Helinox Sunset, these should come with slightly bigger pockets of 11 inches by 7 inches.

9. Materials & Quality

As for materials, the build quality is high-end:

  • Fabric: 600D polyester (mine had no mesh).
  • Poles: Green-anodized DAC aluminum alloy.
  • Hubs: DAC resin hubs proprietary to Helinox.
  • Zippers: Top-of-the-line YKK zippers on the bag.
  • Pole Thickness: Center bar pole is 0.67in (1.7cm); the rest are 0.51in (1.3cm).

10. Longevity

I’ve had this chair for about 5 years now, so far, shock-cording is robust, though the waterproof coating at the back is starting to degrade/flake after that duration.

The flaking waterproof coating of the Helinox Chair Two.
The waterproof coating is flaking on my chair after 5 years of use.

11. Portability

As for portability, the carry bag has backpack-style features:

  • Chair weight:  2.4lbs (~1.1kg)
  • Bag weight:  0.38lbs (6.07oz / ~0.2kg)
  • Total weight: 2.78lbs (~1.3kg) (Marketed: 2.66lbs / ~1.2kg)
  • Packed size: 17.75in x 6.5in x 4.5in (45.1cm x 16.5cm x 11.4cm)
The carry bag of the Helinox Chair Two.
It includes a daisy chain and a carabiner for attachment.
The author is carrying the Helinox Chair Two.
It also has 2 non-adjustable handles on the sides.
Packed size comparison between the Helinox Chair Two, a 1-Liter Nalgene bottle, and the Coleman Sundome 2 Tent.
It is about half the packed volume of a 2-person Coleman tent, making it very portable for its size class.

12. Warranty

Helinox provides standard warranty coverage on this chair:

  • Warranty Type: 5-year warranty.
  • Coverage: Covers manufacturing defects and frame integrity over time (about the lifespan of the product).

13. Pros & Cons

Now, what are the pros and cons, and would I recommend the Helinox Chair Two?

Pro #1 – Great Longevity

Since I’ve had this chair for over 5 years, longevity is great, giving me value for money compared to other similar lightweight chairs. Big Agnes had flaking waterproof coating at 3 years in; REI Camp Dreamer had a pole poke hole after 3 days of use (QC defect).

Camp ChairLength of Use
Helinox Chair Two5 years
Big Agnes Big Six3 years
REI Camp Dreamer1 week

Pro #2 – High-Quality Materials

For poles, Helinox is at the top with green-anodized DAC aluminum alloy, a grade higher than even aircraft aluminum. Even pole hubs are DAC-proprietary resin hubs, which none of the other brands have as well.

Camp ChairFabricPoles
Helinox Chair Two600D PolyesterDAC Aluminum
Big Agnes Big SixRobic nylon and polyester ripstopAircraft Aluminum
REI Camp Dreamer300D Ripstop PolyesterRegular Aluminum

Pro #3 – Easy Setup and Pack Away

The setup and pack away are actually the most intuitive (45s setup / 50s pack away). It’s much better than Big Agnes or REI models, which take longer due to complex pole systems.

Camp ChairSetup (seconds)Pack Away (seconds)
Helinox Chair Two4550
Helinox Sunset4560
REI Camp Dreamer7270
Big Agnes Big Six11080

Pro #4 – Very Portable for a High-Back

It’s definitely the lightest high-back chair and has the smallest packed volume too, making it ideal if you need comfort but require portability above all else.

Camp ChairWeight (lbs.)Packed Length (in)
Helinox Chair Two2.817.8
Helinox Sunset3.419.0
REI Camp Dreamer3.421.0
Big Agnes Big Six4.024.0

Con #1 – Seat is Smaller Than Average

The seat size is the smallest on the list (21.1in width / 53.6cm). Not only is the width smallest, but the depth (11.0in) is also the shortest.

Camp ChairSeat Width (in)Seat Depth (in)
REI Camp Dreamer23.813.5
Big Agnes Big Six23.312.5
Helinox Sunset22.512.0
Helinox Chair Two21.111.0

Con #2 – Seat Height Lower Than Average

Seat height is lowest across all chairs tested (7.5in / 19.1cm actual sit). If you have trouble getting out of low seats, this isn’t the chair for you compared to Helinox Sunset (13in) or Big Agnes (11.4in).

Camp ChairSeat Height (in)
Helinox Sunset13.0
Big Agnes Big Six11.4
REI Camp Dreamer9.8
Helinox Chair Two7.5

Overall Recommendation

If you’re looking for a comfortable chair that gives head and neck support but needs it to be as lightweight as possible, get the Helinox Chair Two.

Otherwise, I’d go with the Helinox Sunset, which weighs about 10oz more but has a bigger seat and much taller seat height.

14. Bonus – MUST Read!

I know this because I tested the Helinox Chair Two against 20 other camping chairs. Check out my Best Camping Chairs article to find out.

Or, check out the Helinox Chair Two:

Check price on Amazon

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