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See the 11 tests

1. Set Up
2. Pack Away
3. Unfolded Dimensions
4. Seat Size
5. Seat Height
6. Backrest
7. Breathability
8. Pockets
9. Materials & Quality
10. Longevity
11. Portability
12. Pros, cons, recommendations
13. Bonus – MUST read!

Set Up

1) Follow the shock-cording and set up the frame.

2) Next, secure the four corners of the fabric onto the frame via pole pockets.

• Setup time ~45 seconds

Pack Away

Packing the chair away is just the reverse and takes about the same time – 50 seconds.

Unfolded Dimensions

• Width 21.1incorner to corner
• Length 25.25inback to front
• Height 33.3inground to top

Seat Size

• Seat width 21.1in
• Seat depth 11.0in

Seat Height

• Front seat height 13.0in
• Bottom seat height 7.5in

Backrest

• Backrest height 27.75in
• Backrest width 15.0in
• Recline angle 28 degrees

Breathability

• Breathing slits 2 around the seat area, 6.25in x 2.5in each

The newer version swaps in far more mesh, closer to the Helinox Sunset.

Pockets

• Number 2, one per side
• Size 7.5in x 5.5in each

The newer model isn’t what you see above, rather, this is what you’d find:

Materials & Quality

• Fabric 600D polyester
• Mesh Polyester and nylon monomesh
• Poles Green-anodized DAC aluminum alloy
• Hubs DAC-proprietary resin
• Zippers YKK on the carry bag
• Pole thickness:
  • Center bar 0.67in
  • Other poles 0.51in

Longevity

I’ve had this chair since 2020. The shock-cording is still robust. The waterproof coating on the back, though, is degrading, going sticky and flaking off.

• Warranty 5 yearsI noticed this is about the lifespan of the product

Portability

• Total weight 2.78lbs
  • Chair 2.4lbs
  • Carry bag 0.38lbs (6.07oz)
• Packed size 17.75 x 6.5 x 4.5in
• Ease of carry Daisy chain, carabiner, 2 handles

Pros & Cons

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

Great longevity

After 5 years of use, it’s held up better than most. My Big Agnes flaked worse at just 3 years, and my REI Camp Dreamer had a defect after 3 days.

Camp Chair	Length of Use
Helinox Chair Two	5 years
Big Agnes Big Six	3 years
REI Camp Dreamer	1 week

High-quality materials

Helinox uses the best poles here: green-anodized DAC aluminum, a grade above aircraft aluminum. The hubs are DAC-proprietary resin too, which no other brand on my list has.

Camp Chair	Fabric	Poles
Helinox Chair Two	600D Polyester	DAC Aluminum
Big Agnes Big Six	Robic nylon and polyester ripstop	Aircraft Aluminum
REI Camp Dreamer	300D Ripstop Polyester	Regular Aluminum

Easy setup and pack away

At ~45 seconds to set up and ~50 seconds to pack away, it’s the most intuitive, well ahead of the REI and Big Agnes.

Camp Chair	Setup (seconds)	Pack Away (seconds)
Helinox Chair Two	45	50
Helinox Sunset	45	60
REI Camp Dreamer	72	70
Big Agnes Big Six	110	80

Very portable for a high-back

At 2.8lbs and a 17.8in packed length, it’s the lightest, smallest-packing high-back I’ve tested.

Camp Chair	Weight (lbs)	Packed Length (in)
Helinox Chair Two	2.8	17.8
Helinox Sunset	3.4	19.0
REI Camp Dreamer	3.4	21.0
Big Agnes Big Six	4.0	24.0

Seat is smaller than average

At 21.1in wide and 11.0in deep, the seat is the smallest here.

Camp Chair	Seat Width (in)	Seat Depth (in)
REI Camp Dreamer	23.8	13.5
Big Agnes Big Six	23.3	12.5
Helinox Sunset	22.5	12.0
Helinox Chair Two	21.1	11.0

Seat height lower than average

At 7.5in, the sit height is the lowest I tested. Skip it if you struggle getting out of low seats.

Camp Chair	Seat Height (in)
Helinox Sunset	13.0
Big Agnes Big Six	11.4
REI Camp Dreamer	9.8
Helinox Chair Two	7.5

Otherwise, go with the Helinox Sunset. It’s about 10oz heavier, but you get a bigger seat and a much taller seat height.

Bonus – MUST Read!

Every figure above is from my own testing — measured by hand, bought with my own money.