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See the 12 tests

1. Set up
2. Pack away
3. Unfolded dimensions
4. Seat size
5. Seat height
6. Backrest
7. Mesh
8. Storage
9. Anti-sinking feet
10. Stability
11. Materials
12. Portability
13. Pros, cons, recommendations
14. Bonus – MUST read!

Set Up

Here’s what you get in the box:

• The poles
• The chair fabric
• The carry bag
• Four anti-sinking feet

1. Follow the shock-cording and secure each pole into its connection.
2. The brown Naturehike logo marks the top of the chair.
3. Fit the two top pole pockets first, then use the pull loops to lever the bottom corners on.

The poles are the quick part. Getting the last corner in is what makes this one of the slower set-ups I’ve timed.

• Setup time ~50 seconds

Pack Away

Packing away goes quicker than setting up. The one thing to get right is folding the fabric narrow enough to fit the bag before you roll it around the poles.

• Pack-away time ~40 seconds

Unfolded Dimensions

• Width 21.5incorner to corner
• Depth 19.75inback to front
• Height 27.5inground to top

Seat Size

• Width 21.5inthe same corner-to-corner width
• Depth 10.75inback to front of the seat

Seat Height

I measured the seat height three ways, because it changes a lot once you sit down.

• Front seat height 14.2inno one sitting, ground to the front of the seat
• Bottom of the seat 10.0inno one sitting
• Seated 9.5in

So the seat ends up 4.7in lower than the front seat height suggests.

Backrest

• Height 20.0infrom the end of the seat to the top
• Width 21.6inside to side

By area, no backpacking chair I’ve tested has a bigger backrest.

Mesh

This chair has two mesh panels.

• Panels 2
• Each panel 17.0 x 7.0inlongest length by tallest height
• Total mesh 18.0%mesh area against the seat and backrest

Storage

The carry bag doubles as the only storage on this chair. Slot its two handles onto the front seat poles during set-up, with the zip facing up.

• Storage pockets 1the carry bag itself

Anti-Sinking Feet

Four anti-sinking feet come in the box, and they push straight onto the bare feet of the chair.

• Feet included 4
• To fit Push on firmly
• To remove Pull halfway, then wiggle it out

Without them, the feet are narrow enough to press into soft ground.

With them on, there was no depression in the grass at all.

Stability

Stability comes down to how far apart the feet sit.

• Front spread 15.9in
• Side spread 12.0in
• Feet spread area 191 in²

That’s slightly more than average for my backpacking chairs. It isn’t the widest spread I’ve ever seen, but it was stable enough for me, with minimal tippiness.

Materials

• Fabric 600D Oxford polyester
• Poles 7075 aircraft-grade aluminum
• Hubs Resin
• Zippers YKK

Every pole around the chair measured the same, and the center is two of them side by side instead of one thicker bar.

• Every pole 0.59in
• Center bars Two 0.59in barsthe equivalent cross-sectional area of a single 0.83in bar, not a 1.2in one

The stitching was good the whole way around the chair.

• Weight capacity 265lbs
• Warranty None listedI couldn’t find any warranty info from Naturehike
• Made in China

Portability

• Total weight 2lbs 6.51oz
  • Fabric 7.86oz
  • Poles 22.97oz
  • Carry bag 2.76oz
  • Anti-sinking feet 4.92oz
• Without the feet 2lbs 1.59ozhow it lines up against my other chairs, none of which come with feet

• Packed size 14.5 x 6.0 x 5.75in
• Packed volume 500 in³
• Ease of carry 2 handles

Packed down, it’s the bulkiest of the 11 backpacking chairs I’ve tested.

Pros, Cons, Recommendations

Now, what are the pros and cons, and would I recommend the Naturehike YL08 Ultralight Chair?

Very affordable

Only one backpacking chair I’ve tested is cheaper, and this Naturehike usually sells below its list price on Amazon.

Better than average materials

You get 7075 aircraft-grade aluminum poles, resin hubs and YKK zippers on the carry bag. At 0.59in the poles are also much thicker than an average chair’s, which means much better durability.

Anti-sinking feet provided

Helinox sells its ball feet separately, and a set costs more than I paid for this entire chair. Naturehike gives you four of them free.

Lightweight

It weighs 2lbs 1.59oz without the feet, so it isn’t really ultralight. But every chair I’ve tested that weighs less costs roughly double to triple what I paid for this one.

Good seat size

Only the Helinox Chair One (re) gave me a bigger seat, and that chair is heavier and a lot more expensive.

Backpacking Chair	Width (in)	Depth (in)	Area (in²)
Helinox One (re)	22.6	12.0	271
Naturehike UL	21.5	10.8	232
Big Agnes Skyline	21.3	10.5	224
Helinox Zero	19.6	11.0	216
Trekology YIZI	21.3	10.0	213
Helinox One	21.3	10.0	213
REI Flexlite Camp	21.0	10.0	210
REI Flexlite Air	19.8	10.5	208
NEMO Moonlite	20.3	10.0	203
Quechua MH500	19.5	10.0	195
NEMO Elite	18.5	9.0	167

Fabric is thick and warm

I sat in the chair for an hour and took the seat temperature before and after.

• Starting temp 77.4°F
• After an hour 86.9°F
• Rise 9.5°Fa 12.3% increase

The 600D fabric isn’t the most breathable, so the seat warms up over a long sit. It’s welcome outside of summer though.

Needs to be stretched out

The last seat corner was very, very tight on the first go, and I almost couldn’t get it in myself. It does get easier over time, so stretch the chair out for a few days before you go camping.

Bonus – MUST Read!

I measured every number on this page myself.