Backpacking chairs · Review
REI Flexlite Air Chair Review (Bought & Tested!)
I bought this chair with my own money and put it through 9 measured tests.
- Setup ~36 sec
- Seat size 19.8 x 10.5 in
- Seat height 7.3 in
- Weight 1.07 lbs
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Test scorecard · scored against other backpacking chairs
The REI Flexlite Air Chair is the lightest chair I’ve tested, and one of the cheaper ones under 2 pounds. However, it also has the narrowest base of any backpacking chair I’ve tested, and the seat sinks so low that the back poles end up against your spine.
- Very lightweight
- Not expensive
- Least stable chair
- No seat support, low seat height
If you prefer watching to reading, my video review of this chair is coming soon.
See the 9 tests
Set Up
Here’s what you get in the box:
- Carry bag
- Chair fabric
- Poles
- Follow the shock-cording to set up the poles.
- Locate the REI logo on the chair fabric, this indicates the top of the chair.
- Secure the top corners of the chair onto the poles first, then the bottom.
- Setup time ~36 seconds
Pack Away
Fold the fabric in half, make sure the pole pockets don’t overlap, then fold in the sides, wrap the poles up, and secure back into the bag.
- Pack-away time ~53 seconds
- Breaking the chair down 35 seconds
- Getting it into the bag 18 seconds
Unfolded Dimensions
- Width 19.75incorner to corner
- Depth 20.25inback to front
- Height 23.5inground to the top of the chair
Seat Size
- Width 19.8incorner to corner
- Depth 10.5inback to front of the seat
Seat Height
I measured with nobody in the chair, then again with me sitting in it.
- Bottom of the seat 9.75inno one sitting
- Front seat height 12.5inno one sitting
- Bottom of the seat 7.25inwith me in it
- Front seat height 10.75inwith me in it
That’s a 2.5in sink under my weight.
Backrest
- Height 18.5infrom the end of the seat to the top of the chair
- Width 19.75inside to side
I also took the angles with a digital protractor while sitting in it.
- Leg angle 28°
- Backrest angle 33°
- Total seat angle 95°
The backrest angle’s normal, but the legs sit far steeper than the 16° to 24° most chairs give you. That closes the total seat angle to 95°, the tightest of the 11 backpacking chairs I’ve tested, and my back starts aching after about 30 minutes.
Stability
- Front spread 9.7in
- Side spread 11.75in
Both spreads are narrow, and the side is wider than the front. Most chairs are built the other way round.
- Feet spread area 114 in²front spread multiplied by side spread
- Foot diameter 0.85in
Materials
- Fabric 70D ripstop nylon
- Coating DWR
- Poles Aluminum
- Hubs Resin
- Leg and seat poles 0.53in
- Center bar 0.67in
The stitching’s great all the way round, without any loose threads.
- Weight capacity 250lbs
- Warranty 1 year
Portability
- Total weight 1lbs 1.11oz
- Fabric 2.96oz
- Poles 13.02oz
- Carry bag 1.13oz
- Trail weight 15.98ozif you leave the carry bag behind
- Packed size 14.0 x 5.0 x 4.25in
- Packed volume 298 in³
- Ease of carry Side-loading bag with a carabiner loopsmall opening
Pros, Cons, Recommendations
Now, what are the pros and cons, and would I recommend the REI Flexlite Air Chair?
Very lightweight
At 1lbs 1.11oz, nothing I’ve ever tested comes in lighter. Only 5 of my backpacking chairs are under 2 pounds at all, and even the Helinox Chair Zero is an ounce heavier than this one.
| Backpacking Chair | Weight (lbs.) |
|---|---|
| REI Flexlite Air | 1.07 |
| Helinox Chair Zero | 1.15 |
| NEMO Elite | 1.42 |
| REI Flexlite Camp | 1.89 |
| Big Agnes Skyline | 1.89 |
Not expensive
An ultralight chair usually costs a lot more than this one. Of the five chairs I’ve tested under 2 pounds, only the REI Flexlite Camp is cheaper, and REI puts this one on sale several times a year.
Least stable chair
Its feet spread area is 114 in², the narrowest base of the 11 backpacking chairs I’ve tested.
| Backpacking Chair | Feet Spread (F x S, in) | Spread Area (in²) |
|---|---|---|
| REI Flexlite Air | 9.7 x 11.8 | 114 |
| REI Flexlite Camp | 11.3 x 11.6 | 131 |
| Helinox Chair Zero | 14.1 x 10.6 | 149 |
| NEMO Elite | 16.1 x 9.8 | 158 |
| Big Agnes Skyline | 15.8 x 13.8 | 218 |
Most chairs get a front spread wider than the side spread, and that’s what keeps them planted. But this Flexlite Air is the opposite, which is why leaning a little off to one side was enough to make the entire chair lose its balance.
No seat support, low seat height
The seat has so much flex that it feels more like a hammock than a chair. You sink 2.5in into it, so you’re left sitting 7.25in off the ground, the lowest of the 11 chairs alongside the NEMO Elite. REI markets the seat height as 11in.
| Backpacking Chair | Seat Height (in) |
|---|---|
| Big Agnes Skyline | 10.1 |
| REI Flexlite Camp | 9.0 |
| Helinox Chair Zero | 7.5 |
| REI Flexlite Air | 7.3 |
| NEMO Elite | 7.3 |
Lean back and the rear seat poles press straight into your back, which gets annoying after a while. Sit upright and they don’t touch at all.
Overall recommendation
If you need the lightest possible chair at a budget price, the REI Flexlite Air Chair beats sitting on a rock, and nothing I’ve tested goes lighter. However, you’re trading away a lot of stability and comfort for it, so if you want to sit still for a few hours, this isn’t the one.
Bonus – MUST Read!
I ran the same 9 tests over 11 backpacking chairs. My Best Backpacking Chairs article puts every number side by side.
Or, check out the REI Flexlite Air Chair:
I measured every number on this page myself.
