Big Agnes Helinox Chair Zero

The goal of the Chair Zero was to shave a few grams off the weight and make it more compact so you could go backpacking and really take along a chair (if you wish). The original Chair One is suited more for car camping and short distance excursions such as music events and rock climbing but the Chair Zero is actually small enough that you could take it into the backcountry with you. At just 454g without the stuff sack (this adds another 46g), the Chair Zero is close to being 1/2 the weight of the original Chair One. Yup, you read it right nearly 1/2 the weight of the Chair Ones 850g weight. Not only this but it packs down to 10 x 35 x 10cm, which is only slightly smaller than the Chair Ones’s 35 x 12 x 10cm dimensions but when you compare the two side-by-side it’s apparent that there is far more difference than these numbers lead you to believe.

Below you can see the slight difference in size between the Helinox Chair One and Chair Zero.

• Superlight compact backpacking/camping chair.
• Compact size for easy packing /carrying.
• Stuff sack included.

Slightly smaller anodized aluminum DAC poles help save weight.

The plastic assembly fixtures seem to be the same size, however, the shock cords are smaller.

Less robust connection points between the fabric and frame, but they appear to be super sturdy.

Handy assembly instructions for those first time users.

Over all sitting quality is pretty similar between the two chairs, the Chair Zero is closer to the ground by 7.2cm and the frame is slightly smaller so you feel more of a hug when you sit. Given that the dimension of the DAC anodized aluminum poles is thinner as is the cabling that holds them all together, it’s no surprise that the load capacity os 25kg less. The chair fabric is another area where Helinox saved weight on the design of the Chair Zero but again it doesn’t impact comfort or reliability. While you may feel slightly more flex in the Chair Zero over the Chair one the weight saving is definitely worth it. 

Pretty impressed by Helinox’s ability to almost half the weight of a product that was already light by my standards. They’ve taken a great product and made it even better without skimping on quality or reliability. If you are in the market for a new car camping or now, even a backpacking chair, don’t skimp on quality with those Walmart fold-ups, they’ll break before you know it and can’t compare to the comfort of Hlinox’s Chair One and Chair Zero.

As you can see the Chair One is much smaller when packed away.