View Full Version : What do you use for a chair?
Rhino-lfl
04-24-2007, 11:56
So I've never stayed at a shelter or anything, just made my own trail and sat in the hammock drinking whiskey. But if I wanted to carry a chair, or make a chair, what do you folks do? Just sit on a pad? I'm curious because I never put any thought into a chair until right now lol.
hammock engineer
04-24-2007, 12:00
I have a small ccp sit pad and my hammock. Good enough for me.
ms doolittle
04-24-2007, 12:03
My Z-Rest. It's all I need.
Pennsylvania Rose
04-24-2007, 12:07
I just sit on my sleeping pad and find a tree or rock to lean against. I used to have one of those camp chairs that are a covered foam pad with buckles on the side to form a seat. I never took it backpacking - just "yahoo" camping where we hiked 1/2 mile or a mile with a cooler and the taj mahal tent.
Chair??? Dang, what will they think of next? A foot rest and a remote controlled tv, I reckon.
a nice rock or log does fine for me. One of my favorite days was just sitting on the grass with a few friends enjoying an afternoon snack and a rest.
stump or edge of shelter, whatever's around :)
Appalachian Tater
04-24-2007, 19:28
A log, a rock, or buttocks.
i sit on a croc if the ground is wet, kinda gotta do a little buttock balancing act.
i sit on a croc if the ground is wet, kinda gotta do a little buttock balancing act.
I preffer alligators. Less tempermental.
Joshrm78
04-24-2007, 20:38
I like my crazy creek use it as a sleeping pad for my legs
Frolicking Dinosaurs
04-25-2007, 03:49
We try to tarp over a suitable rock, stump or log because I have a lot of trouble getting up and down from the ground. I hope to be lounging in a hammock soon (and finding a solution that will work for Mother Nature as well - I haven't forgotten :D )
aaronthebugbuffet
04-25-2007, 04:38
I like this set up
1747
tallfran
04-25-2007, 06:25
On my hike last year, I carried one of the closed cell foam pads that are made for use kneeling in the garden. It got used mostly when I was pumping water for something dry to sit on. My old knees don't do squatting very well, at least not for very long.
mweinstone
04-25-2007, 06:29
cut out the shape of a spade from the seat of an old pair of pants and sew it onto your pants. walah! double seat ass char made from pants. then sit on your pad.
Rhino-lfl
04-25-2007, 09:14
I like this set up
1747
lol, does one of those double as a toilet?
I carry a leather laz-e-boy recliner. Fabric ones don't dry quick enough and fake leather causes a rash. It only adds 90 pounds to my pack weight. On longer hikes I have a coleman portable generator and a plasma TV. Can't miss the big game or NASCAR race, Reception is especially good on the mountains and ridgelines. A port-a-potty will also offer you some privacy.
I don't think I would ever carry a chair with me, other than to make my wife more comfortable when she goes. However, the most uncomfortable times for me on the trail, others than the long uphills, is trying to get comfortable while taking a break or around camp just before laying down. I would love to have a lightweight chair to set in, but feel for the small amount of time it would be used it would not be worth having to carry it the other times.
Alligator
04-25-2007, 11:25
I always bring a T-rest chair. So comfy. It's great for reading, playing cards, cooking dinner, lounging by the fire.
I keep my warmer months pack weight around 25-28 lbs fully loaded, so it's no big deal.
If you use a foam pad, I've found that rolling your sleeping bag 1/2 in the foam makes a passable chair too. Works best with a log or rock behind it.
While we're on the chair topic. Anyone ever used the Therma Rest Light Chair kit with a mummy style sleeping pad?
Photofanatic
04-25-2007, 12:03
I carry a leather laz-e-boy recliner. Fabric ones don't dry quick enough and fake leather causes a rash. It only adds 90 pounds to my pack weight. On longer hikes I have a coleman portable generator and a plasma TV. Can't miss the big game or NASCAR race, Reception is especially good on the mountains and ridgelines. A port-a-potty will also offer you some privacy.
I wanna hang with you moxie. You can carry the lazy boy and I will sleep in it while you're snug in your bag.
Rhino-lfl
04-25-2007, 13:03
I was sort of hoping someone would post a link to different types of chairs that can be made on the trail with pieces of wood. I saw a great one once that only took a few minutes to make and appeared very comfy, but I didn't save the link and know can't find anything :(
Alligator
04-25-2007, 13:26
While we're on the chair topic. Anyone ever used the Therma Rest Light Chair kit with a mummy style sleeping pad?I use it with my Prolite 4. Works fine.
I was sort of hoping someone would post a link to different types of chairs that can be made on the trail with pieces of wood. I saw a great one once that only took a few minutes to make and appeared very comfy, but I didn't save the link and know can't find anything :(
Here you go. This is a Hickory Rocker. The PA Amish folk make them....from Hickory. On closer inspection, the darker wood is straight off the tree, bark and all.
http://www.lehmans.com/images/us/local/products/detail/44256.f.jpg
Jester2000
04-25-2007, 21:18
I usually just sit on the nearest hiker. This works well until you get further north, when everyone seems to get all bony and sharp. I got a bad gash in my thigh sitting on Moxie in Vermont. He was pointy all over by then.
I was sort of hoping someone would post a link to different types of chairs that can be made on the trail with pieces of wood. I saw a great one once that only took a few minutes to make and appeared very comfy, but I didn't save the link and know can't find anything :(
I remember going to this lumberjack festival in upstate New York once, where burly men in flannel shirts were making "instant furniture" out of logs, using chain saws. So all you really need is a chain saw and some gasoline.
rjridgely
04-25-2007, 22:45
sometimes i carry the device that converys my thermarest into a crazy creek style chair....very very comfy indeed
I'm partial to couches. A little heavy, but good for parties and you can even sleep on them.
Here's me and some friends lounging on a couch on the PCT. : )
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=129037&back=1
So I've never stayed at a shelter or anything, just made my own trail and sat in the hammock drinking whiskey. But if I wanted to carry a chair, or make a chair, what do you folks do? Just sit on a pad? I'm curious because I never put any thought into a chair until right now lol.
Here's a look at a few choices.
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=39165493&memberId=12500226
Not bad at 3 0z.
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=39192811&memberId=12500226
I have one of these slings, took 3 to Isle Royale, canoeing. 2 broke, all sent back; sales rep sent me a new model[supposedly], same as one of the broken ones, but it was free. Not bad, for canoeing, not for thru.
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?memberId=12500226&productId=7599
Crazy Creek makes a chair simular to the above GCI sling, but it isn't listed at Campmor at this time. Appeared more reliable than the sling.
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=39297052&memberId=12500226
This should be great for a thru, especially good for rainy mealtimes. You might have to go super UL with all your other gear though. Maybe, just skip all the other gear. Get a UL wheelbarrow to haul it with.:D
I'm partial to couches. A little heavy, but good for parties and you can even sleep on them.
Here's me and some friends lounging on a couch on the PCT. : )
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=129037&back=1
Recess told me you weren't into ultralight hiking. No wonder she likes hiking with you. You carry the couch.
Marta/Five-Leaf
Recess told me you weren't into ultralight hiking. No wonder she likes hiking with you. You carry the couch.
Marta/Five-Leaf
I'm actually working on getting a little lighter for my next adventure. I'll probably ditch the couch anyway. : )
How do you know Recess? Hopefully I can convince her to join me for part of my Quadre of hikes next year.
Happy Trails,
Skits
I'm actually working on getting a little lighter for my next adventure. I'll probably ditch the couch anyway. : )
How do you know Recess? Hopefully I can convince her to join me for part of my Quadre of hikes next year.
Happy Trails,
Skits
We've done a few short hikes along the NC/TN/VA AT together. Most recently over Easter we hiked part of the SNP. She talked a lot about your Quadre plans. I hope I'm not betraying a confidence when I say I don't think she has ruled out doing some hiking next year. But she may not want to hike with you if you don't bring the couch. ;)
Marta/Five-Leaf
We've done a few short hikes along the NC/TN/VA AT together. Most recently over Easter we hiked part of the SNP. She talked a lot about your Quadre plans. I hope I'm not betraying a confidence when I say I don't think she has ruled out doing some hiking next year. But she may not want to hike with you if you don't bring the couch. ;)
Marta/Five-Leaf
Hmmm, she seemed to be worried about what you might be saying about her on here, something about the pants she was wearing?
I'd really, really like to go with her and her dad to the Sierras in August, but I think my minimal vacation time this year is going to have to go toward visiting my family and going to a friend's wedding in Minnesota.
catch ya later,
Skits
Hmmm, she seemed to be worried about what you might be saying about her on here, something about the pants she was wearing?
She might be worried that I'll repeat the cruel remark I made in my TJ about the fashion police coming after her for turning up her pants legs to cool off... But I wouldn't do that.
Marta/Five-Leaf
Mother Nature
04-27-2007, 22:24
I hope to be lounging in a hammock soon (and finding a solution that will work for Mother Nature as well - I haven't forgotten :D )
Bless your heart! You are an amazing person and I mean that sincerely!
As for the backwoods chair, well there is one advantage to having an external frame pack or a substantial framed internal. I position my hiking poles at a slant backwards against the back of my pack pushing the points into the ground. I put my z-rest on the ground in front and lean back. Almost as good as my recliner at home.
The problem is getting up off the ground. :p :p :p That is performed by doing a roll to a belly flop and pushing up!
MN
I went to the lawn sale in Damascus where Jester purchased the origional Billville shirts. They had a nice dantal chair left there. Once I removed the spitoon, the tray and the big light I found it was light enough to take on the trail. I bought Jester a sausage smothered in white gravy at Tex's and Jester agreed to carry the chair as far as New Jersey to thank me. If a shelter wasn't full we would set up the chair and Jester would clean hikers teeth in exchange for beer while I cooked dinner. When we got to Deleware Water Gap I purchased a real nice pin ball machine for Jester to carry so we left the dental chair in the hiker box at Church of the Mountain. I'm sure another hiker must have picked it up and by now someone is sitting on it in Maine. A used dental chair is a real nice place to sit on a thru hike.
Photofanatic
04-28-2007, 05:54
Bless your heart! You are an amazing person and I mean that sincerely!
As for the backwoods chair, well there is one advantage to having an external frame pack or a substantial framed internal. I position my hiking poles at a slant backwards against the back of my pack pushing the points into the ground. I put my z-rest on the ground in front and lean back. Almost as good as my recliner at home.
The problem is getting up off the ground. :p :p :p That is performed by doing a roll to a belly flop and pushing up!
MN
LOL hahahahaha. I know most of what is written here is pure junk and funk but on occasion someone will write something that I have done. This is one of them. I did this at Dicks Creek while waiting on HikerHead to pick me up. I was so comfortable that I fell asleep. I woke up to his headlights blinding me but couldn't move. My feet went to sleep all the way up to my ass. So not only do you have to do a "roll to a belly flop" you have to kick around a bit like a fish out of water at least until you can feel the pins and needles that let you know in fact that some trail weary hiker did not come along and trade in his old legs for yours and that it is true you will walk again though you may not walk the same as before your nap. And thank God there was only one witness to the contortions.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
04-28-2007, 07:14
LOL at L. Wolfe's description. Unfortunately both Mother Nature and I have physical problems that make it impossible for us to get up from the ground without either crawling to an object (big rock or tree with good handholds) to use to push up) or do the roll on to your belly and walk your hands to your feet push up. MN needs are a bit different than mine, but we both would dearly love to have a way to sit without this hassle.