What to sit on in camp?
 

I have a little square self-inflating thingie. . . but I don't actually like sitting on the ground.

My little square thing is light and portable, but doesn't really do it for me.

What do you all sit on? Anything handy to carry on the bike?

You got a little square self-inflating thingie? I've got to settle for dirt!!! :o

I have an ancient round helmet that makes an excellent settee.

Haven't tried it myself, but several folks make adapters that turn a sleeping pad into a chair.

Big Agnes:
http://www.bigagnes.com/images/a-beck.jpg
Thermarest:
http://www.thermarest.com/productIma...irkit_20_l.jpg

I use the thermarest chair adapter. It is highly adjustable and can be slide open or closed to fit any type of sore back (from a long ride).

I usually site on the picnic table at the campsite so that I can be off the ground.

I also like the fact that the thermarest chair can be used inside my tent. When I want to go to sleep, I slide the sleeping pad out of the chair adapter, roll up the adapter, and go to sleep on the pad.

Highly recommended.

Ray

And, of course, if you like the idea of a trailer, (and have far more money than brains :) ), there's always the Koga Chela.

http://www.koga.com/upload/collections/6073115.jpg

Then, you are even up off the ground...

a handy dandy little 3' square cut from a cheap tarpaulin, that also doubles as a doormat for the tent, and as rain shield on the rear rack [strapped over the sleeping bag and tent] during travel, and as a protector in my bike bag during transport, and as a workbench when doing repairs and maintenance on the bike during tours, and as a bike cover during wet nights ....

I have yet to tour, but am an avid backpacker. When I backpack I have a "crazy creek" brand chair. It is very comfortable and very durable (I've had mine 8 or 9 years). I also use it as my sleeping pad when I'm trying to save weight. It's sort of the opposite of those thermarest chairs above.

Koga- Miyata Chela trailer-

DROOL!! maybe when i get a little older.... is that the base for an umbrella, or an IV drip?

Lolly- do you carry a sleeping mat? if you bring a tiny, sitting mat and that's not enough, take your full length sleeping pad, and try to find a cozy tree to lean up against with my sleeping mat and make a recliner of sorts. or a pile of rocks. or leaning up on a pile of your panniers. those chair adapters are nice, but you still sit on the ground.

For my full touring rig, i usually bring a 3/4 length pad, and a couple small foam sitting pads, and double them up as the foot section of the shortish pad at night. i fold them once or twice and stuff them up under the top lids of my panniers.


if you need to get off the ground, find a big rock or stump to set up camp next to and sit on that. i also keep and eye out for abandonded campgrounds and old, tired picnic areas up here in the Northwest, and often find one...

if thats not conveinent, the lightest type of chair to pack along would be a simple folding "X" type camping stool, OR the old "Y" style walking/ shooting stool-cane combo.

BUT the nicest, lightest, big comfy folding chair that gets you off the ground is the SLINGLIGHT. 100 bucks, 18 ounces, made by Freeform R&D in Monrovia, CA.....holds like, 350 pounds. so duro and well built it holds two people ;) its an ultralight camping version of the classic, sling deck and beach chair. it would fit atop a set of rear panniers just fine. i havent had one for ten years, but oh soo comfortable. i've been meaning to order another one.

It's actually a camera mount, according to the writeup.

It's a very pretty-looking trailer, but it weighs 12.6Kg!! I mean, I have bicycles significantly lighter than that ...

These chairs have been used extensively by camper/backpackers for ~15 years. They work very well. You can sit in them comfortably for hours. Longer with supplemental relaxing agents, a nice fire on a cool night and a steady stream of tall tales.

I know of no other field chair that offers this comfort for similar weight/cost.

The lightest one weighs ~11 oz and costs ~25 bucks.

I sit in my Hennessy Hammock.

Thanks everyone for the ideas! I forgot about those chair adapters! I have an Alpkit sleeping mat, and I do take it camping, so that would work, providing the width is suitable for an adapter.

Georgebaby, thank you for posting that trailer. Wow. That's all I can say!

The idea of getting up off the ground is the key really. It gets damp here at night. .. that is, unless it isn't already raining. ;) There aren't many trees or picnic tables in Ireland. (Also makes using a hammock a dire option, because I think I would really like a hammock.)

Sitting on my helmet is a good idea, and making a little square of tarp for multiple uses also makes good sense. Basically, I guess what I want is a chair. Bek, that Slinglight might just do it. I will have a wee nosy. Thanks everyone!