Big AgnesSkyline UL Ultralight Backpacking Chair, Discontinued (2024)

This chair has held up well over the past four years. It accompanied me to Philmont in 2021, and will do so again in 2025. It's a little heavier than other ultralight models from REI and Helinox, but definitely worth the extra weight. The REI chairs have a vertical support bar that makes them extremely tippy. I'm a bigger guy, and after watching dozens of spills from people much lighter weight than myself, I will never buy a chair with that design. The Helinox Chair Zero is a similar design to the Big Agnes Skyline UL, but the latter sits higher and can hold a little more weight. I find that it's much easier for me to get in and out of the Skyline UL, and more enjoyable and comfortable to sit in for extended periods.My Skyline UL has accompanied me on dozens of backpacking and camping trips. The bright yellow does show dirt, but it also doesn't heat up in the summer sun. When I'm backpacking, I leave my chair set up overnight and put my pack in the chair, then cover both with my rain cover. This keeps my pack off the ground and away from critters.I've learned a lot about my camping gear over the years - what works and doesn't work in various situations. I spent a lot of money on ultralight gear in the run up to my first Philmont trek, and I've made a significant investment in replacing things I didn't really like. I'll have a new tent, pad, and quilt system going into this next trek, but my Big Agnes Skyline UL has and will continue to serve me well.

The good:Quality constructionRelatively lightMore stable than some other designsThe bad:There are cheaper or lighter options for what this excels at - which is basically a place to put your butt that isn’t the ground.My 2 cents:If you are looking for ultralight and stable (on any surface) solution to keep your butt off the ground - get a sit pad.If you want more comfort - a chair you can relax in? The sacrifice of a few more ounces for a better design (stability, adjustability, versatility) is worth it and means you won’t have an expensive piece of gear you don’t use (or have to worry about near an open fire with sparks.)If you’re just sitting around a campfire and weight/space is not an issue? Get a chair with cup holders.If you really want this style chair - there are lighter options for about the same price.

I guess since this matters, like a dating profile.. I'm about 5'9 and 165 lbs.So I did not even know these existed. I was just using my old tripod stool, thinking I was "packing light." My wife bought one of these, and I was like "what is that". Dude. As light as this thing is, with a full chair you can actually sit in? The technology we have today, these are CRAZY times. Some ultralight hikers would say "a pound is too much", but man... I can tell you that after a long hike, popping one of these up and sitting down beats the CRAP out of sitting on the ground or a log. Just truly magnificent. If you can spare a pound in your pack... just get this.I do like that it seemed like it was still fairly sturdy even though it was light. I saw some other models that seemed a little wonkey to me.... There are also a couple that are LIGHTER than this, but I feel like you're paying more, and also gambling with durability at that point. The fabric material of these really feel well made and strong. The poles are also good.I read that some people complained about them breaking- I wonder if they just "plopped" down in them like a living room chair. Personally, I would treat this like you treat your tent: it's designed to be durable, but at these ultralight weights, some care and grace go a long way. Set it up, and pretend like you're always going to break it... and maybe you won't break it ;)Awesome camping purchase.

So, as as an aging backpacker and kayak/canoe camper, I was reluctant to add any more weight to my pack after years of trimming ounces. But age brings wisdom as well as physical challenges, and I decided trading 27 ounces for a guaranteed dry, comfortable place to sit was worth it.Researched “best” ultralite backpacking chairs and this one was the overall choice. You can get one that weighs a pound, but there are drawbacks, and I liked the features Big Agnes offered, including more stability and more width.Got it yesterday and immediately set it up. Reviews spoke of expected difficulty getting the seat stretched far enough across to seat the front legs into their (well made) sheaths. It was a bit of a struggle but you can put force on the remaining leg while pulling the fabric taut and get it seated.Chair is as advertised… roomy, stable, comfortable. I’m 5’9” and 170 lbs. get folks mY have different opinions. But I believe this is the widest of all unrelated backpacking chairs.I sleep in a hammock, which is fine for lazy sitting but no good for prepping, cooking, and eating food… and stationary, so the view never changes. This chair will be great for a variety of tasks and just relaxing after long days and hikes, as well as a small and light enough option to take on day hikes or paddles from base camp.

Assembles just like a camping tent, aluminum poles and shock cords. Sturdy but light weight and comfortable. I use for plein air painting and its important that it goes together quickly. Stretching the seat over the frame is no problem, the last corner goes on, for me, by laying frame on its side and pressing down on it while slipping corner over pole. And I'm not strong by any means.

The chair is very light and pretty comfortable. The only small complaint I have is that it’s a little hard to get the fabric part onto the frame of the chair

Definitely test it out before taking it on the road. It needs to be stretch out to make it an easy assembly. That was the only struggle i had with this, once it was stretched to size, it’s compact & perfect chair on the go.