Mayfly Chair

First of all I have eyed the Helinox chair and prefer the design over previous Alite Monarch Chair (which has to be balanced as you sit). However the shortcomings that I could foresee in camp grounds that have wet ground, or surf fishing by the beach is that the pointed legs of the Helinox chair could sink into any soft surface too easily.I put off the purchase for a few months and along came this new arrival from Alite that allows the front legs to be removable for conversion to a rocking " balance" chair. I knew that with the chair legs sitting diagonally flat on any surfaces, it would minimize sinking into soft surfaces and without hesitation, I bit the bullet and bought it.I did spend a bit of time looking for reviews but didn't have much luck as the product was new.Well after receiving it, I have to admit that this is one piece of well thought out product and very ergonomic as well. The legs are made of solid light weight aluminium and snaps into each other easily to form the frame as it has stretchable cords in the core -much like tent poles. The material were very well stitched with heavy reinforcements for the frame eye sockets. It's even colour coded.Assembly was very easy, sat in it and just immediately realised how comfortable the chair can be. Its stable with all legs installed and allows you to rock a bit if you choose to - thanks to the ball feet on the back legs. Get rid of the front legs and you can rock even harder.Centre of gravity is very low for this chair and your legs will be in a stretched out position which will be good for resting after long hikes. Being low to the ground is often better when you are hiking as it allows you to cook easily off the ground ( no tables... remember!)It's also very lightweight which gives me a nagging feeling that I will lose this chair to the wind one day!Packing was even easier, just unhook the frame, collapse and roll it in the chair covering. The stuff sack is just perfectly sized to be very accommodating in packing the chair back in. No dramas there at all!Two improvements that I would hope to see is that :- the front leg eye socket on the chair needs to be a little bit longer to prevent the front legs frame from slipping slightly and wobble. This small problem goes away once your full weight is on it and the chair is miraculously stable.- an add-on accessory for your head to tilt back and rest. Especially great if you are waiting for a fish to strike and you decide to take a snooze. The chair currently hugs your entire upper body comfortably and is even wide enough for your arms to rest against it but offers no support for the head or neck.I'm probably trying to perfect what is already an absolutely brilliant product so pay no heed to my product improvement recommendation.In summary, if there is one light chair you need to go for, and would like to be able to still use it in soft grounds without sinking in. This will be it! In my mind, this is probably one of the better lightweight chair design out there to challenge the current market.It's got so many "kudos" to it that I felt compelled to write a review on it! Your body will melt into this chair and you will learn to love it over time!Highly Recommended!!! Well done Alite! This is a winning product here!

Holy Cow, this thing is AMAZING, I thought it was a bit expensive and then I got it and I just cannot believe the quality. If you are like me and you get stuff that you like but get frustrated that it is not really made to last or with nice fit and finish, then you will NOT be disappointed with this chair. Every aspect of it is made to last and work well. I weigh 220 (please do not share that, I need to lose 20 lbs) and I am 6 feet tall and this thing holds me like a champ. It is comfortable and it folds up TINY. I got it so I could strap it on my motorcycle behind me and ride up to the hills, stop an have a nice cup of tea and a think. It is just remarkable how small it folds down too. AND, the bag it comes in actually fits all the stuff - even when I repack it which, inevitably is not nearly as tidy or well done as the people at the factory and it all fits well!I took the time to write this because here is a product that seems expensive, but delivers on the money - it is GREAT value and an excellent product! Go for it!

In under two months of light use two of the shafts pushed back inside of the tube rendering the chair unusable. Rather than having an inner shaft that extends out of both ends apparently some type of glue is used to hold short shafts in place and this glue failed in two locations in my chair. I initially liked the chair as it is extremely light but if the glue fails on one shaft then it is just an expensive pile of connected tubes.Once the chair became unusable I attempted it to return it but since at that time I had it for over 30 days I was simply notified that my request was closed due to "Expiration of returns period".

We live in New Orleans, and among other festivals, we attend two weekends of Jazz Fest every year. We're close enough to walk to the festival, but even a short trek with sunburn can lead to discomfort when you're lugging a big chair. Since the grounds are often wet, we've learned it's nice to have a boost, but I hate the big camping ones with arms that wing out and you can't walk past because you get caught. The Mayfly was my ticket!We've just tested it out for the first weekend and was able to experience all the elements — rain, heat, wind, slush.1. Rain: PRETTY GOOD. the chair does catch a lot of water in the bucket part. Perhaps a little riveted rain hole would be handy. And disassembly is a pain when you're trying to beat the rain. It would be nice if it could just fold up like traditional portable chairs.2. Heat: AWESOME. the chair keeps you really cool because it's so low to the ground, the space below creates a nice little a/c effect — perfect for storing your overheating iPhone or flask.3. Wind: FAIL. Our biggest disappointment. Because the chair is sooooo light.... it flies away! You have to weigh it down with something, or perhaps there's a way to anchor it in the future.4. Slush: GREAT. We were worried that we'd sink in the ground too much with the chair, but so far, we've been fine.Overall, the chair can be difficult for older folk to get in and out of without a slight spill. But seriously, I love how light and compact it is. I stuck it in my purse and didn't even have to take it out for the security check.So, if you're at a fest, plan on camping out with some chair anchors because it's a little too time-consuming to assemble and take apart every time you switch stages. And as crowded as it is at Jazz Fest, you can't just carry it.