I have an Alite Monarch that I got at an REI garage sale - twice now, one of the inside pipe nipples that fits into the round ball has slipped all the way inside the outer pipe, making it useless since that leg won't stay in the ball-foot.  I managed to whittle a wood plug that worked temporarily.  which reminds me, i still need to fix that or send it back to Alite for repair.

All,

Several of the recommendations that have been made in this thread are included in this review: (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) .

I meant to refer to it in my original post.  Better late than never.  Others in the same boat that I'm in might benefit some from the analysis and find it useful.

A lot of the chairs they (the Outdoor Gear Lab) like seem to be a bit on the heavy side.  On the other hand, those who have traveled with me are well-aware that those-type items seem to stick to me like a magnet.

Carry on... (which is something I do a lot of).

Jimbo   

Wally13,

I think Helinox is rated for over 300 lbs.  I really DO like that it is so light to carry.  Nevertheless, with the Helinox & the Alite I'm mostly concerned about durability where those moving parts come into play.  Most of the time I'm squirming like a toad (didn't Jim Morrison sing that line?) in my chair and lean on it at all angles to get comfortable due to my back issues.

They sell "footies" that you can put on such chairs to keep them from sinking into the ground.  Your idea with the golf whiffle balls ought to do the trick at 10% of the cost.

Partly I need to decide if I am going to be doing mostly "base-camp trips" from now on OR if I will be up for more adventurous trips as in the good old days.  If the former, what the heck do I care about weight!?  If the latter, I REALLY care about weight!  May have to wait a few more months to see how my rehab progresses to make that call.

Still, if I could find a super-solid chair in the 5-6 pound range, I'd probably jump on it (figuratively speaking, not literally... until I got to know my chair better).

215, eh?  Hmmm... well, I guess some of us ARE known for telling whoppers here on QJ! 

Later,

Jimbo    

Mr. Jimbo,

You are correct.

The Lizard King did indeed sing those lyrics.

I'm also the proud owner of a one-of-a-kind pink-flamingo-colored Helinox. There's no way I won't be able to find my campsite at night with that chair setting out.

That description paints an excellent mental image but you are on to something.  I think a more Thor Heyerdahl-approach with a sail and outrigger system might be more effective. However, I too am "directionally-challenged" when out there on the water. If I get where I intended to go by the end of the day, it's a win. A pink chair is a bonus. A pink flamingo would be icing on the cake.