Lightweight portable/folding seat/stool

[Wits_End]

My attention has been drawn to this and similar seats - e.g. for people who need to sit down often:

https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/summit...EmK5UDQMAqiygW4szVTvrQE1rFFzLX6QaAmxlEALw_wcB

Also, rather heavier, and probably only suitable for indoors:

https://www.paperlounge.co.uk/collections/stools

I don't know if anyone has had any experience with either of them? They might be useful for carrying around if you need to get off your feet.

 

[Kitty]

I don't know if anyone has had any experience with either of them?

I know someone who carries that first type so that he's got somewhere to sit during long bird migration observations. They're good—lightweight, more stable than some portable stools, and the absence of narrow pointy legs means they don't sink into soft ground.

I'd pretty much decided to get one, but when I tried Tom's I found I couldn't manage it with my arthritic hands. It takes quite a few twists to extend it, and there's no grip or brace point for the hand that's trying to hold the top steady while the other's rotating the telescopic bit. I'd have needed a handle folded into a recess that I could raise and slip my left hand under to get a good grip.

It's also a stool rather than a chair. I'll happily sit on one if it's the only thing I can carry, but it's not easy to lower myself down with shaking legs and no armrests to help steady the movement! They could be a great option for people who're less wobbly though.

 

[hotblack]

For a few months when I was first getting ill I used stools a lot. I could walk around the house or when out for short distances, but found half a dozen steps then a sit down, then half a dozen more, worked best. Thankfully flexibility/agility wasn’t an issue but getting up/down off the floor was harder work, so I’d just keep something like this around, it was more lightweight, designed for camping, but a similar folding style.
https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/harbour-housewares-classic-folding-stool-45-black
It allowed me to get around the house more easily. Or from the carpark to a nice spot to look at nature. Never far so carrying was less of a concern, but it definitely helped.

 

[Arnie Pye]

It seems a bit odd that the weight of the stools (in the first link) hasn't been given. It would be useful to know. But I like the look of them.

Edit : There are quite a few references in the reviews to them collapsing, or not locking into place though. So, perhaps not.

 

[Wits_End]

They're very lightweight, Arnie Pye. I tried one in the store. And I found them very easy to open, just pull and twist. If they start collapsing, that's another matter, though!

 

[ahimsa]

Thanks for posting about these. It's always good to have other options!

I like the fact that without any pointy legs/feet it would not sink into the mud or grass.

I have a folding cane/seat that I use when I go to stores. See image below. (the dysautonomia sticker on the seat is my addition)

This cane/seat is very lightweight and easy to carry. And it holds up to 250 pounds (113 kg). I've had it since 1996 or 1997. I've had to replace the feet several times (standard cane tips work) but all the rest is original



For me this cane/seat is only useful if the wait is short, 5-10 minutes. Without any back support a portable seat is not comfortable for longer than that.

The brand I have is no longer available but there are others. Switch Sticks is one brand:

https://switchsticks.com/collections/seat-sticks

I did a quick search and found a bunch of options at Walmart:

https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/folding-seat-cane

 

[Sasha]

I bought a fantastically lightweight and comfortable collapsible chair from Amazon but it needs huge force to get the final foot of the chair into the fabric pocket on the seat that finally makes the chair rigid. Even using tools, my fingers aren't strong enough: I used to ask passing blokes to help me and even they struggled.

It needs to be a chair for me rather than a stool, ultra lightweight, and the flat feet so that you don't sink into soft earth would be great. Is there such a thing?

 

[ahimsa]

It needs to be a chair for me rather than a stool, ultra lightweight, and the flat feet so that you don't sink into soft earth would be great. Is there such a thing?

Good question - I don't know!

I'm not sure there's a portable chair that has a back, is lightweight enough to carry around in the store, and also folds out into a chair quickly enough that I wouldn't end up sitting on the floor (to avoid fainting). But if anyone knows about something like this, please post links!

As I said, I only use my cane/seat for very short periods. If I get to the point where I can't sit without back support for 5 minutes then I think I'd need a mobility scooter or motorized wheelchair.

Of course, buying something like that comes with its own problems. They're usually quite expensive, and I'd need a vehicle with a motorized lift. No easy answers.

 

[Wits_End]

They're very lightweight, Arnie Pye. I tried one in the store. And I found them very easy to open, just pull and twist. If they start collapsing, that's another matter, though!

Actually bought one of these, but not as easy to open as the demo version in the shop, which had presumably been opened and closed quite a few times (it contains a very strong spring). Agree that it can be quite tricky to get each tier fully open and engaged, though.

 

[Kitty]

It needs to be a chair for me rather than a stool, ultra lightweight, and the flat feet so that you don't sink into soft earth would be great. Is there such a thing?

I have a great chair that I use for sitting next to ponds to survey amphibians or dragonflies, but it's not ultra lightweight. It doesn't matter to me; it's strapped to the back of the powerchair much of the time, and when I do need to carry it, I can manage it fine. I even use it as an unconventional walking stick when crossing bumpy ground.

It's well-designed, stable, really comfortable (those curved bars against your back and under your legs make all the difference), and when I lent it to my friend for a work party, she liked it so much she got one too. Having bars rather than feet stop it sinking, and the armrests mean I can get up easily. I've bought half a dozen portable chairs over the years, but for my needs this is definitely "the one".

I bought the large version, which means it's a slightly bigger chair to carry but the seat's higher.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186343443745?var=694392254334

 

[Kitty]

Of course, buying something like that comes with its own problems. They're usually quite expensive, and I'd need a vehicle with a motorized lift.

Most people use a small van with a built-in ramp, which is cheaper and often easier than a hoist. And you can buy ready-adapted vehicles and the powerchairs secondhand.

It's still a lot of money, of course, but it's a third of the cost of buying new. Possibly a quarter if you're really canny about it.

This is an example of ramped van. I can often get out of the house a couple of times a week as long as I use the powerchair to save energy, so being able to carry it around was life changing. Took a looong time to save the money up though.