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Ask HN: Is there a good camping chair that is comfortable for programming?
94 points by reimertz on June 13, 2023 | hide | past | favorite | 80 comments
We are getting really good weather in Sweden right now and I'd love to be able to sit and work comfortably in a park and got the idea that I should invest in a folding camping chair.

There is quite a lot of folding chairs and since this is a first for me, would love to know if someone else have done this research.

What I would love in my folding camping chair is

* Comfortable

* High quality

* Small size when folded down

* Adjustable

* Dream feature: Built in sun-shade :)




I'd recommend a chair that folds up to a square shape, rather than a tube shape. Like this one from BCF (available in Australia, I'm sure there's a similar shop in Sweden) : https://www.bcf.com.au/p/wanderer-reclining-mesh-lounger/520...

This is the kind I'd recommend you avoid: https://www.bcf.com.au/p/oztent-king-goanna-hotspot-camp-cha...

The reason being is that these chairs tend to have better back and butt support for longer periods. This particular model allows you to recline as well, which can be good. It'd mess up your neck if you're doing it every day for weeks on end, but the occasional park day would be fine.


I can second both the recommendation and the style of the ones to avoid. I spent several weeks camping and working remotely using the first one over the winter (here in Florida that’s the best time to camp). Tried using the other style too, but always found it uncomfortable for head down work.


I am sitting in a $10 Walmart camping chair as I type this with my laptop in my lap.

[edit: oops, it's $8 https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-Basic-Quad-Folding-Ca...]

For me, the second part - the laptop in my lap - is 90% of working comfortably whether on the go or in my regular workspace.

The chair just needs to be good enough...just needs to not have terrible ergonomics and for me "better" chairs tend to be worse.

Chairs being better or worse based on theory won't reliably predict whether a chair is going to work for you. That's why Aeron's come in different sizes.

Good luck.

[PS: if a want shade, I put my chair in shade]


I worked in a chinese compact chair like the ones pointed out here(helinox) both the large and small size.

I rather use the cheap decathlon folding chair with armrests: https://www.decathlon.es/es/p/silla-plegable-camping-quechua... which is surprisingly comfortable for me


You may be an exception. Everyone I know, including myself, hates this style.


Yeah I think most people would agree today. 20 years ago those were the nice ones, and these were the ones everyone hated:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lawn-Chair-USA-Folding-Aluminum-W...


Check out Helinox https://helinox.eu/. We have a couple that we take to the parks with us in London and they're great.


Knock off versions with the same style are all over amazon[1] at a 5th of the price. Im sure the helinox versions are better but 5x better?

[1] https://amzn.eu/d/8uoKjrS


At the last few grams, a small reduction gets very expensive. Helinox are super light, great for hiking and motorcycles. If you’re in a car, you can take a lot more with you.


Guarantee the knock off versions use cheap pot metal rivets and will fall apart after 4 uses.


In my poorer student days, I actually used one of these (stye) as my primary writing chair in my home. If it's the right size for your shoulders and arms, it works quite well


They say that they hold up to 120 kilos but I find that simply impossible to believe given how thin the frame is and the joints being made of plastic.


You can't see inside the join, it's possible the metal pieces connect and the plastic is just for guidance or to prevent your fingers getting caught.


No, the plastic parts are sockets and the aluminum rods do not connect to each other. The rods are not stock round profiles—they have a slightly trapezoidal profile and fairly thick wall. This is the special sauce of Helinox’s parent company, and definitely can hold the weight.

I bought some of these after getting sick of cheap ones that break and have non-replaceable fabric that tears easily after enough sunlight. Great so far.


They look nice. One question though, they seem to be mostly tilted back, do you think this would be comfortable if I use it with a desk?


They might be a bit difficult for that, definitely more for chilling out.


Regardless of chair, I would also recommend a small folding desk like this one: https://table-mate-llc.myshopify.com/products/table-mate-ult...

It's much more ergonomic than working off your lap, since your arms can be in a more neutral position and your neck isn't tilted down all day.

In a pinch, picnic tables are also ergonomically better, if you can find one nearby.


> We are getting really good weather in Sweden right now

With all that sunshine up north you might also want a build-in unfoldable solar panel so that you can charge your laptop in perpetuity?


I recommend charging a separate battery pack with the solar then plugging THAT into the laptop. The reason being laptops don't like direct sun and are nearly impossible to use.


You just need to make the panel area much wider so that it can create shade ;-)

https://tailgating-challenge.com/solar-chair-review/


The bigger the chair, the bigger the comfort - but you are more restricted in the place, as you don't want to move that big chair so far. And the most accessible places are usually the loudest (but in Sweden you probably have more space).

I do maybe 50% of programming outside and I can use any place, but the best places require a bit more walking (or climbing). So I have some hidden spots around where I live and no one bothers me there, so the best condition for me to get into the zone.

And sometimes I bring a small chair with me (that fits in a backpack), but usuall not and I rather learned to sit comfortable with my legs crossed.

Called Schneidersitz in german (literal: tailors seat, but that does not seem to be a english word)

https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schneidersitz

It is also a yoga position and good for your back muscles.

So I don't need a chair and can sit and work anywhere.

(And since I was quite nomadic and outdoor, I did sit in lots of remote, but awesome locations - solar powered).

But I am using this position since a kid, so if you are not used to it, you might never find it comfortable and this surely would not help with any work getting done. But for me it is way better for my back, than a standard camping chair.


The equivalent in English would be “sitting cross-legged”.


I think pretty much everyone is familiar with sitting this way, but terminology varies. When I was a kid everyone called it "Indian style", but that term has fallen out of favor. At my kids' schools they called it "cris-cross applesauce".


Ok, but where do you put your laptop while in schneidersitz?


On my knees. Or some sort of table, you can bring one or improvise your backpack for example.

But yes, if your laptop is very heavy, then you want a small table, or a lighter laptop.


I like to hike into the middle of the wilderness and work, which means I want as little weight as possible.

Initially I was thinking I'd buy one of these: https://www.intension-design.com/tripodtable

But it is both heavy, not versatile, and expensive. Instead, I made my own:

1. Got a high quality, lightweight camera tripod with a ball head which I could use for photography anyway. This is more expensive than the above but extremely lightweight, durable, small and w/lifetime warranty: https://www.peakdesign.com/products/travel-tripod or https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085BQS6K4 the important thing here is that the ball head can be well-tightened since you'll be resting both laptop and some weight from your arms on it.

2. Got an HDPE cutting board (you can buy these anywhere for like $10). This acts as the 'desk' surface and is very lightweight and durable.

3. Drilled a hole in the top two corners of the breadboard, through which I passed and knotted 1/4in bungee cord. This crosses along the top of my keyboard, below the screen, in the hinge of my laptop and keeps the laptop from sliding off. It's a bungee seatbelt, basically.

The whole thing compresses down to minimal space inside my backpack, so that I can also fit a lightweight backpacker's chair if I want to sit – but the beauty of the tripod is that it also adjusts for standing height, and I've found I don't even bring the chair anymore and just stand there in the middle of the woods writing. Good for posture and productivity, and when I really need to rest I also have a hammock that I can string up :)

I really like this tripod + breadboard setup a LOT and I even use it around my house now.

-----

EDIT: photos as requested

Laptop strapped in: https://ibb.co/yNgbtRf

Underside: https://ibb.co/ZhpxdYg

Top w/out laptop: https://ibb.co/rbs2bVK

Mounting bolt: https://ibb.co/5W9BvCH


Can you show us a picture of the setup? Sounds great but struggling to visualise.

Bonus points if you include a shot of it in the woods.


Laptop strapped in: https://ibb.co/yNgbtRf

Here is a shot of the underside: https://ibb.co/ZhpxdYg

Here is a shot of the top. The glue marks were from me trying out having rubber feet on the breadboard to insure no slippage but it turns out my MBP has pretty decent rubber feet: tohttps://ibb.co/rbs2bVK

Standard mounting screw straight through the bread board. I drilled the hole maybe 1mm smaller than the bolt size and then just jammed it in there, and I leave the quick mount just attached to the breadboard: https://ibb.co/5W9BvCH


A music stand could be used for that purpose as well - here is mine setup:

https://ibb.co/87nR95f


Lovely!


Thank you - looks great!


If you don't want to spend money on the expensive peak design tripod, you can find many alternatives at half the cost like the "Ulanzi Zero Y Lightweight Travel Tripod"


Yes this is true, my only issue with that is the tolerances in the tripod head since cheaper tripods are generally meant for simple prosumer/SLRs whereas professional photographers who use heavier/longer lenses need the same amount of support I need to rest my wrists as I type.


I use a Tommy Bahama beach chair for this, and I love it. I find it comfortable, reasonably adjustable. Quality is good value for the price but not incredible. Size is not too small, but it has a storage bag + cool bag on the back so it can be used as a backpack (easily fits a laptop + accessories). Some come with little collapsible sun shades.

You can find it online easily (https://www.tommybahama.com/en/c/home-view_all_beach_gear), but again this is a cheap option, don't expect miracles!


I'd love to do the same but I generally find it uncomfortable to use a laptop for two reasons:

The screen is too far down so I have to bend my back and neck to look at the screen causing neck pain.

The screen is at the right height, but because it's a laptop the keyboard is too far up and it's tiring for my hands.

I can't think of a solution to this other than bringing a keyboard, mouse and some awkward stand to elevate the laptop as a screen.


I agree to the point that whenever I see someone with a laptop I often wonder, "how much work are you actually getting done on that thing?"

I've known people who exclusively work on laptops, no keyboard, sometimes no mouse. How productive are they, really? I feel not very.


“I don’t know how to work effectively from a laptop therefore no one does” is, to be frank, one of the worst takes I have read on HN for a while.

There’s nothing about a laptop keyboard that makes it not useful for work, nor anything about the screen size.

There are almost certainly any number of people who are more productive in front of their laptop than you are in front of whatever it is you use. There are people who are worse.

Pretending your choice of form factor is the ultimate in productivity is for the birds.


Not understanding something isn't a judgement of others.

Laptop keyboards are:

1) Too small 2) Have awful ergonomics otherwise

Laptop screens:

1) Are too small 2) Are positioned awfully with regards to the laptop

There are a lot of other obvious issues. I just don't see how you can be as productive (the average person here not all people) vs a desktop setup.


That’s true, and if you had simply expressed your lack of understanding that would be perfectly reasonable, but “probably not very [productive]” is a judgement, is what you wrote, and what I pointed out was a bad take. Edit: The edited and expanded comment (initially, it was just the single first sentence) directly contradicts the first sentence: subjective opinions on form factors don’t lend to definitive statements about productivity.


Well, I apologize. Poorly phrased.


I regularly work with only my laptop and I get a lot done. I find that even while wearing glasses, I crane my neck more with a big monitor. With modern window managers I don’t really need all that space anyway. The only time it gets slightly cramped is while debugging, but on a 16 inch screen it’s not too bad.


I guess I would count as one of those people. I've never had a non-laptop computer (outside of office ) and I find it amazing for productivity.

I'm using one that has a 17 inch screen (with additional monitor at home) which I guess is bigger than average. With a window manager that doesn't waste space, I can fit pretty much everything in there.

I find that looking down strains my eyes less than staring at a monitor. I rarely use a mouse or the trackpad.

Laptop keyboards are amazing; I can reach all the function keys without ever moving my hands and it takes less force to press down each key. While most of the time I type without looking, when I do need to sneak a peek, the keyboard is close enough that I don't even need to move my sight.

And of course nothing beats the feeling of sitting on a tree stump and working in the middle of a forest.


That's great!


For the most part comfort and small size are going to be something you need to pick one of, except the crazy creek.

I’d recommend this for pure comfort but it’s large

https://www.yeti.com/outdoor-living/chairs/26010000016.html


What about using a foldable standing desk? That would be easier to set up in a shady spot...


I use a low folding beach chair that I think my wife got at a CVS or Walgreens store (US). Sorry I don't have a model number or better photo of the whole chair. One "c" clamp is enough to hold a board in place for the laptop. I'm about 61.5 kilos / 177 cm. In a shady spot I can work comfortably for a few hours with short breaks. The low height means I can put my legs out in front of me. The board fits inside the chair when its folded so I can carry them with one hand.

Pics: https://imgur.com/a/1HjaE2W


I actually use one of these style camping chairs:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0561/9430/1975/products/go...

They have decent lower back support, padded armrests, don't cut off leg circulation and encourage good posture.

You can find them off-brand for about $30 USD around here.


How are you supposed to touchtype if you only have a chair but without a table? I recommend you just to take a hammock, seems like all your requirements have been met.


Crazy Creek chairs. Not many features and low to ground, yet very comfortable for long periods of time and collapses down to very small footprint.


I love my crazy creek chair, but the upward angle that it naturally puts your lap and knees into isn't really conducive to supporting a laptop. You would constantly be holding your laptop with your hands to stop it from sliding against your belly, and you'd be craning your neck down the whole time.


Oh, this seems like a very interesting product. Have you tried the LongBack chair? If so, would that be preferable for long usage vs. the original / smaller one?


Your back isn’t the issue with crazy creeks, the original supports lower back enough. Really issue is just getting in and out of them (at least for me, I’m pretty tall)


Built in sun shade is totally a thing - there are umbrellas with a built in clamp to attach them to just about any chair. And they work fine as rain umbrellas too.

https://www.outbackadventures.net.au/product/oztrail-clip-on...


Have you used your laptop outside, yet?

Many laptop screens are barely viewable outside (not bright enough), and some have horrible glare.

You should try it and see.


Adjustable and folding chairs don't particularly go together, especially if you're talking light weight.


I have a friend that has one of these: https://www.cliqproducts.com

He swears by it. The main reason he uses it, is because he's a bicyclist, and needs small and light, when folded.

Looks great, but pricey.


Decathlon has cheap one: https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/folding-camping-chair-mh500/_/...


I have had two, because one fell out of my bike bag. It's pretty good for something you can easily carry on a bike, but it's not the lap of luxury. Unless you slouch down a lot you're going to wobble left and right.


I love the neck support which might enable for relaxing code sessions. I do wonder if a leg stand would be needed for longer sessions due to the weird angle you might end up with having your computer on your lap.


Their presentation video is very funny.


I would recommend one of the Herman Miller chairs. They are not cheap but they are high quality. They don't fold but they do have wheels and are easily washable with lots of water, built like tanks, just fine for the outdoors.


You think he's going to drag around a Herman Miller chair in the park?


Park? Folding chair?

Isn’t the Herman Miller thingie just the opposite of it?


Slightly different wish for a garden chair recommendation here:-)

Primary use case - relaxation/sunbathing.

- supports legs (from calfs), trunk, head

- supports sitting/laying body facing up/down

- easy to handle/unfold

- small size when folded

- the weight is not a primary factor


There is no such thing as a camping chair for programming.


I like the kind of beach chairs that place your bottom only an inch or two off the ground. Search for "low beach chair"


That would be nice. It would also probably work as a chair for small houses that you can stow away when you are not using it.


I bought a 3 legged camping stool which I thought would be portable and good for sitting against a tree, but unfortunately it gave me pins and needles after about 20 minutes.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/camping-tripod/_/R-p-13373

Shame, as it was fine up until that point.


Related question: any recommendations on a decent budget portable monitor for a similar purpose?


There's a bunch of USB-C portable monitors these days that just work off the laptop battery, using that same cable.

I had a Lenovo one and it was fine. Display quality (and more importantly brightness) was vastly inferior to the Macbook's, but enough for Slack...


"chair umbrellas" work really well. They have a clip that attaches to your chair.


I personally like the zero gravity ones. Never fully assembled a setup, tho.


a basic chair with long, straight hard-back are best for long-coding sessions. Also consider an airy surface to place your laptop on (your lap?) e.g a wooden/bamboo laptop support/stand (grill).


REI flexlite camp dreamer is pretty good, but its not adjustable.


Is the Yeti Hondo available where you live?


Those are great chairs! I’ve had mine for a year and left it out in the sun, rain and snow and it has literally no sign of wear. And it is very comfortable! And expensive!


Is it going to be used with a desk?


Initially, I was thinking no but if there is a small folding table that would work with a folding chair, why not?


I was digging around Helinox' site for the chairs and came across: https://helinox.eu/collections/tables/products/tactical-fiel...


https://wifibum.com/working-while-camping/




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