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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Winter Camping and Activities :: Chairs in the Snow
 
Author Message Text
Arcola
12/18/2018 08:35AM
 
I camp in a Baker. The front 4' is dug down to ground and back 6' is the bedding area.
I like three legged chairs for un-even ground.
 
jwclever
01/04/2019 05:43PM
 
Jaywalker,


I've really enjoyed your comments and trip reports in the past.


I do take a Helinox's chair one and table one on my winter trips into the Oregon Cascades. I've become accustomed to the creature comforts. I use a canvas tarp as my Snowtrekker tent floor. Over several days, the chair feet do create indentations through the trap into the snow. However, even without a floor tarp, Helinox also makes a chair accessory called a Ground Sheet for their chairs that is designed to work on sand but acts to spread the weight out over a broader area. It could very well work on snow as well.


Cheers,
Bill

 
Nozzelnut
02/20/2019 07:32PM
 
jwclever: "Jaywalker,



I've really enjoyed your comments and trip reports in the past.



I do take a Helinox's chair one and table one on my winter trips into the Oregon Cascades. I've become accustomed to the creature comforts. I use a canvas tarp as my Snowtrekker tent floor. Over several days, the chair feet do create indentations through the trap into the snow. However, even without a floor tarp, Helinox also makes a chair accessory called a Ground Sheet for their chairs that is designed to work on sand but acts to spread the weight out over a broader area. It could very well work on snow as well.



Cheers,
Bill
"



Bill what's covering your Helinox chair? Insulated cover?
 
wingnut
01/20/2019 12:48PM
 
I think a pair of webbing straps, going from front to back or from side to side would be great for support. Someone posted here once that used a pair but never replied back with a pic.


Would be pretty simple to make a pair by measuring the distance between the legs and just adding about three inches of webbing at each end. Then just fold the extra length over and sew a pocket for each leg to slide into.
 
Jaywalker
12/17/2018 11:39PM
 
So on my trips over the last few years I've used a small cooler as both a place for food storage and as my seat while in the tent. Lately I've been wondering if a Helinox or REI type camp chair might be a comfortable alternative, but it seems the feet would immediately sink into the snow. I'm wondering if anyone here brings a chair on trips, and if so how do you mitigate the sinking foot problem?
 
Jaywalker
01/12/2019 09:15AM
 
Thanks everyone for your replies. I am sure I'll give it a try on my next trip. I'll look into either one of those sand cloth type things or some sort of ball on the bottom. Those should work better since I usually pack down instead of dig down my tent site as I am usually either on a lake or in a black spruce swamp with no clear, hard bottom.
 
Gadfly
12/19/2018 09:27AM
 
I have used the helinox camp chair for the last 4 years or so. The legs do sink in the snow, usually its only an issue for the first day as the snow in our tent usually melts and becomes hard ice after that. Also it the snow is only a couple inches its not really an issue either.
 
DanCooke
12/19/2018 10:09AM
 
I dig down in the tent and use a 500 Denier Cordura tarp floor. and use a Helinox chair with no problem. I like the back rest it gives. bring a small closed cell foam pad to rest your bum on, helps keep you warm.
 
tg
01/21/2019 12:56PM
 
I use the helinox ground sheet under an older flexlite chair and then sewed up a synthetic underquilt for the chair which is a gamechanger!
 
SteveElms73
01/20/2019 09:48AM
 
I put the tennis balls on my Helinox chair and the work really well. You can leave them on and they'll still fit in the bag too, which is nice (you don't have to take them off each time).
 
Birdknowsbest
01/12/2019 04:03AM
 
I use 2 helinox chairs in my Snowtrekker. Put ping pong size whiffle balls on the feet up the chair to help prevent sinking. Tennis balls work even better if space isnt an issue.


We dig out as much snow as we can before we set up the tent. I do have 2 cheap blue tarps to use if things do get muddy due to all the melting.
 
bwcasolo
01/05/2019 06:52AM
 
jwclever: "Jaywalker,



I've really enjoyed your comments and trip reports in the past.



I do take a Helinox's chair one and table one on my winter trips into the Oregon Cascades. I've become accustomed to the creature comforts. I use a canvas tarp as my Snowtrekker tent floor. Over several days, the chair feet do create indentations through the trap into the snow. However, even without a floor tarp, Helinox also makes a chair accessory called a Ground Sheet for their chairs that is designed to work on sand but acts to spread the weight out over a broader area. It could very well work on snow as well.



Cheers,
Bill
"

that sure look's cozy!
 
Kraut88
01/08/2019 11:27AM
 
Yes on the Helinox Chair and Ground Sheet. IMO the chair beats sitting on a cot, cooler, etc. and you can easily move around in your tent configuration. The ground sheet is useful all year around as sinking in with these chairs seems to be a constant problem no matter the season.


Below is a link to the cloth. I think I picked mine up at Piragis last year.


https://www.amazon.com/Helinox-Ground-Sheet-Small-Black/dp/B011XKI6HE/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1546964769&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=helinox+ground+cloth