Naturehike's lightweight camping micro chair. Is it worth buying?

A lightweight, small and packable, affordable camping chair by Naturehike with outstanding quality for a reasonable price.

I purchased this micro chair from the Naturehike official store on Ali Express. I needed a chair for backpacking and hiking trips, something which could easily fold down and pack away with minimal weight. I was initially put off by offerings of brands such as Kathmandu, as their Roamer Tri Stool comes in at over double the weight of Naturehike's micro stool. Coleman NZ & Macpac offer nothing in this ultra light micro chair category.

My First Impressions

I received my order approximately 3 weeks after ordering from Naturehike's official Ali Express store. For $20 and free shipping, I am highly impressed with the materials and quality of the chair. The legs of the chair are constructed from 7075 grade aluminium which is widely used for construction of aircraft structures, such as wings and fuselages. Its strength and light weight are also desirable in other fields. Rock climbing equipment and bicycle components are commonly made from 7075 aluminium alloy. This is the same construction used in Naturehike's more expensive bucket chairs.

The seat is constructed from a thick 420D oxford cloth, and is reinforced at the edges as well as in two places in the center of the seat. There is a red ribbon logo sewn onto the seat with Naturehike branding.

Specifications of the Naturehike micro chair

The chair measures 25cm by 16cm when packed away, and opens out to 26cm high, by 25cm wide and 22cm deep when set up. This is big enough for an average sized person. The weight limit on this chair is 75kg according to Naturehike, but I am closer to 80kg and the chair supports me easily. Packed weight of this chair is 272grams including the small nylon carry bag. The chair can easily be folded away in less than 10 seconds, the aluminium legs are held together by an thick piece of elastic cord.

Pros and Cons

Pros: This chair beats the offerings by some major brands for lightweight camping chairs. The chair is very affordable and extremely light weight, and the materials are premium quality and exceptionally well finished. Cons: The weight limit on the chair is only 75-80kg, so larger people will not be able to use this chair. You'll also need to wait about 3 weeks to receive the chair from Naturehike in China (via Ali Express).

If you are on the heavier side you might be better off with another chair by Naturehike, their folding bucket chair which is rated up to 120kg.

The Final Score

Value for money: This chair gets a 5/5 for value. This is cheaper than all major retailers I found selling a similar product which met the criteria of being lightweight and easily packable. Quality and durability: Another 5/5 for quality. The materials used are exceptional for a chair which cost about $20.00 nzd. I was most impressed by the metal pieces, they are very thick and have a nice glossy finish. Availability: This category gets a 4/5. You will need to wait at least 3 weeks for the chair to arrive (based on China to New Zealand shipping times).

Thanks, for reading this review.