I saw this intriguing idea a while back, the chairless strap:

Chairless strap is similar to one sold in USA..don't have link now.

I have been wrestling with this problem for a while now. I used to carry an ALPS camp chair that weighed ~22 oz. I really did love the luxury of it, and was the envy of my fellow hikers sitting on rocks, logs, etc. I ditched it last fall in hopes of shedding all that weight, but I have found myself bringing it again. I guess it's just a luxury I'm not willing to give up.

It seems like a great project for TiGoat or one of the other cottages to try and tackle. I would guess that by using some carbon fiber stays, lightweight fabric (cuben, with maybe a heavier-weight material on the bottom, evazote foam, and some light webbing, they could come up with something in the sub-10oz range. That would be worth quite a bit to me!

There was a thread here a while back about the strap chair. I was really intrigued by it and was seriously considering buying one. I first improvised one with a belt to see how well it worked.

Advantages: Really light.

Disadvantages : Really uncomfortable, and you can't move around.

I didn't buy one.

JerryW of Hammock Forums has a DIY/MYOG chair that is just a single piece of fabric. It uses adjustable trekking poles for support, and a sit pad for derrière comfort. If you are already using trekking poles and carrying a sit pad, the fabric is the only added weight. Specific weight will depend on the fabric used. Jerry's prototype, made of heavy awning fabric, weighed 3.5 oz - still a lot lighter than any framed chair.

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=11672

My Jerry chair, made of coated ripstop weighs 2.17 oz.

Edited by lustreking on 03/30/2011 09:17:15 MDT.

The Collin Fletcher method works for me most of the time (I don't think he invented it though).

I do supplement with a sit pad to protect my butt. The sit pad has many other uses as well.

I didn't know it was the "fletcher method", but I've been doing that with my granite gear as well. Half the time I just prop it up against a tree or rock rather than a trekking pole, and the folded sleeping pad goes under my butt... both comfy and insulating if it's chilly.

Works just about as well with my GG Gorilla as it did in the old days with my Trailwise external plus I have the luxury of the sit pad for my butt.

See my comments way above (last year), but it doesn't work so well with an empty SMD Swift. Now I just carry a thermarest compack chair kit.

Edited by abhitt on 03/31/2011 19:23:21 MDT.

I'm so lazy I like to lay on my back with my legs on my pack. Forget about sitting. That's too much work! Plus bringing a chair takes away all the fun of finding the perfect chair formed in a rock.