31.3.2017

I wanted something to sit on while backpacking. So, I looked around at everything on the market and ended up with a WalkStool. There weren't really many other viable options for me. This review is for the Walk Stool Comfort 55 cm / 22" model.Some background to begin. I'm a 6'0" tall guy who weighs about 215 lbs. I'm 60 years old but have no health issues that caused me to want a chair for backpacking. I don't have arthritis or bad knees or bad hips or back problems. I do 10 mile runs 2 days per week. I lift weights 2 days per week. I can squat 400 lbs in the gym. I generally carry a backpack that weighs between 40 and 55 lbs. I bring up my fitness level only to emphasize that unlike many of the reviewers of the Walk Stool,I wasn't looking to deal with health issues or seeking relief from pain. For me it was a quality of life issue.I've been backpacking since I was about 14 years old (early 1970's, yikes). I live in New England and that's where I do most of my hiking with the majority of that in New Hampshire's White Mountains. Now, I've been backpacking without a chair or stool for 45 years and I have no problem sitting cross legged on the ground or popping myself back up on my feet. But recently it occurred to me that some sort of seat would make life better if it were small and light enough to carry into the back country. I'll give you some examples.....1.) Here in New England, I'd say a rock is handy about 50% of the time. I've always plopped down on or against a rock to rest and take the load off without removing my pack. But there's that other 50% of the time.....2.) Even if you can find a rock, it may not be the right height or shape to rest on. It would be nice to have a seat that deployed quickly to exactly the right height for a rest and allowed you to stand up easily with a 55 lb pack on.3.) The forest floor here is wet about 75% of the time. So sitting on the ground can be wet and / or muddy. A soggy butt is not fun.4.) We also have no shortage of ticks. Wood ticks, deer ticks, and lone star ticks all call this area home. Sitting on a rock, a log, or the ground increases your exposure to ticks.5.) My liquid fuel stove, an MSR Dragonfly, is positioned on the ground 99.9% of the time. Bending over or kneeling while preparing, cooking, and serving a meal would be a lot more comfy with a seat at the proper height.6.) Lacing up your boots with a heavy morning dew is more difficult when you are seated on the ground, bending down, or kneeling. Once again, a seat would make it easier.7.) Doing chores like washing dishes or clothes would be a lot easier with a seat.8.) Just sitting around a campfire in the fall would be nicer if you are up off the cold ground.9.) etc., etc., etc.So, for me I rationalized the weight / benefit and looked around for a seating solution. Given my 215 lb weight + a 55 lb pack, I wanted something strong. I would flip out if I had to carry useless weight for a week because the chair failed. The 55 cm / 22 inch walk stool supposedly supports 495 lbs. That provides plenty of safety margin. I also wanted something that could be deployed and packed up quickly. So I was immediately biased against true "chairs" despite their backrest and better comfort. They all have lots of little tubes that need to be assembled and then a fabric needs to be stretched over a frame sort of like setting up a tent. Also a chair with a back would prevent using it if you had the pack on. And, all the true chairs seemed to max out around 250-300 lbs, leaving very little safety margin.A lot of the reviewers of "Chairs" with metal poles reported failures, mostly in the plastic hubs that hold the poles. Some said the frames of those chairs were OK with front to rear forces but not side to side forces. Also the chairs seemed to deliver a seat height between 12 - 16 inches which seemed a little low.So I decided to trade off the comfort of a back support of a true chair for the strength, ease / speed of deployment and pack up, and seat height of the Walk Stool. I'm very happy with it. It's very comfortable for me. It weighs only 2 lbs. It takes less than 10 seconds to deploy or store. And it's pretty rugged.As for height, like I said I'm 6'0" tall and I ordered the 55 cm / 22" stool. I actually could have been happy with the 45 cm / 18" stool. But the 55 cm model was about $20 cheaper when I ordered and the extra height may come in handy on soft ground. There is no simple answer to height choice. It depends on your own height and your weight as well as your physical condition as well as your intended use for any stool. If you are taller or you have trouble rising from a seated position you'll want to go with a higher seat. If you are 6'0" or shorter and you have no problems getting up, I'd bet the 45 cm / 18" model is the best bet for backpackers. I should point out that in my 22" walk stool, my butt actually sits 19" off the ground. 22" would be the height of the fabric seat with no weight on it. But when I sit down, the seat sags about 3". Yeah, I measured it. So the 18", 22", 26", and 30" sizes should only be viewed as a relative guide. You will actually sit about 3 " lower than the advertised height when you're using the stool.One odd note. When I saw the Walk Stool marketing video that mentioned the two-height "feature", I laughed. I though it was the result of a marketing team stretching to come up with reasons to buy. Well, I tried it and I'm not laughing now. It works much better for cooking with my stove on the ground. It took me maybe two minutes to figure out how to fling the collapsed stool under me as I sat down and then balance on it. One I got used to it, it's much more comfy for cooking or putting on my boots or tending a backpacking stove on the ground.The only thing I have left on my wish list is finding a way to rig it on my backpack so that I can deploy it and store it without taking my pack off. I'll update this review with photos if I find a decent solution. Unfortunately, the legs do not lock in the collapsed position and they will drop out with some shaking so, ditching the storage bag isn't an option unless I can find a way to attach the stool to my pack upside down.Highly recommended as a backpacking companion.

20.4.2018

I love the idea, the execution is great, and most importantly, it really does support my very heavy body. You can believe its weight limit claims.I bought this stool because I am spending a month in a country where there are not many people my size, and I’m pretty sure there will be times I don’t fit in their chairs. (It happens in the US where there are plenty of people my size, so it’s only logical to guess it will happen more in a poor country with few large people). I didn’t want to be carrying a big camping chair all around the countryside, but I also don’t want to spend a month never having a place to sit. This is the perfect solution.I was shocked to discover there is something like this in existence; usually any sort of outdoor gear,clothing, anything like that completely ignores large people. Weight limits are always much too low for me to even consider. I randomly happened to see an ad for this, the one with a bunch of these holding up a car. I looked it up and saw that the weight limit for the shortest stool (I’m 5’2”) was over 400lbs. Wow! That could work!I tried two - the 18” and the next size up. For me the next size up was too tall and awkward to sit down on. This one is the right size for me considering my height and my size. A thinner or more agile person my height might enjoy the taller stool if falling is not a big concern for them. This one is fairly low to the ground, once you sit in it and the seat sinks down, but that’s better than the uncomfortable angle of the higher stool and the challenge of hoisting my heavy self into it.Obviously it’s ultra portable. I will be carrying a small backpack on my trip and this stool does fit inside it, but what I did is wore the stool like a backpack underneath my actual backpack. It works for my body because of my size; the stool fits right inside the gap that naturally exists when I wear a backpack. If you’re smaller that might be uncomfortable, but it looks fairly easy to attach to a backpack with a carabiner (personally I would find that less comfortable as it would throw weight distribution off balance).It bears mentioning that, while it’s surprisingly durable and steady for what it is, it’s not going to feel solid like a metal or wooden chair does. When you move, it moves a bit, and it can feel like it’s going to fall over. I take care to remember that I’m sitting on something that folds into my backpack, so I try to jostle it as little as possible. Maybe that’s just from a lifetime as a fat person worried about embarrassing broken chair scenarios (hasn’t ever happened yet), but also, it’s nylon mesh stretched over three lightweight poles. It’s not crazy to worry it might collapse. Keep that in mind.UPDATE: I used it on my trip and it was a life-saver. I ended up waiting in a rebooking line for three hours when my flight was canceled and I was really happy to have this thing (and relieved I stuck it in my carryon). It got as much use in my destination country as I imagined it would; I even used it once in the airport in China where the chairs were ridiculously fragile. It wasn’t comfy enough to sit on for more than about an hour, but most of the time I only needed it for about that long anyway, with the exception of that airport line.

31.1.2014

I bought an 18" Walkstool Comfort many years ago and quite frankly beat the hell out of it. I used it camping, as a quickee seat while working on my car, at fairgrounds ... wherever I could pull out a comfortable seat out of nowhere. Its come in handy about a million times and the ease of stuffing it in a backpack or whatever contributes greatly to its utility.Can't say enough good things about it... and like any well-used tool, it eventually wore out. After about 8 years one of the legs broke. Realistically I could have probably fixed it as the rest of it was fine (mostly) just that one leg was actually broken and they sell parts on the manufacturer's web site.If it wasn't for the fact I weigh 265 lbs I expect the product would have lasted even longerSo now I have a 22" Walkstool Comfort, just delivered by Amazon Prime today. I'll make a couple of quick observations and comment a little further on my poor dead 18" model and how you might make it last forever.The 22" model is surprisingly large. I can't imagine someone using the 30" model but hey there are some really tall people out there. Best way to understand the height of these things is to measure where your office desk chair's seat comes up to. It turns out mine is 20", and I sort of wished I had thought of that before buying. While the 22 is perfectly comfortable as a full size seat, the 18 was perhaps a better working size: You are 4 inches closer to the toolbox you have sitting on the ground. Its also smaller, which is going to make it a bit easier to pack, although its pretty easy to carry around either way (they come with carry bags now which in my view is just something for you to have to remember to pick up... there's no need as the stool will stay closed up thanks to the sturdy strap that keeps it together.As far as extended use goes, I did have an issue with my old one: Over many years the legs got stiff with respect to extending them. Further, to extend the legs you grasp the base of the leg and pull, and the rubber foot on the leg is what you use to gain purchase on the leg. Well, over the course of many uses and many years, those feet wear thru (the legs still bite just fine on the ground) and can come loose when you are pulling out a stiff leg. I always got the thing out but there were some cusswords needed to make it happen. I tried smearing a little grease on the leg and this was mostly effective, although a greasy leg can be problematic if you forget its on there. I used black lithium grease and I probably would have been better served using Mobil Aviation grease - the red stuff - which is impervious to the elements and very long-lived.While my original didn't last forever, it did last a long time through very hard use. I'm glad I have another again.EDIT: May 2014 - A short time after writing the above I decided that the 22" height was actually uncomfortable (cut off circulation in my legs as a result of downward pressure on the webbing due to the increased height). Not the product's fault but do yourself the favor of performing a height check on a chair at your home to avoid the return charge for non-defective merchandise.

25.7.2017

Safe, secure, comfy, and easily portable. I'm a rubenesque beauty and this stool holds up very well. Checked the Walkstool website first, looked over all the reviews possible and decided this is the best. Here's a point by point analysis.I've been blessed to go to San Diego Comic-Con the last several years by volunteering and have tried numerous portable seat products. First tried a rolling cart with a seat attached; ok but needed more strength. Then a portable short mesh chair with a carrying bag; did the job but was a bit heavy and cumbersome. This stool is the best one by far. It has it's own carrying bag, fits in my backpack, and is extremely lightweight.Wanted a seat that would hold my weight and a heavy backpack.

12.2.2014

I purchased the larger 65cm chair not really knowing what height to expect. It was very comfortable but sat a bit too high for my needs (about the height of a bar stool). My needs were for a backpack capable chair that I could use when deployed and in support of exercises.When I came home after using the 65cm walkstool I opted for the 45cm size after measuring the standard chairs most Army units use. This chair comes in at around 18 inches, which is just right for standard chairs. It folds down to about 9-10 inches (the legs slide back inside), and is amazingly easy to stuff inside any sort of bag or backpack. It is small enough when folded that I can actually put it into my water bottle holders on the outside of my bags.The chair is sturdy,

11.11.2017

Like many artists, I'm also a gadget-junky, intrigued by the newest, latest, niftiest, coolest brushes and watercolor papers and whatever. Bottom line is I've made plenty of purchases of things to enhance my art-making experience. Some things have been worth the money and others get used once or twice, sit on a shelf and eventually get given away to one of my students. Ugh. It totally happens. I'm happy to say that this stool has been one of the best useful tools I've purchased. First off, it's compact and fits in a shoulder bag or small backpack. I work on location a lot, and finding a comfortable place to sit while I'm sketching or painting can be a challenge.

13.3.2018

Pros:It's of excellent quality (hence its somewhat high price), and it seems incredibly sturdy. It's sufficiently stable and comfortable. The red tabs that pop out to hold the legs in place when extended seem solid, not at all like they could collapse, as one reviewer mentioned.Cons:Contrary to questioning the red tabs' holding capability, I find it challenging to push the tabs in enough that I can retract the legs. And, although the product description says you can use it without the legs extended, I don't understand how that would work because when retracted, the legs end where they cross...so wouldn't the stool just fall right over? :)

31.5.2013

I needed to purchase a stool for an African Drumming performance that I will be a part of in the coming weeks. I searched extensively online as I wanted something lightweight as my drum already weighs a ton and I didn't want to add to that burden. usually "lightweight" and "flimsy" go hand-in-hand. I'm not a small person by any stretch of the imagination so I was also concerned about finding something that listed weight limits as I'd be mortified to have my stool collapse in the middle of the group's performance! I finally came across the Walkstool and while I was not happy with the expense, i thought of other areas of my life that this could come in very handy, so I decided to spend the money.

25.6.2012

Great product. Seems well made. But beware if you are a Klutz like me.Everything says you can even sit on this stool with the legs fully collapsed. So I tried it when it arrived. I "thought" I was in the middle of the room well away from any other furniture. I sat down. It pitched me off. Right into the business end of an oak rocker. Not sure how many ribs I broke or cracked.NOT the stools fault. Mine and mine alone. But if your balance is as poor as mine, extend the legs for balance. If your balance is good, you can probably sit on it just fine with the legs fully collapsed - LOL! (To be completely fair, I was on a carpeted floor with a really thick pad. If you were on concrete or something solid you might not have my problem.)

16.6.2016

I just received my 26" Walkstool Comfort. The carrying bag and collapsibility will make it simple to carry either over the shoulder or attached to a backpack. I personally wouldn't want it clipped to a belt - too hard to walk and awkward. It's neither super-light nor heavy; it's as heavy as it needs to be for a quality-built product. Definitely not too heavy to carry along if you're used to carrying a purse/bag with everything but the kitchen sink in it. It was pretty self-evident how to take it out of the bag, pull out the seat, and release & extend the legs - a no-brainer. And wonder of wonders - it easily fit right back into the bag with no issues and no struggling, so in and out will not be a hassle.

1.1.2011

These are very expensive compared with the £2.50 El-Cheapo mini stools you get from camping shops, but largely speaking you get what you pay for. The Walkstool is made in Sweden and is very good quality. This stool extends to nearly double its storage length which gives a much more comfortable sitting height. Similarly, the large area of seat material also greatly improves comfort. Although I rated it 5-stars, it is not perfect. If you extend the legs too quickly, you can overcome the end-stop and the leg detaches. This is a minor inconvenience as the legs are designed to be removable so they can be replaced if need be. Spare legs are available - at least from the manufacturers.

23.3.2016

I'm a hunter and haven't tried this in the field yet, but I have tried it out around my place. 4-stars because of the steep price and it doesn't come in camo. I am 5'11" and bought the 18" comfort (silver extended legs), and I wouldn't go with anything longer (14" would even be good if they made it). In the fully extended position the seat is more comfortable than I would have guessed, given that it is triangular and no matter how it is positioned will cause some guy discomfort after long enough. I like the recessed leg position where you butt is about 9" off the ground and you can swivel left or right, and will easily have a knee in position for 3-point stability when aiming (see the walkstool demo on their website).

20.2.2015

This product is awesome. I am a professional sports photographer and it is the perfect tool for shooting Basketball and Wrestling. Before I purchased the Walkstool I would kneel during the entire game so I could get the action from the angle I wanted while not blocking the view of spectators at court level. Sitting at essentially the same height is much more comfortable. The Walkstool is very sturdy and unbelievably light weight. It packs nicely and comes with a handy mesh carry bag. The product itself is darn near perfect for what I need. I would caution buyers to make sure that they purchase the Walkstool from an authorized dealer. Mine became damaged and I have had a very hard time getting any type of customer service from the seller.

9.2.2013

I am 6' 2" and I want to be able to sit without my knees shoved into my chest when I use a portable chair. I do a lot of field work in places where there is no chair but yet have cabinets and similar surfaces for me to set my laptop down and do some field typing and designing, etc. I can carry this very light, but yet tall enough chair out in the field with my 'puter in a bag and keep on working while the guys are turning wrenches or adjusting our machines. It is a good but not perfect chair. It has the tallest seat that I have found, but only adjusts to the one height (could have had holes for 3 different heights) and is real stable with the three crossing legs.

2.8.2010

I purchased this stool to replace a smaller camp stool which had a torn seat. I'm about 220 pounds after lunch and a flimsy stool is no bargain. My old camp stool was much shorter and required more strength than my 64 year old knees can regularly provide. The 22in/55cm height gets me down low enough for most of my macro or low level shooting. Getting up from the 22 inch height is a heck of a lot easier than trying to pop up from shorter stools. The large seat more closely matches my large seat making it a good deal more comfortable than smaller versions. This stool also resists sinking in softer ground with its large feet. The button releases take a bit of getting used to but provide a solid safe lock when clicked into place.

Walkstool Comfort - Reviews

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Analysis