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PARADISE BLUE

Alite Monarch Butterfly Chair

$69.95

(89)

Item # 792007

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Kick back and relax at the campground or summer concert with the portable Alite Monarch Butterfly chair.

At only 18 oz., the Monarch Butterfly chair is light enough to take along on backpacking trips; chair stows in the included 4.5 x 13 in. stuff sack
Chair sets up quickly and easily using an aluminum hub and pole system similar to the design found in many lightweight tents
Balancing on the 2 rubber feet allows you to rock forward and back
Lightweight nylon fabric features breathable mesh panels on the sides
Chair has a maximum capacity of 250 lbs.

Imported.

Item 792007

View all Alite products

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Alite Monarch Butterfly Chair Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Alite Monarch Butterfly Chair

4.6

(based on 89 reviews)

92%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Lightweight (85)
Compact (84)
Comfortable (81)
Easy set up (79)
Dries quickly (34)

Cons

Best Uses

Backcountry camping (77)
Outdoor events (62)
Camping (59)
Day trip (56)
Road trips (40)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Avid adventurer (52), Casual/ recreational (31), Casual adventurer (4)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (48), Yes (4)

Reviewed by 89 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-10

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Jul

2009

(26 of 42 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

They aren't kidding about the balancing

By Andi_D

from Illinois

About Me Casual Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Easy Set Up
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Backcountry Camping

Comments about Alite Monarch Butterfly Chair:

It's not what we were looking for. Essentially, it functions the same as a 4 leg chair, but your own two legs are numbers 3 and 4. If you have knee issues, this is not the chair for you. However, with that said, it's not uncomfortable, packs up small, and is fairly light. A good compromise for backpacking and it gets you off the ground, but you're giving up the ability to lean back and relax. It's a clever idea, though, and was quite sturdy.

May

2009

(23 of 23 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

AMAZING

By Sacktopher

from Seattle

About Me Casual Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Compact
Easy Set Up
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Campgrounds
Day Trips
Outdoor Events

Comments about Alite Monarch Butterfly Chair:

Comfort:
The Monarch Butterfly Chair by Alite is an amazing invention. I was impressed by how comfortable it was. You think two legs??? But this chair is ergonomically constructed to fit how we sit.
Function:
I have used mine at a concert, perfect when you are on a down hill slope. I would always slide right out of my Crazy Creek...no longer with the Monarch.
Sturdy:
I was surprised to see 250 lbs...I am confident it is more than that...I fell back into mine...I am positive I exerted more than 250 lbs. on that chair.

Aug

2009

(20 of 21 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Changed my mind - great product

By JEK

from Arlington, VA

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Compact
Easy Set Up
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Backcountry Camping
Beach
Outdoor Events

Comments about Alite Monarch Butterfly Chair:

I had posted a previous review because one of the pockets tore on my first use. I wrote the company and they'd had early design problems, but pleaded their case for me to try another. I had a replacement sling within two days. I took it on the next trip and it worked perfectly - very comfortable, easy to carry. Everyone wanted to try it! I would buy another chair -[...]

Jun

2009

(15 of 20 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Love this rocking chair! Genius!

By Suzi

from Burlingame and SF, CA

About Me Casual Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Compact
Dries Quickly
Dual use
Easy Set Up
Fun
Innovative
Lightweight
Rocks

Cons

Best Uses

Backcountry Camping
Campgrounds
Day Trips
Outdoor Events

Comments about Alite Monarch Butterfly Chair:

I'm obsessed with packing light as I don't feel comfortable hauling more than about 20lbs total and I love rocking instead of just sitting! I will sit to eat a meal, but any other time, I want to sit and rock or be walking, running, rolling, moving or sleeping. I used to travel all the time as a runway model between NYC and Europe, and became very good a packing very light - forget the clothes, bring the lightweight gear and a good jacket. At home I have La-z-boy chairs. When hiking, camping, or at the beach, etc, I never can understand people I see who drag out those heavy sedentary chairs. With the Alite, I have a chair that fits my personality - a rocking chair. There's no need to worry about falling backwards - even if you tried, you just put your hand back and catch yourself easily since only 5 inches off ground. It is perfectly designed to balance your weight for rocking. The chair pops together effortlessly from the tiny stuff sack it comes in - I think with tension pulls and magnets, and you just pull the seat fabric over, and voila, a rocking chair within seconds. I love it! We just used it on a family camping trip, and now have to buy more for the entire family. Not sure how it would do at beach or how long it will last, but for hikers and campers, this is a great design. Just discovered this chair last month at REI. Good work on the part of the designers for this great new chair!

Aug

2010

(12 of 22 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

Good chair but not the best!

By ram page

from Aliso Viejo, Ca

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Lightweight

Cons

Not stable

Best Uses

Backcountry Camping
Hiking

Comments about Alite Monarch Butterfly Chair:

Light weight chair, but compared to a vintage Lo boy beach chair, there is no comparison. The butterfly only works well if your on a flat surface. If you get up, the butterfly is in the dirt. A little difficult when first sitting in the chair, especially if you have food or something in one hand. After a long hike, you don't want to use your legs for anything, and this chair makes you do that. Best suggestion is to go pick up a 2 1/2 pound Lo Boy at a garage sale, or wait for someone to create a better chair.

Feb

2010

(10 of 10 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

A great littel chair

By Mountainman Sam

from Beulah, CO

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Compact
Easy Set Up
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Backcountry Camping
Campgrounds
Day Trips
Outdoor Events
Road Trips

Comments about Alite Monarch Butterfly Chair:

I have to say I love this thing.

When I first saw it in the store it took me a minute to figure out what it was and how it worked but once I figured that out it was easy to get in and out of. The price made me hesitate on whether or not to get one but I eventually decided to and am glad I did. I am an ultra-light freak but make an exception for this luxury and it's worth the extra ozs.

After a day of hiking It's awesome to have something that supports your back and lets you stretch out your legs [I'm 6'9" almost all legs so stretching them out feels great:)] it easily supports my 205 lbs and seems like it could support a lot more. It sets up really quickly, about half a minute, which is nice when you're ready to sit.

Unlike a 4 legged chair it works well on hills do to the rocking of the 2 legs. I think if you were to add something under the rubber feet it would work in snow and sand but have not tried so can't vouch for it.

One other thing I found with a group is a fun
pastime is to see who can balance on only the chair legs the longest, my best so far is 48 seconds. Give it a shot; I think you'll be glad you did.

Aug

2009

(9 of 9 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Love this thing!!

By The Gray Fox

from Seattle, WA

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Compact
Dries Quickly
Easy Set Up
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Backcountry Camping
Beach
Belay seat
Campgrounds
Day Trips
Outdoor Events
Road Trips

Comments about Alite Monarch Butterfly Chair:

I came across this at Seattle's REI store and at first didn't understand what it was. But found it was a chair, which I sat in. Hmmm....this feels comfortable! I saw the [$] and thought that was pretty steep, and thus moved on to other departments. Before leaving I came back to look at it some more. The more I looked at the details, quality and again comfort, I sprang for it!!Man, I can't quit sitting in it now-I LOVE THIS! It is one of the most comfortable chairs I've had, which is amazing. I can sit there in what seems perfect balance and there is no effort on legs. I'll have this with me if going to friends houses, and for Xmas time, when folks sit on the floors (uncomfortably). I will be the comfortable one.For belayers under sport routes, like Smith Rock and Index, this would be a great thing to have as you can lean back very easy to look up. You could even clip it to your cleanup rack as the pouch has high quality loops for say, a carabiner clip.Great invention!!

Aug

2009

(8 of 16 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

Not sure what the hype is about

By okey from mskokey

from Athens, AL

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Compact
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Campgrounds
Winter Camping

Comments about Alite Monarch Butterfly Chair:

Not sure what the hype is about this chair. It is comfortable. It is light weight and it seems to be durable. But is not useful at all to me. I used one a friend of mine had and it was nice to sit and did get me up off the ground. But I couldn't do anything in the chair. You have to use your legs to balance the thing and the way you sit you naturally recline unless you scrunch your legs up to lean forward. As far as cooking, tending the fire, cleaning thing up, or any other camp chore that could not be done leaning back... You would have to get out of the chair and kneel down or sit on the ground. I use a Therma rest ridge rest model that is very old (over 10 years) and it seems to be much more convenient when it comes to doing things while seated. I guess I can see the appeal it terms of comfort but not when it comes to usefulness.

Oct

2010

(6 of 8 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

This is not a "chair"

By Shenandoah Recreator

from Washington, D.C.

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Lightweight

Cons

Not a chair

Best Uses

Backcountry Camping

Comments about Alite Monarch Butterfly Chair:

The Monarch is lightweight and easily packs into a large purse or small backpack. It would be great for backpacking. However, this is NOT a chair in my mind. It's a pedestal that you balance on. I thought it looked like a pedestal in the photos, but it's shown free-standing and it's called a "chair" so I decided to check one out. However, there is no magic to this thing. It is a pedestal with two legs. Your two legs provide the other two legs to the chair. That's fine, I guess. Just don't purchase it if you want an actual chair. This one can easily tip over or fall backwards if you don't pay attention. It's also hard to get out of. I don't think it's worth the high price for what it is.

Jun

2009

(6 of 6 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Could not ask for more

By US Army SPC

from Ft. Bragg (Fayetteville), NC

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Compact
Dual use
Easy Set Up
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Backcountry Camping
Day Trips
Outdoor Events
Road Trips

Comments about Alite Monarch Butterfly Chair:

Well i got two of these chairs before REI started to sell them, after seeing it in a magazine i was suprized REI didnt carry them, im glad they do now because im about to buy another one!

I am in the Army and i always am sure to pack a chair in my pack whether its to the field or on a deployment, its so lightweight i dont notice the extra wieght.

This chair is so comfortable, all of my friends love it, in fact some choose to sit on them rather then my couches.

If i were to add any complaints, it would be that this chair should not be used for heavier people. I know the chair can take it but, a friend of mine thats about 280 pounds complained that the rear poles dug into his back. However, i weigh 190 pounds and i have no clue what he is talking about.