Details
- At only 1 lb. 1. 6 oz., the Monarch Butterfly Chair is light enough to take along on backpacking trips; stows in its 4.5 x 12 in. stuff sack for easy carrying and storage
- 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
- Alite Monarch Butterfly Chair has a maximum capacity of 250 lbs.
Imported.
Specs
| Best Use | Backpacking |
|---|---|
| Unfolded Dimensions | 23 x 21.5 x 17 (H x W x D) inches |
| Folded Dimensions | 4.5 x 12 inches |
| Seat Height | 7 inches |
| Weight Capacity (lbs) | 250 pounds |
| Seat Material(s) | Ripstop nylon |
| Frame Construction | Aluminum |
| Weight | 1 lb. 4.8 oz |
Rated 5 out of
5
by
UL Doug from
One of a kind
From a backpacking standpoint this chair would not be considered minimalist but for a day hike or short backpack trip it is perfect. Unlike what a previous reviewer stated, this is the ONLY chair that CAN be used on a slope. I sat in this chair on the side of a hill in Griffith Park all day while waiting for a view of Space Shuttle Endeavor. I have also slept in this chair. Think about it. As long as you don't pull your knees to chest and lean back, it is almost impossible to fall over backwards. This chair very comfortable as you can find the perfect back angle by simply leaning forward or backward. Highly recommended.
Date published: 2014-01-31
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Gear trekker from
Love it!
Definitely a comfort item, but well worth it in my book. I've been backpacking for years - in the past with 40-50 lb loadouts. Gear has gotten so light, that I'm happy to be under 30 lbs. in my book, as long as I'm in the 25-30 lb loadout range, comforts like this are well worth it. This chair is far more comfortable than the lighter alternatives and certainly far better than no chair at all after a long hike and/or around camp after the rain has soaked everything around you. This chair sits in my car when I'm not on the trail, so it also gets plenty of use around town (sans the beach - doesn't work great in the sand).
Date published: 2013-10-03
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Big Jim B from
Very happy - better than I expected
I bought this chair for a 10 day backpacking trip, and overall it worked great. It was well worth the small investment.
I'm 6'3, 245 lbs, so I'm at the top of the size range for the chair, but I didn't have any issues with capacity or stability, and never felt like the chair was going to collapse on me.
If you are worried about the need to balance the chair, don't be. After a few uses the balance becomes completely 2nd nature. I didn't even think about having to balance, and this gave me a great chance to rest my back.
Good product, very happy overall.
Date published: 2013-08-20
Rated 4 out of
5
by
Bonnie SF from
Requires good balance!
Being able to lean back and relax on a multi-day backpacking trip really appealed to me, even though it meant carrying an extra 16 oz. This chair has only two legs, and is a few oz lighter than the version with four legs. It also seats you a couple of inches higher than the four-leg chair, which I liked. I really wanted to love this chair, but I found it uncomfortable because I had to balance all the time. Could not just relax. Also, I could not comfortably eat a meal while sitting in it. I am sending it back and getting the four-leg version, even though it is a bit heavier and lower.
Date published: 2013-05-30
Rated 5 out of
5
by
lacouyon from
Crazy looking thing actually works!
I was looking for a foldable chair to take backpacking and camping when I came across this two legged contraption. I decided to give it a shot and try them out at New Orleans Jazzfest this past weekend and couldn't have been more pleased with the chair's performance.
Jazzfest has a maximum size backpack you can bring on to the Fairgrounds so size was a major concern because I didn't want to be lugging a couple of large bag chairs around. These fit the bill to a T. Was able to carry two chairs in the backpack with more than enough room for everything else.
People would see my cousin and I kicked back in these chairs and come over and ask about them. Then I would show them the bag they're packed in and and almost to a person their mouths would be open not believing the chair we were sitting in actually broke down that small.
If you want to have a chair to sit in and be lighter than 2 lbs., this is the chair for you. It doesn't take that much coordination to sit in it.
Date published: 2013-05-03
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Murphy73 from
Amazing Chair
This is one of my favorite purchases so far. I haven't had it long so I can't attest to it's long term durability, but the functionality is amazing. I've used it on a rock, a log, sand, a very steep side of a creek bank and have never sat more comfortably. There are no weird pressure points or bars jabbing you and you can rock in it without tipping over. It's fast to set up and break down and it's so light that I even take it on my day hiking trips. Even it it only lasts a few seasons it's been worth it. I do recommend getting some type of pad to sit on with it when you are using it in cold weather. Your back/butt can get pretty chilly up off the ground like that with no insulation. I'm so happy with it I will be buying another as a back up just in case.
Date published: 2014-04-07
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Poptart from
Lightweight and comfy - Customer service is TOPS!
I've been using my Monarch chair for a few years and friends have bought theirs after seeing mine in action. With campers up to 200lbs the chairs are still holding up great. If you can find a tree of even medium sized log to lean up against, you will be in camping heaven, otherwise you will use a tiny bit of thigh muscle to keep the chair balanced which was never a problem even after a 10+ mile day. Really intuitive design on these Monarch chairs.
Recently I contacted Alite because the rubber feet had come off of my chair and were lost. Alite was VERY quick to send me replacement rubber foot covers and a free gift. Can not say enough good things about this chair and especially the manufacturer which is who you really depend on when there is a problem with the product. REI has an excellent and liberal exchange policy, but I was pleasantly surprised at how fast and easy it was to get my small issue rectified.
Date published: 2014-06-05
Rated 4 out of
5
by
Bigwasatch from
Not a bad backpacking seat.
The chair is light (which was important for 6 days of backpacking in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming) and pretty easy to set up. The biggest problem I had with this chair was that to sit in it you have to balance with your legs in order to sit up. If your legs have turned to noodles from lugging a 50 pound pack up steep trailsat 10,000 ft elevation it can be a little more effort than you want to put in just to sit up.
Date published: 2013-08-29
Do you sell or replace the legs of this chair? I have the Alite Butterfly chair and have really enjoyed it. The problem is that the leg broke where it screws into the ball part of the feet. I don't why that happened, I weigh about 130lbs .
Most of the time that these appear irreperably broken, they are not. But fixing it involves taking it apart. (Even with replacement parts you have to assemble/disassemble the same way.) Pull the end cap off the other end of the "broken" leg (plyers work best). Untie the elastic cord. Disconnect leg pieces. On the piece that used to plug into the ball feet, from the now accessible "other end" of that piece insert a large screw driver that will fit through the "outer" tube, but not the inner tube, ram it, or put weight on it. Push (or pull with plyers) the inner tube out of the outer by at least 1/2 inch. Fixed.
Date published: 2017-07-20
What is the real difference between the Alite Monarch chair and the Alite Monarch Butterfly chair?
There is no difference; the Monarch Butterfly Chair is the same as the Monarch Chair from Alite.
Date published: 2016-08-25
Would this chair work in the snow?
We do not recommend this chair for use in snow.
Date published: 2017-04-04
would this be a good chair for the beach?
The Monarch Butterfly Chair would be a fine choice for the beach.
Date published: 2016-08-25
Wondering why the weight listed (1 pound 1.6 oz) is different than what Alite lists as the chair weight on their website (1.3 pounds/~ 1 pound 5oz.). Do you have a lighter model, or an older/newer model?
We have weighed the Monarch. It does weigh 1.3 pounds as listed on Alite's website. We will update REI.com as soon as possible.
Date published: 2017-07-01
When used inside of a tent, would the pressure from the feet damage the tent floor?
We do not advise using this chair inside a tent due to the possibility of damage.
Date published: 2017-07-23
Reviews
Rated 5 out of
5
by
UL Doug from
One of a kind
From a backpacking standpoint this chair would not be considered minimalist but for a day hike or short backpack trip it is perfect. Unlike what a previous reviewer stated, this is the ONLY chair that CAN be used on a slope. I sat in this chair on the side of a hill in Griffith Park all day while waiting for a view of Space Shuttle Endeavor. I have also slept in this chair. Think about it. As long as you don't pull your knees to chest and lean back, it is almost impossible to fall over backwards. This chair very comfortable as you can find the perfect back angle by simply leaning forward or backward. Highly recommended.
Date published: 2014-01-31
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Gear trekker from
Love it!
Definitely a comfort item, but well worth it in my book. I've been backpacking for years - in the past with 40-50 lb loadouts. Gear has gotten so light, that I'm happy to be under 30 lbs. in my book, as long as I'm in the 25-30 lb loadout range, comforts like this are well worth it. This chair is far more comfortable than the lighter alternatives and certainly far better than no chair at all after a long hike and/or around camp after the rain has soaked everything around you. This chair sits in my car when I'm not on the trail, so it also gets plenty of use around town (sans the beach - doesn't work great in the sand).
Date published: 2013-10-03
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Big Jim B from
Very happy - better than I expected
I bought this chair for a 10 day backpacking trip, and overall it worked great. It was well worth the small investment.
I'm 6'3, 245 lbs, so I'm at the top of the size range for the chair, but I didn't have any issues with capacity or stability, and never felt like the chair was going to collapse on me.
If you are worried about the need to balance the chair, don't be. After a few uses the balance becomes completely 2nd nature. I didn't even think about having to balance, and this gave me a great chance to rest my back.
Good product, very happy overall.
Date published: 2013-08-20
Rated 4 out of
5
by
Bonnie SF from
Requires good balance!
Being able to lean back and relax on a multi-day backpacking trip really appealed to me, even though it meant carrying an extra 16 oz. This chair has only two legs, and is a few oz lighter than the version with four legs. It also seats you a couple of inches higher than the four-leg chair, which I liked. I really wanted to love this chair, but I found it uncomfortable because I had to balance all the time. Could not just relax. Also, I could not comfortably eat a meal while sitting in it. I am sending it back and getting the four-leg version, even though it is a bit heavier and lower.
Date published: 2013-05-30
Rated 5 out of
5
by
lacouyon from
Crazy looking thing actually works!
I was looking for a foldable chair to take backpacking and camping when I came across this two legged contraption. I decided to give it a shot and try them out at New Orleans Jazzfest this past weekend and couldn't have been more pleased with the chair's performance.
Jazzfest has a maximum size backpack you can bring on to the Fairgrounds so size was a major concern because I didn't want to be lugging a couple of large bag chairs around. These fit the bill to a T. Was able to carry two chairs in the backpack with more than enough room for everything else.
People would see my cousin and I kicked back in these chairs and come over and ask about them. Then I would show them the bag they're packed in and and almost to a person their mouths would be open not believing the chair we were sitting in actually broke down that small.
If you want to have a chair to sit in and be lighter than 2 lbs., this is the chair for you. It doesn't take that much coordination to sit in it.
Date published: 2013-05-03
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Murphy73 from
Amazing Chair
This is one of my favorite purchases so far. I haven't had it long so I can't attest to it's long term durability, but the functionality is amazing. I've used it on a rock, a log, sand, a very steep side of a creek bank and have never sat more comfortably. There are no weird pressure points or bars jabbing you and you can rock in it without tipping over. It's fast to set up and break down and it's so light that I even take it on my day hiking trips. Even it it only lasts a few seasons it's been worth it. I do recommend getting some type of pad to sit on with it when you are using it in cold weather. Your back/butt can get pretty chilly up off the ground like that with no insulation. I'm so happy with it I will be buying another as a back up just in case.
Date published: 2014-04-07
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Poptart from
Lightweight and comfy - Customer service is TOPS!
I've been using my Monarch chair for a few years and friends have bought theirs after seeing mine in action. With campers up to 200lbs the chairs are still holding up great. If you can find a tree of even medium sized log to lean up against, you will be in camping heaven, otherwise you will use a tiny bit of thigh muscle to keep the chair balanced which was never a problem even after a 10+ mile day. Really intuitive design on these Monarch chairs.
Recently I contacted Alite because the rubber feet had come off of my chair and were lost. Alite was VERY quick to send me replacement rubber foot covers and a free gift. Can not say enough good things about this chair and especially the manufacturer which is who you really depend on when there is a problem with the product. REI has an excellent and liberal exchange policy, but I was pleasantly surprised at how fast and easy it was to get my small issue rectified.
Date published: 2014-06-05
Rated 4 out of
5
by
Bigwasatch from
Not a bad backpacking seat.
The chair is light (which was important for 6 days of backpacking in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming) and pretty easy to set up. The biggest problem I had with this chair was that to sit in it you have to balance with your legs in order to sit up. If your legs have turned to noodles from lugging a 50 pound pack up steep trailsat 10,000 ft elevation it can be a little more effort than you want to put in just to sit up.
Date published: 2013-08-29
Questions & Answers
Do you sell or replace the legs of this chair? I have the Alite Butterfly chair and have really enjoyed it. The problem is that the leg broke where it screws into the ball part of the feet. I don't why that happened, I weigh about 130lbs .
Most of the time that these appear irreperably broken, they are not. But fixing it involves taking it apart. (Even with replacement parts you have to assemble/disassemble the same way.) Pull the end cap off the other end of the "broken" leg (plyers work best). Untie the elastic cord. Disconnect leg pieces. On the piece that used to plug into the ball feet, from the now accessible "other end" of that piece insert a large screw driver that will fit through the "outer" tube, but not the inner tube, ram it, or put weight on it. Push (or pull with plyers) the inner tube out of the outer by at least 1/2 inch. Fixed.
Date published: 2017-07-20
What is the real difference between the Alite Monarch chair and the Alite Monarch Butterfly chair?
There is no difference; the Monarch Butterfly Chair is the same as the Monarch Chair from Alite.
Date published: 2016-08-25
Would this chair work in the snow?
We do not recommend this chair for use in snow.
Date published: 2017-04-04
would this be a good chair for the beach?
The Monarch Butterfly Chair would be a fine choice for the beach.
Date published: 2016-08-25
Wondering why the weight listed (1 pound 1.6 oz) is different than what Alite lists as the chair weight on their website (1.3 pounds/~ 1 pound 5oz.). Do you have a lighter model, or an older/newer model?
We have weighed the Monarch. It does weigh 1.3 pounds as listed on Alite's website. We will update REI.com as soon as possible.
Date published: 2017-07-01
When used inside of a tent, would the pressure from the feet damage the tent floor?
We do not advise using this chair inside a tent due to the possibility of damage.
Date published: 2017-07-23
