How to Choose a Camp Chair
Alite Mayfly Chair
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Make time for lounging with this lightweight and collapsible chair with an optional front leg. It's easy to tote in your pack to a campsite, backyard barbecue or summer concert.
Shop similar products- Set the chair up with the optional front leg for a conventional chair experience; leave the front leg off to rock forward and back as you balance on the 2 back feet
- Chair sets up quickly and easily using an aluminum hub and pole system similar to the design found in many lightweight tents
- Lightweight nylon fabric features breathable mesh panels on the sides
- Alite Mayfly Chair has a maximum capacity of 250 lbs.
- Packs down small and fits in the included stuff sack for easy storage and transportation; weighs only 1 lb. 9.6 oz.
Imported.
View all Alite Camp Chairs| Best Use | Backpacking |
|---|---|
| Unfolded Dimensions | 20 x 20 x 15 (H x W x D) inches |
| Folded Dimensions | 4.3 x 11.5 inches |
| Seat Height | 2 inches |
| Weight Capacity (lbs) | 250 |
| Seat Material(s) | Ripstop nylon |
| Frame Construction | Aluminum |
| Weight | 1 lb. 9.6 oz. |
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Most Helpful Favorable Review
Alite's Website Has the Correct Weight
pcmodem11 years ago
Own two of these chairs and they've proven quite useful over the last months.
Please note that Alite's office website lists the correct weight (1.6 lbs) for the Mayfly chair, it's REI's website that has the incorrect weight (1.4 lbs).
For the backpackers out there, weighed the Mayfly using a reasonably accurate scale: specific weight of 1 lb 9 oz for the Mayfly plus bag, 1 lb 8 oz without bag.
Four stars, would make it 5 stars if Alite shaves another few ounces off the weight by utilizing different fabrics, different grade of aluminum, and alter the tubing, et cetera.
If Alite made a high-end version of this chair (Magnesium poles and cuben fiber! Yeah, right.) that weighed only 1 pound, can see it becoming a huge hit in the backpacking community.
pcmodem
San Francisco, CA
33 people found this review helpful
Most Helpful Critical Review
Disappointment
Jaymar11 years ago
I have owned this chair for over a year and have used it for short backpacking trips. I just returned from a 10 day backpacking trip and the chair broke on me. It appears the chair cannot stand up to regular sustained use.
Jaymar
Mesa, AZ
26 people found this review helpful
Customer Images
WonderingWoman
Pacific Coast
Won't leave for a hike without it
6 years ago
The Mayfly was the most comfortable of all the chairs I tried at REI. Also the most stable, and on sale. It's not the lightest, but the lightest I found too unstable and not very comfortable. There is a slight learning curve in getting the front leg support attached, but after a few set ups, it's easy to do. Likes: comfort due to the wider seat and higher back that cradles my upper back more, good angle for seating, variety of seating positions possible, rocking on back feet possible (see pics). It's low to the ground, which for me is a plus because it allows sitting in what amounts to a recliner position - legs/feet stretched out at about the same level as the hips. A Lazy Boy for the trail! It might be too low for some, but at 60 I don't find it to be a problem. Stability - doesn't wobble like taller chairs, doesn't sink in as much into soft ground (but still sinks some), more total contact of legs with ground. The front support makes it possible to lean way forward if needed (see pic tying shoes), unlike the Monarch, where you fall out of the seat if you lean forward. Because you can rock back on the back feet, it's possible to sit facing downhill on a slope and be quite comfortable. Construction - have only taken it on one hike, but it seems quite sturdy and well-made. Has thick reinforcements on the seat cloth where it attaches to frame. The poles have been modified to deal with the telescoping problem mentioned on some older reviews. Functionality: all of my stuff is always on the ground. Having my seat close to the ground makes it much easier to reach things instead of bending down from a higher chair. I also like to paint and draw, and it's much easier to do that when my paints and other items are not 18 inches below me. I like the REI original Flex Chair very much, and sometimes its nice to sit higher up, but between the two, I prefer lower most of the time. Set-up. Less than a minute after a little practice. Packed size - similar to a 32 oz water bottle, and would fit in a typical water bottle holder. Or wherever. Dislikes: On flat, perfectly hard ground (like a hardwood floor in the house), the seat bottom is the perfect height above the ground for me (5' 7", 135 lbs). But on the trail, on uneven ground, soft ground, mounds of grass, etc. it can be a little too low. I haven't bottomed out on the ground yet, but I could see how it could happen, which is why I took off a star. This would be even more likely for someone over 200 lbs. If it was about 1.5 inches higher, I think that would take care of the issue, but then again, it might detract from the recliner effect. Weight - heavier than listed (mine weighs 1 lb 11 oz). Lighter would always be better of course, but there's a trade-off with stability and strength so I can live with it. Overall, this chair is really nice and I'll take it both day hiking and backpacking. It makes rest breaks and hanging in camp SO much more restful and enjoyable. It's worth full price, and on sale, it's a great deal.
Yes , I recommend this product
Calimobber
Bryce Canyon National Park
A great light weight chair but has a defect.
10 years ago
I bought this chair at a used gear shop for $60 thinking I got a score. very shortly I realized the defect and read all about it online, the inner sleeve tends to slide back into the pole making the chair collapse. I decided instead of call for warranty I would just repair it on my own. I just used super glue and a metal rod. I used the rod to push the inner sleeves way out then applied glue to the sleeve and pushed it back in then back out and back in. Once I felt the confident the glue was penetrating well I let it dry. Chair has worked great since. I love having a chair after a long backpacking trip, Its light enough that I can handle the weight anywhere I go. The manufacture may fave fixed this problem on new product.
Yes , I recommend this product
Jessi
Austin
Fabric getting holes in it
7 years ago
I really like this chair- comfortable, cute, light weight. However, after 2 months of light use, the fabric is getting holes in it from the poles. I’m 110lbs. I haven’t contacted the company since it’s still functional, but pretty bummed.
No, I do not recommend this product
MesaGuy
Costa Mesa, CA, United States
Even works INSIDE your Tent waiting out the Rain
8 years ago
I have had two Mayfly's for years. (One new, one rescued from an REI Garage Sale (the old clearance kind.) The older design sometimes had the inner tubes slide up into the outer tubes (and the chair would fail), the new chairs have fixed that. You can remove the front legs and rock on these. With the front legs on, you can even use these inside most tents as well. (I would not recommend on sil-nylon ultra light tents). The chair is low enough that you can sit in most backpacking tents, and unique to the Mayfly's design, the two cross members front and back distribute load sufficiently that you do not tear your tent up. Other designs tend to poke through.
Yes , I recommend this product
WoohooCamping
Colorado Springs, Co
Easy and comfortable
8 years ago
I've been wanting a lighter chair for camping, I dread my GCI chair, it's heavy and cumbersome, even when using the strap. For now, we car camp and sometimes the site isn't close. So having a lightweight chair, one that I don't have trouble getting out of lol, will make my life happy. Yep, can't do it because I have short legs. The GCI chair has a deep slant, it's annoying lol I saw the Mayfly and was amazed at how light it is. I read some reviews, watched "open box" video reviews...I bought it. It's quite simple to assemble. If you can put together and pack it up a tent, you can do the same for this chair. Granted I'm just shy of 5'2 but this chair is the most comfortable I've ever sat in. For me, it sort of envelopes my frame when I sit in it. The height of the back is just right and the seat part is perfect for my short legs...the best thing, I can get out of it with no problem ;)
Maya
San Diego, CA, United States
Bad luck?
8 years ago
I got 2 , took them to the beach, very light to carry, easy to assemble..used them 2 times and then noticed that the material on one of them was getting bubbles. I was sold on them, but took them back as I don't think a replacement would help...there is a problem with the fabric this vendor needs to figure out.
No, I do not recommend this product
pcmodem
San Francisco, CA
Alite's Website Has the Correct Weight
11 years ago
Own two of these chairs and they've proven quite useful over the last months. Please note that Alite's office website lists the correct weight (1.6 lbs) for the Mayfly chair, it's REI's website that has the incorrect weight (1.4 lbs). For the backpackers out there, weighed the Mayfly using a reasonably accurate scale: specific weight of 1 lb 9 oz for the Mayfly plus bag, 1 lb 8 oz without bag. Four stars, would make it 5 stars if Alite shaves another few ounces off the weight by utilizing different fabrics, different grade of aluminum, and alter the tubing, et cetera. If Alite made a high-end version of this chair (Magnesium poles and cuben fiber! Yeah, right.) that weighed only 1 pound, can see it becoming a huge hit in the backpacking community.
Yes , I recommend this product
Backpackexplorer
Does one really need a backpacking chair?
11 years ago
Sure it costs a lot of money. Yes it adds some weight. But I am not comfortable sitting on a log or a rock or the ground for long periods of time. After a long day of exploring nothing is better than a perfect chair to relax in. When I'm sitting in it in the middle of Coyote Gulch and strangers pass by commenting on how nice it would be to have a nice chair it makes it all worth it! I can't keep my friends out of it at camp either!
Yes , I recommend this product
jklivin0727
Charlotte, NC, United States
Excellent Chair
11 years ago
I had problems with the 2013 version of this chair with the inner poles sliding in but it appears that alite has addressed this issue on the new chairs. You can see on the new version that the poles are slightly crimped so the inner poles cannot do any sliding around. I also own a monarch and a rei flexlite chair. This is probably my favorite out of the bunch but I would not recommend it if you don't like sitting low or have problems standing up.
Yes , I recommend this product
Steph in SF
Perfect fo car camping, picnicking,day @the beach
10 years ago
First, I love the light weight & the design of this chair. That being said, I wish there was some way to engineer the poles on the Mayfly so that they were all one piece. This is the aspect I love about the Monarch- presto the frame is together, just add sling seat. The Mayfly's front legs are a separate bar that slides onto what is essentially the Monarch frame. I love the option to rock back or stay grounded (low seat height doesn't bother me), but it's one piece too many for me to deal with after backpacking all day & setting up a tent. Perfect for car camping, picnicking or a day at the beach.
Yes , I recommend this product
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