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Reviews > Sleep Gear > Pads and Air Mattresses > Therm-A-Rest Trekker Chair > Owner Review by Larry KirschnerTherm-a-Rest Trekker Chair 20Date of Review: 6-Jan-2007 Biographical Information Name: Larry Kirschner Age: 42 Gender: M Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m) Weight: 200 lb (91 kg) and falling (I hope) Email address: asklarry98@hotmail.com City, State, Country: Columbus, Ohio USA Backpacking Background: I've been an intermittent camper/paddler since my teens, but now that my kids are avid Boy Scouts, I've caught the backpacking bug. I typically do a few weekend hikes per year, and have recently spent 2 weeks backpacking at the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimmarron, New Mexico. I like to travel "in comfort", so I often pack a little heavier than needed, but I'm trying to cut down. With all of my investment into this trip, I expect my wife and I will continue to trek long after the kids are gone… Product information Manufacturer: Therm-a-Rest (www.thermarest.com) Model: Trekker Chair 20 Size: 20 inch (51) cm wide MSRP: US$29.95 Year of manufacture: 2006 Listed weight: 10.5 oz (298 g) Weight as delivered: 11 oz Listed Dimensions: 20 x 42 in (51 x 107 cm) Dimensions as measured: 18 x 42 in (45 x 107 cm) Product Description 
The Therm-a-Rest Trekker Chair is a sleeve that enables backpackers to convert a 20 in (51 cm) wide sleeping pad into a camp chair. It has a pocket on both ends and an array of straps that, when connected, form a nice support for the back. It has rigid rods along each side edge of the top and bottom, so that it carries on the trail as a 18.5-inch (47 cm) rod. 
I carry mine in the outer side pocket of my pack, in the space used for trekking (or other) poles. It has a cutout in the corner of the pocket so that the valve for the self-inflating pad doesn't get caught poking into the fabric. The chair is designed to work with 20 inch-wide Therm-a-Rest pads, which include all Pro-lite Women's pads and regular Men's pads. Other sleeping pads would also fit, providing they are of the same width. Although the chair is 42 inches long, I use mine with a full length (72 inch, 183 cm) sleeping pad. There is adequate room in the sleeves to fold the pad to fit the length of the Trekker Chair. 
Field Information I have used the Trekker Chair for most of my excursions over the past year. This has included hiking on trails in Ohio (generally fairly manicured trails and campsites with dirt/light mud and leaves) as well as two weeks in the mountains of New Mexico in similar conditions. I haven't used it in the rain because I don't want to get my sleeping pad wet, but I have used it on damp ground, and light wetness does not soak through to the pad. The Trekker Chair weighs less than a pound, and is probably worth the small weight for the seated comfort it provides, especially when there are no convenient tree stumps or logs on which to sit. It is nice to be able to sit on the ground and relax, although the chair doesn't provide enough support to sit and play cards. I have a few issues with the Trekker Chair, though, which probably limit how many times I break it out on the trail. First, it has no clips for the straps-only sliding buckles which are threaded with the straps. Because the strap/buckle arrangement works on friction, there is a tight fit, and I have found it to be troublesome on occasion to assemble the chair, particularly after a long day on the trail. 
I have never used the chair in very cold
weather, but I doubt I could put it together if I was wearing gloves.
Second, I use a full-length sleeping pad, which means that I need to take
the sleeping pad out of the Chair frame in order to use it for sleeping. On
the other hand, every time I want to use the chair, I need to put it
together from scratch (which, as I said, can take at least a few minutes). I
know that the same chair can be used with a shorter pad, in which case the
sleeves could theoretically be left on. Although this arrangement might
work, it would prevent the sleeping pad from being rolled for packing.
Third, I have to confess to a potentially irrational fear that using my
sleeping pad in this way will cause it to get a hole. When I am out on long
hikes, I am a little worried about getting caught with a flat pad (although
I do carry a repair kit, I would prefer not to have to try it out on the
trail). I would rather have a good sleeping pad than a chair to sit on.
Having said this, I have never had a problem with a punctured self-inflating
pad (knock on wood), and the Trekker Chair obviously provides coverage to
prevent this while in use.
Summary The Therm-a-Rest Trekker chair provides nice comfort on the trail for the times when there are no convenient tree stumps, logs, or flat rocks on which to sit. It weighs very little and works very well with Therm-a-Rest self-inflating pads. It is a little balky to use, but this may be the price to pay for keeping the weight down. 
Overall, I still carry it with me whenever I am out on the trail, but I don't use it every night, and it might be one of the first items to go if I ever decide to go ultralight. Read more reviews of Therm-A-Rest gear Read more gear reviews by Larry Kirschner Reviews > Sleep Gear > Pads and Air Mattresses > Therm-A-Rest Trekker Chair > Owner Review by Larry Kirschner | |||