Australian Hiker

Rating

Ah Chair Review

A few months ago I was approached to try out the Ah Chair. This sitting aid wasn’t something I had seen before which was not surprising given it hasn’t been on the market for very long. In all honesty chairs of any type are not something high on my radar so I didn’t expect this one to be something I would be likely to use.

This Ah Chair is designed and manufactured in Moruya on the South Coast of NSW so falls into the category a ‘cottage industry’ product – that’s a cute way of saying it’s produced by small family type of business rather than a large international brand. Over the years similar companies have been responsible for introducing a variety of products into the mainstream hiking and camping industry.

This ‘chair’ works on the basis that your feet are used to support your back. It promotes correct posture and eases back pain. As I said, I didn’t think I would like this product but I was pleasantly surprised when I had a  chance to test it out. So how did it go?

First up let’s look at the negatives. The look and feel of this product still has that ‘early production’ feel which is neither here nor there in relation to how the chair works. While this product is called a chair it only has a small piece of foam to actually sit on so if the ground is very wet or rough, you are going to feel it. These days manufacturers try to build versatility into their products but in this case it isn’t a very versatile product, its a chair, nothing more and nothing less.

Now for the positives which is where this chair surprised me. First up this chair quite light. The one provided for testing weighed in at 205 grams which is something most hikers will cope with in a luxury item. Once I unrolled the small bundle, all I really had to think about was one end for the feet and the other end for the back. Having said that there is definitely a sweet spot on the back positioning. Once you know where to position the back support, you’ll never forget.

I must admit that I did find it comfortable. For me this product will really earn its keep during my time in the tent. I find when I sit in a tent I can only last in one position for a short period of time because I end up in a slumped position which isn’t very comfortable so I shift about in a variety of positions. The Ah Chair provides a high degree of support that meant I was no longer slouching and could maintain a comfortable sitting position for an extended period of time. The Ah Chair website shows it being used in a variety of environments, one of which is at the beach and I think it is a great product for that use. Price wise this chair comes in at $45 AUD which is cheap for a hiking chair.

While I am unlikely to take this chair on long distance hikes where every gram counts, I would happily take with me on shorter or overnight adventures to provide that extra bit of comfort.

We Like

• Provides a fair degree of comfort particularly when sitting for long periods
• This product makes sitting inside your tent for long periods something to look forward to
• Australian made and Australian owned company
• Relatively lightweight at just over 200 grams

We Don't Like

• Not very versatile. The Ah Chair is just that, a chair
• You may need something bigger to sit on if its very wet underneath but the blue foam will help in most cases
• Still in its early production stages so it has that ‘cottagey’ feel

Best Uses

• From a hiking and camping perspective, the Ah Chair makes sitting in a tent for long periods very comfortable
• Also a compact and lightweight chair option for the beach

Ah Chair rolled up. The blue foam cover keeps everything in a compact little roll and can be used to sit on

Ah Chair unfolded showing the ‘chair’ and the blue foam cover/mini seat

Ah Chair back view. You need to find the ‘sweet spot’ on your back where it feels just right

This chair can be used with bare feet as well as with shoes

Ah Chair in use

Buy One

You can purchase the Ah Chair direct from the manufacturer here

We don’t earn any commission on this product if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

If you have used the Ah Chair or if you have questions, we’d like to hear from you. Post your comment or question below

Investment

$45.00 AUD RRP

Other Versions

The Ah Chair comes in a range of fabric and strap colours

Disclaimer

This review was done with product provided by the manufacturer of Ah Chair

Shares

Australian Hiker Newsletter