A challenge I have discovered as I get older is that I can’t walk as long as I used to. My doctors and I aren’t sure why, but I know that sometimes I just need to sit down when I'm out walking. After a lot of trial and error, I’ve decided that the best thing to do is bring a little portable chair, so I have it if I need it. We offer three chairs, with one of them being the clear winner. When you look at them, you’ll quickly see why I included all three–they all have high weight capacities. However, their ability to meet the needs of heavy walkers or heavy travelers may vary greatly.
The first one I tried is the Walkstool. I was very excited to see the high weight capacity and ease of carrying it. This one worked less than perfectly for me, though. Sitting on it was a little awkward–it’s a triangular seat, and you need to straddle it. Plus it’s not very tall, and my arthritic knees don’t appreciate that. It is, however, very well made and will last if you can keep track of it. I bought one for me and one for my husband, and we lost both. I have no idea how it happened–might have left them on a plane? (All that standing in line inspired us to bring them along). The stool gets an 86.25 in our ratings, with room for improvement around its ease of use and comfort.
Then I tried the Camping Stool, which looked quite comfortable. The seat is square and is made of cloth, the armature is alloy steel, and the support is solid. My experience is that it works fine, but the 13” square seat is very tiny. Since I wasn’t planning to sit for hours, it was okay, but not perfect. It also packs in a lightweight shoulder bag, which makes it easy to carry on your walks. However, when I read the reviews on Amazon, a large number of people found that the material ripped early on, making the chair unusable. If you decide to try this chair and it’s one of the lemons that breaks, please call Amazon. My experience with customer service is that they will do right by you, and you should be able to get a refund or replacement. This stool got a 72.50 in ratings, primarily based on the frequency of breakage.
After all this trial and error, the one I like best is the Folding Stool by Triple Tree. This one holds up to 600 pounds and is also 17.8” high, so it’s by far the tallest of those I tested (and my knees thank them). The base is also wider than the others, at 14.3”. It’s made of strong stainless steel tubing and oxford material, which is breathable, durable, and easy to carry. I saw one complaint in the reviews about discomfort sitting on the metal sides, but I’ve found that if I just turn 90 degrees and have the metal sides in the front and back, as opposed to my sides, I am fine. It got 97.5 on my ratings, with a point coming off for the style (I don’t love army green as a color) and another one for the comfort–it’s not an armchair, for sure!
For those of us who weigh more than 200 pounds, it’s important to ensure that we find products that work for us. All of these are expected to hold much higher weights. My evaluation chart is below. Look at these three portable stools for heavy travelers and see what works for you – and please let us know!
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