The Helinox Zero LT camp chair weighs about the same as a can of beans

Pam LeBlanc sits in a Helinox Zero LT. Chris LeBlanc photo

A can of beans. A large bag of potato chips. Four sticks of butter.

The newest ultra-light chair from Helinox, the Chair Zero LT, weighs barely an ounce more than each of those things, which means it might actually make it into my backpack when I hit the John Muir Trail again later this summer.

I’m a weight weenie. I work hard to keep the weight of my backpack low. Nothing’s more miserable than trying to lug a heavy pack over mountain passes.

When I hiked 200 miles on the John Muir Trail in 2016, my backpack, including nine days of food, weighed 28 pounds. (That’s without water, which weighs a little more than 8 pounds per gallon.)

The Helinox Zero LT, center, weighs 1.1 pounds. Pam LeBlanc photo

I didn’t carry a camp chair then, but I’m thinking about it now. I’m older. My bones are creaky, and the idea of settling into an actual camp chair instead of lowering my buns onto a hard rock at the end of the day sounds appealing.

With that in mind, I recently tested the Chair Zero LT by Helinox, which weighs just 1 pound 1 ounce.

That’s significantly lighter than the Helinox One, which weighs in at about 2 pounds – not worth it on a long backpacking trip, but good for a shorter adventure. That chair is sturdier and an inch or two larger in every dimension. It also holds more weight– 320 pounds for the One compared to 265 pounds for the Zero LT.

The new Zero LT is made of lightweight mesh and ripstop fabric, so tears don’t spread. The poles are shock-corded, so it whips itself into place when you unpack it. It comes with an X-shaped stabilizer strap that helps prevent it from sinking into the sand or grass, but I’d leave that at home.

One complaint? I staggered like a drunk trying to get up from the seated position. And it’s expensive. The Helinox Zero LT costs $159.95. The Helinox One costs $139.95, but you can find it on sale for less than $100.

Now I’ve just got to figure out where I can shave a few more ounces off my base weight so I can take my new chair with me.