I'm a Lifelong Hiker With Mobility Issues, and I Don't Leave the House Without This Ultralight Stool

Travel + Leisure

28-05-2025

I've been a hardcore hiker my whole life. For years, the thrill I got from hitting the trail had less to do with stopping to smell the roses and more to do with racking up as many miles as I could, as fast as I could. My pace came to a screeching halt in my early 20s when I developed a medical condition that leaves me sore and fatigued if I don't keep my activity level well within my limits.
As anyone who's ever had to deal with a change in mobility can attest, learning to adapt and keep doing what you love is a tough process, but finding help from the right tools is a huge relief. For me, that tool was my trusty Helinox Speed Stool. With its tiny packed size, this little stool has lived in my various hiking packs, totes, and sling bags day in and day out since I first picked it up. It's been my companion on relaxing mountain town vacations, multiday backcountry adventures, and even in quiet store corners, whenever I need a minute to sit.
Before I found the Speed Stool, I struggled to find a balance of size, ease of use, and comfort that fit my needs. Many camp chairs on the market are wonderful to sit in around the campfire, but they don't fit in every bag. Even when I tried smaller options, I found that the minute or two they take to set up was enough to deter me from pulling them out unless I desperately needed a break.
That's the beauty of the Speed Stool—when you pull it out of its carry pouch, a quick shake is often enough to encourage the stool's internal bungee cords to practically assemble itself. On a busy public sidewalk, it's a game-changing feature, far better than fiddling with locking mechanisms or assembling poles as people push past. When I need to sit down, I really need to sit down, and not having to devote mental energy to setup means I have more time to recover and get back to enjoying myself.
I've mentioned how small this stool packs down, but it bears repeating. Hardly tipping the scale at just a pound, Helinox itself says its stool is around the size of a small baguette, and I'd say that's about right—for around the size and weight of a sub sandwich, you can sit anywhere without hassle. I haven't attempted to use a baguette as a chair before, but this stool is certainly far more comfortable. It's just the right height off the ground, and the fabric has the perfect amount of give.
Helinox also designed this product with long-term use in mind—an important consideration when looking for accessibility solutions. With sturdy aluminum poles sourced from DAC, manufacturers of the tent poles in many of my favorite hiking tents on the market, and a UV-resistant, high-denier ripstop seat, this stool can take a beating (or many, many seatings).
If you're shopping on a budget or are looking to test out whether a stool might be the right mobility aid for you, there are plenty of great, affordable options at Amazon worth considering. My favorite wallet-friendly pick is this portable camping stool from GCI—it packs down to just about the same size as Helinox's stool and only weighs a third of a pound more.
Tripod stools like this one are incredibly easy to set up, and shock cord throughout the legs means they'll easily pop into place when you just need to pull over and take a seat. In my experience, tripod stools like this one tend to wobble on uneven ground, but GCI has solved that issue with a clever piece of fabric around the legs that stops them from splaying out.
Best of all, this stool comes with a thoughtfully designed drawstring carry pouch. If you're like me, you'll be tossing this into your bag every time you leave the house, but if your bag is already jam-packed, the carry pouch comes with a carabiner to securely attach it to the outside.
One reviewer wrote that, as an elderly person with mobility trouble, they appreciated how this stool 'sets up in a flash' and said, 'I can clip it onto my crossbody bag using the carabiner, and the additional weight is negligible.'
Whether you need help staying on your feet all day like me, or if you're just someone who appreciates a comfy place to sit, these stools will make a big difference in the way you move through the world. Check out more great stools below that might be the perfect accessibility aid for you.
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