Helinox Tactical Chair

You don’t need to be in the military to appreciate the new Helinox Tactical Chair from Mystery Ranch—indeed, it may be better suited to outdoor recreationists than soldiers, who seldom have room in their rucksacks for such luxuries. The Helinox makes an excellent camp chair, with its combination of sturdiness, weight capacity, and super-fast assembly—it took me all of about 20 seconds to set the thing up, without looking at the directions. At just over two pounds, it’s way lighter than standard camp chairs, and it packs up smaller than a Crazy Creek. Pockets on the side hold a wallet, phone, and other small items. I used the chair to scout elk—those long hours behind the binos take their toll on one’s backside—and it’ll definitely be in hunting camp all fall. The only real weakness in this chair is the small feet, which can sink into soft ground—and, of course, the absence of a beer holder. Available at Mystery Ranch. $89; mysteryranch.com.