TravelChair Joey: Definitive Review (2024)
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This is the Ultimate TopNotch Review of the TravelChair Joey 2024.
You may have read the reviews or seen someone using a Travelchair Joey – whatever your reason for being with us today – you’re right to be checking this one out – from beaches to campgrounds to mountains, the TravelChair Joey is a TopNotch All-rounder – great to keep in the trunk or carry on your back – it’s a deal sturdier than its counterparts.
If you’re seeking an affordable, portable travel chair that will last through many seasons, you’ve come to the right place.
We brought along this lightweight camp chair on test trips and just for fun – from sandy beaches to muddy campsites.
We’re super impressed by its durability, comfort, and simple assembly.
In this comprehensive review we’ll cover:
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- Features including comfort, unique design, and materials
- Value for money
- Back to back comparisons with the best ten camping chairs on the market
- Lots more…
So if you want a super reliable hiking seat to give you comfort and stability, you’ll love this guide.
Let’s get started.
- Manufacturer: TravelChair
- Main Material: Ripstop nylon with aluminum frame
- Weight (oz): 38
Bottom Line : The Joey is an excellent backpacking or camping chair that’s stable on a variety of terrains and provides a comfortable and robust seat.
Pros
- Comfortable
- Good height
- Stable
- Strong
- Great value
Cons
- Bulky
- Heavy
Our Verdict: TravelChair Joey
We brought the TravelChair Joey (with our other Top 10) along for our TopNotch camp testing trip in Montana and to a couple of sporting gigs – it was both convenient to carry and comfortable to rest in.
Here’s the deal:
Weighing just 38 ounces, we’ll be the first to admit there are lighter travel chairs on the market.
For this reason, the TravelChair Joey isn’t best suited for long, multiple-day treks.
For long-haul backpacking trips, we prefer to use our Helinox Chair Zero which weighs only 16 ounces.
We thoroughly field tested and reviewed both of these camp chairs in our 10 Best Backpacking Chairs Round-Up.
While they may be slightly heavy, we love the patented TravelChair Joey series.
This is because this hiking seat is comfortable, lightweight, and packs down to the size of a couple of tinned cans!
Without a doubt, one of the perks of the Joey is the compact packing case that comes with it.
It’s so small, we could easily fit it inside of our backpack or use a carabiner to attach it to the outside of our tote.
The Joey chair is also great for people of all shapes and sizes – it can hold up to 300 lbs.
It gets better:
The patented design of the Joey is stable for all types of rough terrain: mud, sand, marsh – you name it.
Thanks to the ‘sand feet’ (rubber caps on the feet of the hiking seat) it won’t sink into the ground.
Not only that, but everyone on our team found the TravelChair Joey super simple to set up and takedown.
Combining great comfort and versatility, it’s great for hiking, camping, canoeing, beach days, and more.
Related: 10 Best Backpacking Chairs
Our Analysis Comparisons and Test Results
We love the TravelChair Joey for it’s comfort and ease of use.
The breathable mesh keeps you cool on those hot summer days and the seat is wide and comfortable for all shapes and sizes.
It gets better:
The simple assembly with 2 pieces can be set up in seconds!
This is an (almost) ultralight camp chair which is convenient and durable, too.
Value For Money
The TravelChair Joey is better value than some of its closest rivals.
It’s very similar to the Helinox Chair Zero which has a nearly identical packed size of 13.8 x 4 inches.
There are other chairs with all-metal construction, like the Big Agnes Skyline UL seat, but yet again, the Joey is cheaper.
Value For Money Rating
All things considered:
This camping stool is worth every dime for its durability and versatility.
We’ve been using the TravelChair brand for nearly 3 decades, you can’t go wrong with their comfortable and portable camping products.
And the TravelChair Joey is no exception.
Their gear tends to last, even on rougher surfaces and terrain.
Check this out – top of the chart…
Comfort
Want to know the best part?
Since this backpacking seat has a full 16 inches clearance above the ground, getting in and out is easy.
Also, we found the TravelChair Joey had comfortable full-size seating with a width of 21 inches.
Comfort Rating
Again, this chair is ideal for people of all shapes and sizes as it’s much bigger than the average camp chair and can hold up to 300 lbs.
It’s a TopNotch hiking stool to be carried to a campsite or the beach, and so comfortable it comes out with a perfect 10/10.
Packed Size
As we mentioned earlier…
The Joey Chair compresses down to the size of a couple of tins!
However, it’s a bit on the heavier side at 38 ounces which is why it loses some points for us.
Packed Size Rating
The carry bag which comes along with the purchase makes packing super easy.
We found the TravelChair Joey is a great option for a small travel seat because it’s so compact.
At only 4 inches wide, it’d be hard to find a smaller hiking stool with this level of comfort!
Durability
It gets better:
The patented design of the TravelChair Joey is fully collapsible with only 2 pieces:
- A hubbed frame with shock-corded poles
- The seat fabric
The hubbed frame is interconnected so you won’t lose any pieces.
Durability Rating
After looking carefully at the design, we also noticed the two hub elements where poles converge are very sturdy.
The point where the pole enters the ripstop nylon fabric is carefully crafted to be durable and won’t tear.
We were super impressed by the tough build of this chair, and think you’ll find it stable and sturdy too.
Versatility
Now:
While other chairs like the Crazy Creek PowerLounger might offer better versatility, the Joey Chair isn’t quite as flexible in its uses.
Versatility Rating
However:
We appreciated this hiking seat because it was sturdy and comfy at the campsite, the ball game, neighbors barbeques, school sports, you name it…
At the beach, I loved that the sand (rubber) feet on the chair kept me from sinking into the sand.
At the campsite after a bit of rain, we appreciated that we didn’t slip and slide in the mud.
You can count on the TravelChair Joey for a multitude of overland trips.
In fact, now it’s one of our go-to camping chairs for team excursions!
Just stash it in the trunk and it’ll always be ready when you need it.
Conclusion: TravelChair Joey
By now…
…you’ll have a clear idea of all the features of the TravelChair Joey.
As well as our testing trip in Montana where we had our top 10 chairs side by side, It was handy bringing this hiking seat along to our local beach for muesli and yogurt and a heart to heart as the sun rose – also for ball games when I couldn’t afford the seating (!) and I took it to a neighbor’s barbecue where I was pretty much glued to it from 2pm till 2am…
It’s just tiny to pack and always a handy thing to keep by you.
What’s the bottom line?
The rubber feet of this camp chair keep you stable on any surface, and the collapsible 2 part design is super easy to use.
While it may not be a superlight chair, we find it’s top of the class for comfort (check out its 10/10 rating) and it’s super easy to get in and out of.
If you’re looking for a comfy, easy-to-carry chair to bring with you on many different adventures – this is it.
We can assure you, the Joey hits the mark in terms of comfort and durability – so have a seat in one today!
We’ve done the work, now we pass the baton to you to choose your next chair-for-everywhere.
Enjoy!
