YETI Trailhead Field Chair review: three months around Quebec

The Trailhead Field Chair is an easy, reliable chair for when you just want comfy camp seating without making a project of it. It opens in seconds, carries well and feels reassuringly solid on rough ground. After a long evening, though, I wanted armrests and somewhere to put my drink.

I bought the chair myself for US$225 and took it camping for 3 months around Quebec national parks, including the Saguenay and Hautes-Gorges areas and the Gulf of St. Lawrence coast. I took the NEMO Stargaze EVO-X on the same trip, which gave me a good comparison. We had hot, humid days and chilly evenings, with plenty of different places to pitch.

The verdict

The Field Chair gets the basic jobs right. It opens quickly, supports you well and feels secure on less-than-ideal surfaces like sand, dirt or damp grass. The wide padded strap makes its 9.3 pounds fairly easy to carry over one shoulder, leaving my hands free for the rest of camp.

The seat sits high enough that getting up is easy, and the fabric has enough give to stay comfortable for a good stretch. After a couple of hours I found myself wanting somewhere to rest my arms, and I had to put my drink on the ground because the cup holder costs $20 extra and I was too cheap to buy it. Those omissions are hard to ignore in a chair that costs US$225.

I give it 4.2 out of 5. When I want to move between the campsite, the fire and a patch of shade, this is the chair I grab. If I am settling in for the whole evening, I prefer the Stargaze and its recline. The YETI is easier to carry around; the NEMO is the one I would nap in.

Three months on the same trip as the Stargaze

The Field Chair came out across many pitches, from uneven dirt and soft sand to damp grass. I sat in it through warm, humid days and cooler evenings. Having the Stargaze with us meant I could compare how the two chairs packed, carried and felt to sit in during the same trip.

I am average height, and I noticed the seat height every time I stood up to do something around camp. After three months of opening, folding and sitting in it, the fabric has not sagged and the frame still feels tight. That is a good start, although I will need more time with it to know how it ages.

A sensible weight and an unusually good bag

At roughly 9.3 pounds, the Field Chair is too heavy for a hike, but carrying it a short way from the car is no bother. Folded, it is long and narrow like a regular quad chair. It is easier to find room for in the vehicle than the bulkier Stargaze, and I am much happier picking it up when we move to another spot.

The bag is the best part of carrying it. Its wide, padded strap spreads the weight instead of digging into my neck, so I can sling the chair over a shoulder and still carry other gear. Compared with the thin straps on many folding-chair bags, this one is a relief. It makes the walk from the car to the campsite, park or beach feel easy.

I would still leave it behind for a long walk from the parking area. Nine pounds adds up, and the folded chair is just over three feet long. For the short carries that come with car camping, though, the bag makes the weight easy to live with.

No assembly, and no fight with the bag

I take the chair out of its bag, pull the sides apart and sit down. There are no poles to assemble, clips to snap or tensioners to set. It takes seconds, which is lovely when we have just arrived and I want to sit before unpacking everything else.

Folding it takes both hands to push the corners together, but the frame moves smoothly. The bag is roomy enough that I can slide the chair straight back in without squeezing the fabric or catching my fingers in the frame. I have fought with enough chair bags to appreciate one that fits.

The larger Trailhead Camp Chair uses tensioners; this one needs no adjustment after opening. That makes the Field Chair handy even for a quick stop, when I would not bother setting up something more involved.

Supportive to sit in, but my arms need a home

The seat feels firm and supportive without a hard bar pressing into my back or thighs. The backrest has a pleasant angle, and at my average height the 17.5-inch seat keeps my knees where they should be. I can stand up without rocking forward to escape a deep sling, which helps when I am going between the chair, the stove and the car.

The Twilite fabric has a little give and feels soft against bare skin. It is less springy and less breathable than mesh, so I noticed the warmth against my back on humid days. I still liked the support, especially when eating or sitting around the fire.

I did not miss armrests when I first sat down. A couple of hours later, I did. My hands ended up in my lap, and I kept shifting around looking for somewhere to put them. The chair is comfortable for sitting up and taking part in camp life, but it is not where I want to doze off.

The Stargaze is much nicer for a long lounge. Its suspended seat swings and reclines, while the YETI keeps me upright and makes it easier to get up. I was glad we took both: I used the Field Chair when I wanted a regular seat and the Stargaze when I wanted to lean back and swing.

Steady on real campsite ground

I used the Field Chair on soft sand, uneven dirt and wet grass. Its broad feet stayed put, and I never felt the frame wobble or sink. I could lean back without wondering whether I was about to go over backwards.

I still choose a sensible patch of ground, but I do not have to hunt for a perfectly flat one. Once the chair is down, I can get on with sitting rather than adjusting its feet every few minutes.

The Stargaze was steady too, but its seat swings when I shift my weight. The Field Chair gives me a fixed seat, which I prefer when I am eating or getting up often. The NEMO's movement is more fun when I am ready to relax.

Still solid after three months

After three months, the aluminum frame still feels tight. The joints have no play, the fabric has not sagged and I have not noticed the frame flexing when I sit down. Damp ground and ordinary camp dirt have not caused any trouble either. It feels sturdy every time I open it.

YETI rates the chair for 350 pounds. I cannot speak to how it feels at that limit, but at my size it has stayed supportive and free of wobbles. I have not seen any rust or fading over these three months, including our time in damp and coastal conditions. Longer-term wear will take longer to judge.

The frame and seat are easy to hose off when they get muddy, then leave to dry. That is the sort of low-fuss care I want from a chair that spends its life in the car with the rest of the camping kit.

The accessory that should have been included

At US$225, I expected a place to put a drink. The Field Chair has no armrests and no included cup holder. YETI sells a snap-on holder for another $20, but I was too cheap to buy it. After three months of putting my drink on the ground, I think that was a mistake.

With no holder, my drink ends up on the ground. I have to remember where I put it every time I get up, and on uneven ground an open cup is easy to knock over. A capped bottle can live in a bag or cooler, but that does not solve the problem for a morning coffee.

I understand that leaving off armrests helps keep the chair smaller and lighter. The cup holder is a separate accessory, though, and I should have bought it. If you are adding up the cost of a useful camp setup, count that extra $20.

How it compares with our other chair

We took the Stargaze EVO-X on the same trip. It weighs close to 15 pounds and packs into a much bigger bag, but its suspended seat swings and reclines smoothly. For a long evening beside the fire, it is the chair I want. Its cup holders move with the sling, though, so an open drink can spill when I stand up.

The YETI is about 9.3 pounds, packs slimmer and has a much better strap for carrying it away from the car. I would take it for a short walk to the beach or a picnic spot, or whenever I expect to stand up often. I give up the NEMO's recline and padded headrest, but I do not have to haul around nearly 15 pounds of chair.

YETI also makes the larger Trailhead Camp Chair, with armrests, FlexGrid mesh and an included cup holder. The Field Chair leaves those comforts behind to save weight, pack smaller and avoid the Camp Chair's tensioner setup. I have not spent three months in the larger chair, so I would want to sit in one before judging whether those extras are worth the added bulk.

Who gets the best value from it

The Field Chair makes sense if you want a solid seat at camp and do not fancy hauling a full-size lounger every time you move. I liked it for eating, talking and watching the fire, and it stayed steady across the varied ground we camped on in Quebec.

US$225 is a lot to pay for a chair without armrests or even a cup holder. The price stings most when I spend hours in it and start missing both. If I need to carry a chair between the car and different spots around camp, I appreciate the YETI much more. Its good bag, easy setup and dependable frame keep it in the car.

I am glad we had it alongside the Stargaze. The YETI gave us an easy upright seat to carry around, while the NEMO was better for staying put and reclining. Three months is too soon to promise it will last forever, but the fabric and frame have held up well so far. I would pack it again for the same kind of trip.

YETI Trailhead Field Chair specifications

Weight, dimensions and capacity are YETI’s published figures. I paid US$225 for the chair and used it over three months.

Overall score: 4.2 out of 5. Easy setup, a supportive seat and steady feet make it a chair I would take car camping again. I still wish it had armrests and an included cup holder.

About the tester

Adam Whistler

Outdoor Expert, Adventure Guide & Long-Distance Sailor.

Adam is a seasoned outdoor guide with more than 300 weeks of adventure sports guiding experience across six countries. He has sailed 10,000+ miles aboard a cruising catamaran he rebuilt from the hull up. His reviews focus on reliability, repairability and how equipment performs when space, weight and dependable function matter.

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Editorial disclosure: Adam bought the Trailhead Field Chair himself for US$225. YETI did not contribute to this review.