Our Helinox Savanna Chair review will detail exactly what you can expect from this premium camping seat – features, comfort levels, and whether it really justifies the price tag.
We have all been there. You are sitting around the campfire, shifting your weight for the tenth time because the bar of your cheap camping chair is digging into your legs. Meanwhile, your friend opposite you looks like they are lounging in a hammock, sipping a drink with a smug look on their face.
Chances are, they are sitting in a Helinox.
For years, we stuck to the £15 supermarket chairs, thinking “a chair is a chair.” But after one too many trips with a numb bum and a broken frame, we decided to see if the premium options were worth the hype. Enter the Helinox Savanna Chair.
Billed as the ultimate relaxation station for the campsite, it promises superior comfort in a package small enough to throw in a backpack. But is it the best camping chair on the market, or just an expensive accessory?
In this review, we are going to look at the features of the Savanna, put it through its paces on a real camping trip, and deliver our final verdict.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Superior Comfort: The high back and wider seat make it genuinely relaxing for hours.
- Light Weight: At just under 1.9kg, it is incredibly light for a “big” chair.
- Pack Size: Packs down to a fraction of the size of a standard folding chair.
- Durability: Built with DAC aluminium poles that feel bombproof.
- Integrated Extras: Comes with mesh cup holders as standard.
Cons
- Price: It is a significant investment for a camping chair.
- Ground Sink: The legs can sink into soft sand or mud (though you can buy ball feet to stop this).
- The “Wobble”: The shock-corded design has a natural flex that takes getting used to.
About the brand
If you are a gear geek, the name Helinox will be familiar. They are the sister company of DAC, the brand that makes the high-tech aluminium poles for almost all the world’s best lightweight tents. This means their furniture shares that same DNA: lightweight, incredibly strong, and engineered to within an inch of its life. They don’t make “cheap” gear; they make durable gear designed to last a lifetime of outdoor adventures.
Features & Specifications
The Helinox Savanna is essentially the big brother of the famous Sunset Chair. It is designed with a wider seat and a taller profile, making it much easier to get in and out of than the lower models.
The frame is the star of the show. Made from DAC aluminium alloy with nylon resin hubs, it is essentially a collapsible frame that snaps together like a tent pole system. It can hold an impressive 145kg (320lbs), yet the whole thing weighs just 1.9kg.
The fabric is a high-quality 600-weave polyester with mesh panels for ventilation (no sweaty backs on hot days!). It features cradling armrests, which are fabric “wings” that allow you to rest your arms naturally without hard metal bars digging in.
Storage-wise, Helinox has really thought about the user. Unlike other models where you have to buy accessories separately, the Savanna comes with mesh cup holders on both sides – perfect for your morning coffee or evening beer. The carry bag itself is a clever bit of kit; it has a daisy chain and a D ring so you can clip it to your backpack.
But the smartest feature? The headrest flap. You can stuff the chair case, a soft pillow, or even your puffy jacket into the flap on the headrest to create perfect head support and ample neck cushioning. Customise your luxury.
Using the Helinox Savanna Chair
I can sum up what it is like to use the Savanna: it ruins you for other chairs.
The Setup: When you first take it out of the bag, it looks like a jumble of poles. But because of the shock-cord system, the frame practically assembles itself. You just give it a shake, and the poles snap into the nylon resin hubs. Then, you simply slip the seat fabric onto the four corners. The reinforced corners ensure it feels secure. It takes about 30 seconds once you know what you are doing.
The Comfort: Sitting in it is a joy. Because it has a high back, you can fully recline and rest your head. I stuffed a jumper into the headrest flap, and honestly, I could have fallen asleep. The comfortable design hugs you like a bucket seat rather than a flat bench.
It is worth noting that the frame has a bit of “give.” If you lean back, it flexes. This is intentional and adds to the relaxation, but it can feel a bit unnerving the first time you sit down!
We used it for eating, reading, and just staring at the fire. The cup holders being built-in was incredibly welcome – my drink was always safe, rather than balanced precariously on the ground.
Packing Up: Taking it down is just as fast. The collapsible frame breaks down easily, and if you follow the instructions (printed on the bag!), you roll the fabric around the poles and slide it back into the carry bag. It packs down to a compact cylinder (approx 54cm long) that takes up minimal space in the car boot.
Verdict
Is the Helinox Savanna worth the money?
If you just need a seat for a quick BBQ in the garden, you might find the price hard to swallow. There are definitely cheap options out there. However, if you are looking for one of the best camping chairs out there, for superior comfort that won’t fill up your entire car, this is it. It offers the support of a massive luxury chair but the pack size of a hiking mat.
The combination of the high back, the clever pillow pocket, and the sheer build quality makes it a piece of gear you will keep for years. It is perfectly suited for car campers who want to relax without the bulk.
If you can find a discount code or catch it in a sale, snap it up. Your back (and your relaxation levels) will thank you.