Beach and trail chairs explained

Start with the terrain and the team

No single outdoor chair does everything. A chair that floats in the sea is clumsy on a forest path, and a chair that climbs a mountain trail cannot be used alone. So before you look at models, answer three questions. Where do you want to go: sand, water, gravel, mud, steep paths? Who will supply the power: you, one helper, or a group? And how will the chair get there: in a small car, a van, or on a plane?

Most outdoor chairs fall into three families. Here is how they compare.

Balloon wheels: chairs for sand and water

Thin wheels cut into sand like a knife. Beach chairs solve this with very wide, soft tyres, often called balloon wheels. They spread the weight over a large area, which lowers the pressure on the ground and keeps the chair on top of the sand.

There are two styles.

Floating chairs

The Mobi-chair is an amphibious chair. It rolls across the sand on three low-pressure wheels and then floats, held up by its wheels and floating armrests. It has a safety harness and a backrest with three positions. It weighs 27 kg and carries up to 136 kg.

The maker is direct about its limits. It says the Mobi-chair is not a boat, that it must only be used in safe, sheltered water close to shore, and that an able-bodied person must stay with the user at all times. Take that seriously.

Convertible beach and all-terrain chairs

The Vipamat Hippocampe looks more like a low sports chair with a long front wheel. The maker says it can be pushed, towed or self-propelled, depending on what the user can do. For soft sand, balloon wheels replace the standard double rear wheels. A ski kit turns the same frame into a snow chair. The frame is aluminium treated for seawater, the axles are stainless steel, and the wheels run without ball bearings so there is nothing to rust. The seat is closed-cell foam that dries quickly.

It comes in four sizes chosen by the user's height, from under 1.40 m to over 1.85 m. Our catalog lists it at 37 lb with a capacity of 286 lb, based on US retailer figures, and at about USD 4,550 for the base chair from one US retailer.

Try before you buy

Beach chairs are large and used a few days a year. In some European countries with well-developed accessible tourism, many beaches keep chairs of this type for loan or hire. Before a holiday, ask the local tourist office or lifeguard service whether a chair is available, whether you must book, and what its weight limit is.

Single-wheel hiking chairs

The Joëlette is the best-known chair of this type. Picture a seat mounted over one wheel, with long handles at the front and back, a little like a wheelbarrow with a second pair of arms. Because it has only one wheel, it can follow a path no wider than a boot. The maker says it works wherever a mountain bike can go.

The rider does not propel it. The standard set-up is one passenger and two guides, one in front and one behind. The front guide pulls and steers. The rear guide balances the chair and controls the descent. For harder terrain the maker recommends a team of two to five guides.

The Joëlette Adventure weighs 26 kg empty and carries a passenger of up to 110 kg. It has a shock absorber, a chest harness, footrests with straps, a backrest with three recline positions and an optional headrest. There is also an eMotion version with electric assistance, which helps the guides on climbs.

What this means in practice

• You need people. Two fit adults is the minimum, and more is better on a long or steep day so that guides can swap.
• The guides need to learn. The maker publishes video guides on pre-departure checks, seating the passenger, moves on different slopes and how to organise the team. Practise on easy ground first.
• The rider needs support. You sit still for hours, sometimes tilted. If you have limited trunk control, reduced feeling or a risk of pressure injuries, talk to your seating specialist about cushioning, positioning and how long to stay seated.
• Many hiking clubs and charities own these chairs and organise outings. Joining one is a low-cost way to start.

Lever drive: when the rider wants to do the work

Pushing on handrims is hard on rough ground. Your hands slip on wet or muddy rims, and each push gives little force. Lever-drive chairs replace handrims with two long levers. You push the levers forward, and a chain or drive system turns the wheels. A long lever multiplies your effort, and your hands stay clean and dry.

GRIT Freedom Chair

The GRIT Freedom Chair uses two levers and bicycle chains to drive the rear wheels, with a single wheel out in front. It runs on mountain-bike tyres with ordinary bicycle valves, so a bike shop can service many parts. The maker lists trails, beaches and snow among its uses, and sells a Pro version with wider tyres for sand and snow, and a Junior for children. Our catalog lists the Freedom Chair 3.0 at 46 lb (21 kg), with a 300 lb capacity and a maker's price of USD 2,995.

A helper can still join in. GRIT sells Trail Handles, an accessory that lets a companion walk behind and help with steering or pushing.

Mountain Trike

The Mountain Trike is a British lever-drive chair built with mountain-bike technology. Our catalog lists air suspension and hydraulic disc brakes, and a maximum user weight of 100 kg according to a UK hire retailer. The same company makes the MT Push, which is the attendant version: a helper pushes, using a handle with a brake. There are also electric-assist versions, the eTrike and MT ePush, and a kit to add power later.

A lighter push-rim option

Not every trail chair uses levers. The Trekinetic K2 is an all-terrain chair that our catalog lists at 15 kg, or 9 kg with the wheels off, with 85 mm of ground clearance and a maximum user weight of 114 kg. It costs GBP 5,750 to 5,950.

Lever propulsion uses your arms and shoulders in a new way. If you have shoulder pain, or you are unsure whether your grip and trunk balance suit lever drive, ask a physiotherapist and try the chair on a hire day before you commit.

Who pushes, who rides

Be honest about this, because it decides which chair gets used and which gathers dust.

• I want to move myself. Look at lever-drive chairs and the lighter all-terrain chairs. Check that you can transfer in and out, reach the brakes and get moving on a slope.
• I have one regular helper. Look at attendant all-terrain chairs such as the MT Push, at beach chairs, and at lever chairs with a helper handle. Ask the helper to try a hill, both up and down, with you in the seat.
• I have a group. A single-wheel hiking chair opens the steepest and narrowest paths, but only on days when the team is free.
• I mostly want the sea. A floating beach chair with a helper beside you in calm, shallow water.

Also plan the arrival. Can you transfer on soft ground, and where does your day chair wait?

Transport and storage

An outdoor chair is only useful if it reaches the outdoors. Check these points for every model you consider.

Questions to ask a dealer

• What is the heaviest single piece I will have to lift into the car?
• Can it be taken apart without tools?
• What are the packed dimensions? Measure your car boot first.
• What is the user weight limit, and does it include bags?
• Which parts are standard bicycle parts that a bike shop can replace?
• Is there a hire scheme or a demo day?

After the trip

Salt and sand destroy bearings, chains and brakes. The Mobi-chair's maker says to rinse the chair with clean water, wipe it dry and store it in a dry place. Do the same with any chair that has been near the sea. For chairs built with bike parts, look after them as you would a mountain bike: check tyre pressure and brakes before each outing, and clean and oil the chain. Joëlette recommends a yearly inspection at a cycle workshop.