I've used the Trail Seat constantly, in my car for my back, for more than a decade now. It is a wonderful, quality product that stays the course. Thanks for the comprehensive comparison with the Lite Seat. Well done!
The trail Seat in this video ended up in a computer chair I have to sit in often. It made a huge difference in my day pretty much every day. These are quality and surprisingly durable. .. I'm glad you found the information useful! Thanks for taking the time to watch!
Great review. Both of my mats are inflated stored. Both are still very comfortable. Newest one is about six years old and still fully inflates when in use. The older one is over 8 years old and as the other one still fully inflates when in use. All the best mate Regards Clive
Bought the green one and used it on two 3-hour flights and it literally saved my ass! It actually made me even relax and enjoy the flight for the first time (Denver to Knoxville.) Put me in a good mood. Didn't realize how much the hard seats on Frontier and the pain was stressing me out. Got mine for about $20. Highly recommend!! Also, it can be just rolled up and shoved into your suitcase very easily without anything wrapped around it. Just do it quickly before it unfolds. Let me also add, that I wasn't sure how an "inflatable" cushion would perform compared to the other types out there (gel and foam.) But I can tell you the air-filled cushions are super comfortable, work great and there are several companies that make them and they are all pretty much the same and the advantage is you can roll them up instead of having to carry around a big cushion. So, go for an air cushion.
Good job in explaining the self inflation mechanism... I never thought that I would carry something like this for wild camping. I always thought of these things as an unnecessary gimmick. However, after several hours of sitting on edgy rocks and hard wood in front of the camp fire - sometimes with everything being all damp and wet - I decided to give the Lite Seat a try... and boy, what a game changer! Not only does this make you sit a lot more comfortable over a longer period of time, but this will keep your clothing clean and dry as well. Plus it also comes in handy for when you're trying to climb out of your tent. You won't need it on a day hike, or overnight camp... but on a seven day wild camp, you'll definitely notice the difference. It packs so small that it can be strapped to the exterior of your backpack as well.
I started with the smaller one due to packing size. Now, I added the big one to my property because I want a device which remains at home on my office chair and I have a bigger rear end. Great review btw..
I keep my Therm-A-Rest sleeping pads inflated and only deflate them just before I leave for camping so I can pack them. I DO NOT ( huff and puff ) blow any air in them since moisture from my breath will get inside and over time cause mildew. A standard Therm-A-Rest mummy mattress about 1/2 to 3/4 inflated works wonders as comfortable insulation in a hammock. It stops a person from having a case of the Cold Butt Syndrome when you lay in the hammock. Thank you for the video and now I know which way to go. I'm believe the Trail Seat would work better as a makeshift frame ( about 1/2 inflated ) inside the inner sleeve of my light weigh backpack due to it's extra inch in length and width. Plus as a seat when in camp.
I agree with you about keeping pads partially inflated and you're sure pointing out something more people should be concerned about... The mold and mildew that can grow in inflatable pads. I like some of the newer designs that come with stuff sacks that can be used as pumps. Avoiding inhaling whatever spores might be growing in an inflatable pad or avoiding allowing it to happen in the first place (or at least mitigating the issue as well as you can) should be on everyone who uses these things minds. ... I'm glad this video was useful to you making a decision! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the great info, I do long distance flying to the Philippines and my rear gets sore on the commercial airline seats. This could possibly be the solution to the discomfort!
Thanks for this. Very helpful. A suggestion about the audio for this video- disconcerting how you keep talking at the transition points and the your voice fades out or interferes with itself.
Wow, I thought that rocks, boulders, and logs were what I was supposed to be sitting on, when I was out in the woods. Here all along, I could have had one of these nice cushy self inflating mats. While working as a wildness patrol range in Alaska, I usually just sat in, or on my kayak; or when resting, or eating on shore, I would try to find a comfortable rock or boulder to sit on for awhile. Of course, I did have a non-self inflating pad for sleeping on in my tent which worked well. We did have these little canvas chairs, if you want to call them that, but they were basically just a backrest, that would give you some lower back support, but you were still at ground level. I would have loved to have had a regular size beach chair, that would allow me to sit like I was at my desk, or the dinner table, and the pad would have just been extra nice support on top of that. Unfortunately, size and weight precluded the carrying of any type of chair, except maybe in a car camping scenario. Actually, that small pad would probably have worked great in my kayak seat, which I never really liked that much. The older I get, the harder it seems to be for me to get my shoes and socks back on, if I have taken them off to cross a stream, or for some other reason, as I just prefer to be elevated in order to perform the shoe fitting task, not flat on the ground. I never can find a suitable downed log, or boulder when I need one. Anyway, I digress, but I think that the pads look good, and you mentioned some uses, like airline seats, football games, and probably wooden picnic tables; now point me in the direction of a chair that weighs next to nothing, can support 250 pounds at least, and fold up for easy storage on, or in a backpack. I will then gladly place one of your recommended seat cushions on the seat of that chair. By the way, do these have an R value rating? THanks for the time to make the review.
I can actually do exactly what you want. I have one of these and I sort of showed it a little bit on camera in a couple of my tarp videos... I'm sitting on it in the second half of the Aqua Quest Defender Camo/Prairie Storm Pitch video. Search Amazon for "Tribe Provisions Ultra-light Compact Portable Adventure Field Stool". It weighs about 12 ounces, is rated to 250lbs, and easily fits in just about any backpack because folded, it's 16" long and about 2 1/2" diameter. That little stool has been part of my kit for about 2 1/2 years and I don't know what I would do without it. And, though I have once or twice threatened to do a video on that stool, I never really seriously considered it until now. I might do a really short video on that in the next week or two. Regardless of if or not I get a video done on that, I highly recommend it.
Sure. I don't see why not. You'll want to blow them up a little more firm than you might for sitting on them, but they're both thick enough to cushion your knees.
It can be folded in half before being rolled up, but it comes out about 5 inches thick and 6 1/2 or so inches long, and it wants to unroll so you have to keep a good grip on it until you get a rubber band on it. It has more urethane foam inside than the lite seat, so it's harder to roll up folded, but it can be done that way. I hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
They are a 50 D polyester outer with a urethane membrane bladder and urethane foam inside. It's a little hard to describe what it feels like... it isn't a plastic feel, but it isn't a cloth feel either because of the stiffness of the inner layer. It's a whole lot like a very tightly stretched polyester tarp, I guess. ... Thanks for taking the time to watch another one!
They're really similar. Just anecdotally since it's a sample of one of each of probably millions they made: My light-seat is still in service and my trail-seat gave up over a year ago.
Most thorough review of a simple item I’ve ever seen. I like it. Thanks.
I'm glad this was useful information for you! Thanks for taking the time to watch!
I've used the Trail Seat constantly, in my car for my back, for more than a decade now. It is a wonderful, quality product that stays the course. Thanks for the comprehensive comparison with the Lite Seat. Well done!
The trail Seat in this video ended up in a computer chair I have to sit in often. It made a huge difference in my day pretty much every day. These are quality and surprisingly durable. .. I'm glad you found the information useful! Thanks for taking the time to watch!
Great review.
Both of my mats are inflated stored.
Both are still very comfortable.
Newest one is about six years old and still fully inflates when in use.
The older one is over 8 years old and as the other one still fully inflates when in use.
All the best mate
Regards
Clive
Very good and comprehensive review. I have used Thermarest pads and seat for years. Good coverage.
Bought the green one and used it on two 3-hour flights and it literally saved my ass! It actually made me even relax and enjoy the flight for the first time (Denver to Knoxville.) Put me in a good mood. Didn't realize how much the hard seats on Frontier and the pain was stressing me out. Got mine for about $20. Highly recommend!! Also, it can be just rolled up and shoved into your suitcase very easily without anything wrapped around it. Just do it quickly before it unfolds. Let me also add, that I wasn't sure how an "inflatable" cushion would perform compared to the other types out there (gel and foam.) But I can tell you the air-filled cushions are super comfortable, work great and there are several companies that make them and they are all pretty much the same and the advantage is you can roll them up instead of having to carry around a big cushion. So, go for an air cushion.
Good job in explaining the self inflation mechanism... I never thought that I would carry something like this for wild camping. I always thought of these things as an unnecessary gimmick. However, after several hours of sitting on edgy rocks and hard wood in front of the camp fire - sometimes with everything being all damp and wet - I decided to give the Lite Seat a try... and boy, what a game changer! Not only does this make you sit a lot more comfortable over a longer period of time, but this will keep your clothing clean and dry as well. Plus it also comes in handy for when you're trying to climb out of your tent. You won't need it on a day hike, or overnight camp... but on a seven day wild camp, you'll definitely notice the difference. It packs so small that it can be strapped to the exterior of your backpack as well.
Dude you’re awesome
I started with the smaller one due to packing size. Now, I added the big one to my property because I want a device which remains at home on my office chair and I have a bigger rear end.
Great review btw..
Very helpful. Thank you for your eye to detail.
I've had both, the original green is the way to go! Mine totally outlasted the orange one.
Thank you for this very thorough and well-researched video!
Thanks for taking the time to watch! I'm glad this was useful for you.
Thank you...helped me to decide which one would work for me.
Excellent! These are well made. You'll be happy with whichever one it is that's the right one.
Thanks for the video! FYI the Amazon links no longer go to the active listings (not sure if they are affiliate links and if that matters or not).
*Fantastic! Thank you so much!*
I'm glad this was useful for you! Thank you for watching!
I keep my Therm-A-Rest sleeping pads inflated and only deflate them just before I leave for camping so I can pack them. I DO NOT ( huff and puff ) blow any air in them since moisture from my breath will get inside and over time cause mildew. A standard Therm-A-Rest mummy mattress about 1/2 to 3/4 inflated works wonders as comfortable insulation in a hammock. It stops a person from having a case of the Cold Butt Syndrome when you lay in the hammock.
Thank you for the video and now I know which way to go. I'm believe the Trail Seat would work better as a makeshift frame ( about 1/2 inflated ) inside the inner sleeve of my light weigh backpack due to it's extra inch in length and width. Plus as a seat when in camp.
I agree with you about keeping pads partially inflated and you're sure pointing out something more people should be concerned about... The mold and mildew that can grow in inflatable pads. I like some of the newer designs that come with stuff sacks that can be used as pumps. Avoiding inhaling whatever spores might be growing in an inflatable pad or avoiding allowing it to happen in the first place (or at least mitigating the issue as well as you can) should be on everyone who uses these things minds. ... I'm glad this video was useful to you making a decision! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the great info, I do long distance flying to the Philippines and my rear gets sore on the commercial airline seats. This could possibly be the solution to the discomfort!
Great review. Buying mine now.
I'm glad the information was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Great job do more of it do more of it great job or see some more we need to know the saying god we need to go the woods thank you
Thanks! And thanks for taking the time to watch!
Thanks for this. Very helpful. A suggestion about the audio for this video- disconcerting how you keep talking at the transition points and the your voice fades out or interferes with itself.
Wow, I thought that rocks, boulders, and logs were what I was supposed to be sitting on, when I was out in the woods.
Here all along, I could have had one of these nice cushy self inflating mats.
While working as a wildness patrol range in Alaska, I usually just sat in, or on my kayak; or when resting, or eating on shore, I would try to find a comfortable rock or boulder to sit on for awhile.
Of course, I did have a non-self inflating pad for sleeping on in my tent which worked well.
We did have these little canvas chairs, if you want to call them that, but they were basically just a backrest, that would give you some lower back support, but you were still at ground level.
I would have loved to have had a regular size beach chair, that would allow me to sit like I was at my desk, or the dinner table, and the pad would have just been extra nice support on top of that.
Unfortunately, size and weight precluded the carrying of any type of chair, except maybe in a car camping scenario.
Actually, that small pad would probably have worked great in my kayak seat, which I never really liked that much.
The older I get, the harder it seems to be for me to get my shoes and socks back on, if I have taken them off to cross a stream, or for some other reason, as I just prefer to be elevated in order to perform the shoe fitting task, not flat on the ground.
I never can find a suitable downed log, or boulder when I need one.
Anyway, I digress, but I think that the pads look good, and you mentioned some uses, like airline seats, football games, and probably wooden picnic tables; now point me in the direction of a chair that weighs next to nothing, can support 250 pounds at least, and fold up for easy storage on, or in a backpack.
I will then gladly place one of your recommended seat cushions on the seat of that chair.
By the way, do these have an R value rating?
THanks for the time to make the review.
I can actually do exactly what you want. I have one of these and I sort of showed it a little bit on camera in a couple of my tarp videos... I'm sitting on it in the second half of the Aqua Quest Defender Camo/Prairie Storm Pitch video. Search Amazon for "Tribe Provisions Ultra-light Compact Portable Adventure Field Stool". It weighs about 12 ounces, is rated to 250lbs, and easily fits in just about any backpack because folded, it's 16" long and about 2 1/2" diameter. That little stool has been part of my kit for about 2 1/2 years and I don't know what I would do without it. And, though I have once or twice threatened to do a video on that stool, I never really seriously considered it until now. I might do a really short video on that in the next week or two. Regardless of if or not I get a video done on that, I highly recommend it.
Great info and well worth the time.
Thanks for watching and I'm glad the information was useful to you!
Would one of these double as a kneeling pad for around camp? Great review BTW!
Sure. I don't see why not. You'll want to blow them up a little more firm than you might for sitting on them, but they're both thick enough to cushion your knees.
Great Review very good info .
Thanks! And thank you for watching! I appreciate your time.
Good info.
Thanks for watching!
On the trail Seat can up roll it up smaller or is there a reason why you can not? THANK YOU!
It can be folded in half before being rolled up, but it comes out about 5 inches thick and 6 1/2 or so inches long, and it wants to unroll so you have to keep a good grip on it until you get a rubber band on it. It has more urethane foam inside than the lite seat, so it's harder to roll up folded, but it can be done that way. I hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
thanks, that helps a lot! Well done.
Great video as usual.
How is the texture. Are they soft or plastic feeling.
They both seem great.
They are a 50 D polyester outer with a urethane membrane bladder and urethane foam inside. It's a little hard to describe what it feels like... it isn't a plastic feel, but it isn't a cloth feel either because of the stiffness of the inner layer. It's a whole lot like a very tightly stretched polyester tarp, I guess. ... Thanks for taking the time to watch another one!
do you know if it would do any damage to the green seat padpad if it was folded in half before rolling it up ?
I don't think it will hurt it.
Cheers thank you.
I just need the most cush for my tush. Mainly for my kayak cause the seat sucks.
They're really similar. Just anecdotally since it's a sample of one of each of probably millions they made: My light-seat is still in service and my trail-seat gave up over a year ago.