Big Agnes Skyline UL Backpacking Chair Review

Bottom Line

We don’t hesitate to recommend the Big Agnes Skyline UL Chair for any camper who wants the most comfortable and stable backpacking chair under two pounds. 

While the Skyline was the second-heaviest chair in our guide to the best backpacking chairs, Big Agnes made those extra ounces count. Some ultralight camp chairs just aren’t comfortable enough to justify hauling into the backcountry when they only give you some relief. That’s what we love about this camp chair: it’s comfortable for extended hangs, so packing it into a backcountry site feels justified.

The Skyline ranked high for comfort and stability after two months of testing in campsites across New Mexico. We like the chair’s roomy seat and generous back support. Its stability also stood out, thanks to the widest base we measured and a sturdy aluminum frame that skips the cheap plastic hubs used in most backpacking chairs. The result is a solid chair that’s heavier than average yet still packable and several ounces shy of two pounds – our cut-off between a backpacking chair and camping chair.

In short, we think the “UL” in the Big Agnes Skyline UL is a bit of a stretch. But it’s clearly a backpacking chair – and a strong choice for backpackers who prioritize comfort and stability over weight savings and price. 

How We Tested

For two months, CleverHiker editor and gear analyst Jory Brass towed around 11 backpacking chairs. He carried them into the New Mexico wilderness to compare their comfort, packability, stability, and ease of use. Our review of the Big Agnes Skyline UL is based on these first-hand field tests, side-by-side comparisons, and testing notes from other CleverHiker gear analysts.

Comfort

After two months of testing, we ranked the Big Agnes Skyline UL the second most comfortable backpacking chair we tested. The only chair we ranked higher for comfort is more of a heavyweight camping chair than a backpacking chair. 

Like our previous testers, Gear Analyst Jory Brass liked this seat’s roomy size and back support when testing it at several New Mexico campsites. The scoop seat carries weight well and cradles his achy back. Some of the smaller backpacking chairs in our lineup poke and prod his broad shoulders and hiker’s thighs, but the Big Agnes Skyline’s sturdy frame accommodates his sturdy frame nicely. The longer we use this chair, the more we appreciate its comfort and back support. 

As a general rule, heavier outdoor gear is often more comfortable. That’s the case with the backpacking chairs we tested. Overall, the Big Agnes Skyline UL is our top comfort pick for backpacking. It’s a premium pick if you value comfort and support and are willing to carry the extra weight that it inevitably costs.

Weight & Packability

The biggest downside of the Skyline UL is its weight. Yet, at one pound 11 ounces, the Skyline is several ounces below our two-pound cut-off line between a backpacking chair and campground chair. However, it’s noticeably heavier than the other aluminum-framed scoop chairs we tested. UL may stand for “ultralight,” but Big Agnes’s best backpacking chair weighs 9-11 ounces more than our top-ranked ultralight backpacking chairs.

Even so, its packed size isn’t bad for a backpacking chair. Made with aircraft-grade aluminum, the chair’s longer pole segments pack into a longer yet narrower stuff sack. With a smaller circumference when stuffed, the Skyline UL can slip into the side bottle pockets of most backpacks. That’s a packability plus since you have the option of carrying this chair in your side pockets as well as strapping it underneath your backpack.

Ultralight backpackers won’t consider the Skyline UL because most ultralighters don’t sit in camp anyway (just kidding, maybe). The average lightweight backpacker shouldn’t, either, if they place a premium on a low pack weight and minimal gear. Even so, this chair’s weight and packability are passable for backpacking, especially if you’re planning on posting up at a base camp. The added weight may be an acceptable trade-off for this chair’s excellent comfort and stability.

Stability

Stability was the other obvious plus for the Big Agnes Skyline UL. During a series of stability tests, the Skyline impressed our gear analyst as he rocked forward and backward, leaned in all directions, and shook his moneymaker to test the limits of this chair’s sturdy frame. The chair not only stood solid on solid, level ground but also inspired confidence at uneven campsites and soft soils, which strain the stability of many backpacking chairs.

Big Agnes ticked several stability boxes when they constructed this sturdy backpacking chair. For starters, the aircraft-grade aluminum poles are clutch, and they’re pre-bent to center body weight. Plus, all the pole connection points are also aluminum – not plastic – with overlapping metal pieces that are grooved to lock the legs into place. That eliminates play in the frame and establishes a sturdy base. The Skyline also has the widest base we tested, with the front legs and back legs spread 16 inches. That adds up to excellent lateral stability, which is further augmented by the chair’s center pole running side to side, not front to back like some models. 

With premium materials, extra weight, and smart engineering, the Big Agnes Skyline UL can take more abuse than most backpacking chairs. We felt confident sitting in this chair across a range of campsites – level and uneven – since the chair rocked and wobbled less than the lighter, smaller chairs we tested. If you’re looking for a beast that’s still light and packable enough for the backcountry, the Big Agnes Skyline UL is your chair of choice.

Ease of Use

Finally, the Skyline chair is easy to use, but its setup and teardown times are slightly slower than the typical backpacking chairs we tested. Given some of the stability features, the Skyline requires extra steps when assembling and disassembling. 

The pole segments don’t simply snap together like the typical chair. First, you need to slide the grooved segments of the leg connectors into the corresponding grooves of the chair’s center pole. Then you can match up the grooves of the leg pieces to slide the matching segments over one another. This process isn’t confusing, but Big Agnes has color-coded connection points for convenience and also screen-printed instructions on the stuff sack to make things easier if you’ve arrived in camp at bonking hour. 

These added steps aren’t big inconveniences, but they did slow us down when we timed how long it took to set up the chair at our campsite and then break it down and repack it. Overall, an extra 30 seconds of assembly time may be a fair trade for the added stability we get from this chair’s patented aluminum frame.

Should You Buy the Big Agnes Skyline UL Backpacking Camp Chair?

Given this chair’s pros and cons, the Big Agnes Skyline UL Chair is an obvious choice for backpackers who prioritize comfort, back support, and stability. It’s not the best option for those who prioritize weight savings.

It’s a premium pick if you don’t mind carrying some extra ounces, have a bad back, hate wobbling backpacking chairs, and want to be as comfortable as possible at the campsite. At the same time, it’s on the heavy side for a backpacking chair, even though it’s relatively packable and five ounces shy of our two-pound cutoff for a backpacking chair. Plus, we like the price. As with most outdoor gear decisions, this choice boils down to what’s most important to you: comfort, weight, stability, or cost.

What Other Backpacking Chairs Should You Consider?

For alternatives to the Big Agnes Skyline UL, please browse our full guide to the best backpacking chairs for 2025.

Helinox Chair Zero: Our top-ranked backpacking chair scores high across the board and weighs 9 ounces less than the Skyline UL. 

REI Flexlite Air Review: Do you want a true ultralight backpacking chair? The Flexlite can’t touch the stability of the Skyline chair, but it’s much less expensive, weighs just a pound, and provides good comfort and back support. 

NEMO Moonlite Elite Review: Like the Skyline UL, the Moonlite Elite is a premium chair with a stable,  all-aluminum frame, but it’s significantly lighter at 1 lb 2 oz.