I'd been running Helinox chairs for years. One always lived in the car — packed and ready, never pulled out without going straight back in afterwards. It's a good chair. Then a subscriber mentioned the Kilos Grand Peak in the comments, and I decided to test both side by side properly before drawing any conclusions.
That test happened at Native Dog Campground in Victoria's High Country. I had both chairs in the field at the same time, along with two mates who sat in each without any briefing from me first. By the end of the trip the Helinox was in the bag and the Kilos was in the car. It's been there ever since.
Price and Weight
The Kilos Grand Peak comes in at AU$217. The Helinox Savanna is AU$299. That's an AU$82 difference for what I'd argue is a more capable chair.
On weight, the Helinox has the edge: 1.93kg versus the Kilos at 2.28kg. If you're backpacking and every gram matters, that's a relevant gap. For 4WD touring where the chair lives in the back of the car, 350g is not a meaningful distinction.
| Kilos Grand Peak | Helinox Savanna | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | AU$217 | AU$299 |
| Weight | 2.28kg | 1.93kg |
| Seat height | Adjustable 14–41cm | Fixed |
| Weight capacity | 150kg | 145kg |
| Headrest | Adjustable | None |
| Ground chair mode | Yes | No |
| Carry bag shape | Rectangular | Round |
The Leg System
The defining feature is the adjustable rear legs. Three height settings, from 14cm up to 41cm. Drop the rear legs to the lowest setting and the seat tilts back, your weight shifts, and you're in a genuine reclining position — more like a lounge chair than a camp chair. The Helinox fixes you upright with no adjustment at all.
Upright works fine for working at a camp table or a short sit. Around a fire at the end of a long day in the bush, the Kilos reclining position wins every time. Once I had the rear legs on the lowest setting I didn't want to get out. That single feature is the main reason the Kilos replaced the Helinox.
The Kilos also converts to a ground chair entirely — remove all four legs and it sits directly on the ground. The Helinox doesn't have this option.
What the Kilos Does Better
The armrests are wider and more substantial than the Helinox's padded but narrow versions. The headrest is adjustable, which makes a real difference for neck support over a long evening. With the Helinox you're improvising — folding a towel over the back or draping the carry bag behind your neck.
On storage: a front pocket that fits a Kindle or phone, an elastic side pocket for whatever you're reaching for often, and a stubby holder equal to the Helinox's. The carry bag clips directly to the chair frame, which means it doesn't end up on the ground where you'll step on it. When packed down, a velcro band holds the legs together — simple, but it keeps everything tidy in the back of the car. Weight capacity is 150kg versus 145kg for the Helinox.
What the Helinox Does Better
Setup and pack-down. The Helinox is faster — I've packed it in and out probably a thousand times and can do it without thinking. The Kilos takes a bit longer, particularly when you're new to it. After consistent use the gap closes, but the Helinox remains quicker.
The carry bag on the Helinox is round, which packs more easily into tight spots in the back of a loaded car than the Kilos's rectangular bag. Not a major difference, but worth knowing. The Helinox uses BlueSign certified recycled polyester — a detail that won't affect most people's buying decision but it's a premium material spec. The aluminium frame also appears to be a higher grade, though after five years of use I never damaged the Helinox frame, so I'm not sure where that makes a real-world difference.
Three Testers, Same Verdict
I asked both mates to sit in each chair independently, without any steer from me. Wayne and Chopper both preferred the Kilos — immediately and clearly. The reclined position was the deciding factor for both. Wayne said the Helinox felt too upright, nothing to lean back on. Chopper agreed: more all-round support, easier to get in and out. Both came to the same verdict without comparing notes.
Chopper, who is heavier and prefers a more upright sitting position, initially preferred the Helinox. When I adjusted the Kilos to match the Helinox sitting angle, Chopper also preferred the Kilos — the wider seat wrap and armrests made the difference. My daughter Summer also tested both chairs separately and preferred the Kilos, though that footage was accidentally recorded in time-lapse mode and couldn't be reshot.
Three usable comparisons in the field. All three preferred the Kilos once the configuration was dialled in.
The Victorian High Country Context
The chair comparison was filmed during the Victorian High Country trip that also produced the McKillop's Bridge series. The full side-by-side test at Native Dog Campground — including the tester segment — also appears in Part 2 of that series at around the 16:34 mark. That trip was the first time I'd used the Kilos in the field; the Helinox hadn't come out of the bag once.
After five years of loyal service, the Helinox went into storage when I got home. The Kilos has been in the car since.
After More Than a Year in the Field
The Kilos Grand Peak has been through multiple trips since the comparison — Victorian High Country, Pilliga, and others. Nothing has failed or shown signs of failing. I can't claim a five-year track record the way I could with the Helinox, but nothing has given me cause for concern.
I've since added the matching Kilos footstool. It pairs well with the chair in the reclined configuration and makes extended sitting around the fire more comfortable.
If you're in the market for a lightweight camp chair and you're going to be using it more than occasionally, the Kilos Grand Peak is where I'd put the money. The price advantage over the Helinox is real, the comfort in the reclined position is significant, and the storage is more practical. The Helinox is still a good chair — I wouldn't say otherwise after years of carrying one — but the Kilos replaced it for a reason.
My affiliate link for the Kilos Grand Peak: kilosgear.com/alloffroadau. More gear reviews on the AllOffRoad YouTube channel.
