A Walkstool is the only three-legged stool in the world with telescopic legs. It looks more like tripod stools. And it works! In fact, it is a popular overlanding and camping essential because it’s lightweight and very compact. To help you decide, we went through every feature, collected all our experiences with the product and created the below Walkstool review!
When outdoors, you can’t always find a comfortable seat to rest. This is where having a lightweight stool that you can easily carry around can make a big difference. A Walkstool is designed for this purpose.
If you are curious to know more about Walkstool, we’ll give you a comprehensive review of this product.
About the Manufacturer
Walkstool is a unique three-legged stool designed by a Swedish company. The company has two main product lines, the Walkstool Comfort and Walkstool Basic.
The three legs in these stools are telescopic with worldwide patents and trademark protections.
The main difference between Walkstool Comfort and Walkstool Basic models is that the former is made in Sweden while the two Basic models are made in China.
Also, the Walkstool Comfort comes with rubber feet while the Walkstool Basic models come with plastic feet.
The first model of Walkstool was introduced in 1997 and from there, the company continuously innovate to improve their product.
Today, Walkstool is sold in over 45 countries around the world, with Germany and the US as the biggest markets.
When and Why I Use it
We came across this product first in 2017. We were planning a long overlanding adventure and were looking for a light and compact stool in addition to our camping chairs. We needed quick seating solutions for when we have a quick break by the road or to take a stool with us on walks or picnics away from our truck.
I enjoy spending my free time camping, hiking, or traveling to different places using my truck. And in all my adventures, I always carry my reliable Walkstool with me.
You’ll never know what to expect when you go places, especially in the wilderness. And after hours of hiking or climbing, it feels good to just sit down and relax on my stool.
While you can easily buy a different type of folding stool or portable stool, I still prefer my Walkstool for most of my camping and overlanding trips. I can sit on it for long periods or use it for other activities: such as photographing for instance. You can simply just not extend the legs to get a low and mobile seating position as shown in the picture below.
Once folded, I like that I can attach it to my belt using the Velcro strap or simply use the carry-bag provided. It makes it very easy to carry around.
It is also the most comfortable stool I own. I have been using mine (I actually own four of them) for 4 years now and I am really happy with it. It has a quality feel and even after several years of use it doesn’t show any wear and tear.
Features of a Walkstool
Walkstool Comfort and Walkstool Basic models are well-designed products that combine ergonomics and practicality. Here are some of their standout features:
Telescopic Legs
Walkstool Comfort and Walkstool Basic are known for their three-legged design and telescopic legs. This unique feature allows you to easily extend or retract the legs just like a telescope. And this design is patented worldwide so that no other stool has this feature. And this is the primary selling point of this product.
Each Walkstool Comfort and Walkstool Basic model offers two sitting heights. The different heights can be achieved by extending or retracting the legs. You can easily retract or extend the legs by pressing the red buttons.
The best thing about the telescopic legs is that you can easily keep them after use. You can then place the stool inside its carry bag and toss it in your backpack for ease of transport.
Different Sitting Heights (4 different size models)
If you want to buy a Walkstool and are worried that it may be too short or too high for your height, no worries as there are four sitting heights to choose from.
Walkstool available heights are 45, 55, 65 and 75 cm. So instead of buying a stool that works for the average person, you can easily pick a model that is more tailored to your specific requirements.
The 45-cm Walkstool Comfort (L) is like your regular kitchen chair. With legs extended, the maximum height is 45-cm and if retracted, the minimum height is 28 cm. Weighing 72 grams, it has a maximum weight capacity of 440 lbs and with a 35 cm seat. The sitting comfort for this model is considered to be “Very good.”
The next available height is the 55-cm Walkstool Comfort (XL). It weighs 900 grams and can carry up to 495 lbs of load. Its low sitting height is 33 cm when the legs are fully retracted. It has a 37.5 cm seat. The comfort level of this stool is “High.”
The 65-cm Walkstool Comfort ( XXL) is ideal for a much taller person. Its maximum height when the legs are extended is 65 cm and a minimum height of 37 cm. It is lightweight too as it weighs just 975 grams. This product is ideal for those weighing 550 lbs or below. With a seat size of 40 cm, the comfort level of this stool is “Extreme.”
The tallest Walkstool Comfort has a maximum height of 75-cm and it has a maximum weight capacity of 550 pounds. If the legs are retracted, the minimum height will be 44 cm. Weighing 1050 grams, it is still a lightweight stool for your camping or hiking needs. Moreover, it has a seat size of 40 cm and it offers “Extreme” comfort.
All these Walstool Comfort models come with rubber feet. The rubber feel keeps the Walkstool steady and prevents skidding especially in slippery surfaces.
Different Seat Size
The Walkstool has enough seat size for comfort and they come in increasing size as the stool gets taller.
The available seat sizes arranged based on increasing height are 35 cm, 37.5 cm and 40 cm for the last two high Walkstool Comfort models.
Seating Comfort
The different models of this brand are considered comfort stools. They are ideal camping equipment that offers two sitting positions with varying levels of comfort. It’s great for everyday events, hiking, overlanding and other outdoor activities.
These compact and highly durable stools come with a mesh seat that’s comfortable to sit on. Aside from the mesh seat, you also get to use two sitting heights depending on your needs.
When you fully extend the legs, you can use it as a normal chair. It feels good on your back and you have room to move your shoulders.
Another seating position is with retracted legs that put your body in a much lower position. This position is much better for your lower back and shoulder movement. You can use this position in many ways like when you go fishing, shooting, photographing, or when fixing your car.
As a bonus, with retracted legs, you can also use this stool as back support when your lay down on the floor with your upper body elevated and legs extended in a more relaxed position.
With the different seating positions that a Walkstool offers, it’s definitely an all-around comfortable stool that you can use for long sitting periods.
Lightweight & Strong
Walkstool stools are light in weight, incredibly strong and highly sturdy. These three combinations of features make it a great value especially for those who spend a great deal of time in the outdoors.
This stool is so lightweight for a stool that you can attach it to your belt to carry. Each stool comes with a Velcro strap that you can loop around your belt then around the stool for ease in carrying.
Alternatively, you can place it inside its carry bag for easy transport. Or if you have a backpack, it will also fit inside.
When it comes to strength, the manufacturer claims that is it strong enough for a Volvo! In fact, if you visit their website, you can see a Volvo supported by four Walkstool. That’s really amazing.
Pros and cons
While these three-legged stools come with many great features, it’s important to note that they also have some drawbacks. Knowing their pros and cons, you can decide for yourself if this product is worth buying.
Pros:
- Build quality
- Light in weight
- Compact and portable
- Easy to use
- Different sitting positions
Cons:
- The portable stool may sink into soft ground. To avoid sinking into soft ground, you can purchase a separate accessory called Walkstool Steady. What it does is increase the surface area that is in contact with the ground. As a result, it prevents sinking into the ground.
What other buyers said
Checking the reviews of Walkstool, you can read thousands of positive reviews about this quality product. And there are also a handful of negative reviews. Here are what its customers have to say:
“I’m impressed with this compact ‘take-along’ stool. It is lightweight but surprisingly strong and sturdy.” We couldn’t agree more with what this customer said.
Another happy customer said that the stool is “solid and I was surprised at how comfortable it was to sit on.”
One customer found Walkstool the best solution for his needs “I wanted a chair for backpacking, this was the best I found.”
An overlander and avid camper also commented that “The stool is suitable for all types of ground.”
There’s also one person who found it useful for everyday use “I love how stable this product is. I have bad knees and can’t stand for longer periods of time so I use it frequently.”
We also found some comments from unhappy customers.
“It’s not a particularly “quick set up as you need to find a flat surface to use it on.”
Another customer said, “The stool was just too high and I can’t easily reach the seat.” Maybe for this customer, he bought the wrong height.
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Conclusion
A Walkstool may not be the cheapest stool but it’s one of the best portable and collapsible camping stools you can buy. It is stable and it can tackle different types of terrain which means that you can use it almost anywhere.
Most importantly, it’s versatile, allowing you to use it to relax your legs or as back support. Overall, it offers great value for your money.
