Best Chair for ice fishing

[skifisher]

I picked up the Harbor Freight directors chair last year and have not regretted the purchase.  They are extremely light for their strength. This chair easily holds my 260 lbs.

Third year on mine! Definitely impressed.

(By the way, I’m in my 70’s, and I can say with certainty, 3-legged stools are PURE EVIL!!!!)

[GBguy]

Love my HF directors chair! Much more comfortable than a folding camping chair in my opinion, no sagging seat and much easier to get out of. Spent 6-7 hours at a time sitting in mine sturgeon spearing last February with no issues.

[lefty2053]

Walmart ..19 bucks on line but when I purchased mine in store it was 15 bucks..also have a xxl version I also think my local had it cheaper as well.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-Director-s-Chair-with-Side-Table-Black-Outdoor/243426372

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-XXL-Folding-Padded-Director-Chair-with-Side-Table/39512414?athcpid=39512414&athpgid=athenaItemPage&athcgid=null&athznid=PWVUB&athieid=v0&athstid=CS004&athguid=3dc2052f-007-17639222037b74&athancid=null&athena=true

I have 2 of these chairs and they are great.

[Whopper Stopper]

I have 2 of these chairs and they are great.

I bought a couple of these last year after your recommendation.

Excellent Imho


WS

[3300]

Love my HF directors chair! Much more comfortable than a folding camping chair in my opinion, no sagging seat and much easier to get out of. Spent 6-7 hours at a time sitting in mine sturgeon spearing last February with no issues.

They are even nicer with an added seat cushion.

[GBguy]

Oh yeah, I have a dark green thermaseat cushion I always sit on. It's about 1.5" thick and makes quite the difference. Even makes the mesh Eskimo seat in my Evo 1iT more comfortable than it already js.

[DrummerManDrew]

I looked at these chairs and they look nice. I personally wouldn’t go that route and it’s because I fish a different set up. Does anyone know how heavy these chairs are? I was seeing these in the price 175 ish, does that sound right?

[3300]

What chair do you mean dmd? Harbor freight are extremely lightweight and made of aluminum.
They cost $29.99 msrp

[skifisher]

If he’s referring to the “blind chairs”, they are cumbersome and heavy. I used one a few times, and prefer the Harbor Freight aluminum folding chair.

[Dave R]

My issue is that I fish out of a Frabill Recon and most of these chairs won't leave much room for a anything else. And I won't use a three legged chair. Been there and done that!

[hardwater diehard]

My issue is that I fish out of a Frabill Recon and most of these chairs won't leave much room for a anything else. And I won't use a three legged chair. Been there and done that!

I have the HT sports chair for my Frrabil Adventurer ..cousin to the Trekker/Aegis ..which came with tri pod seats Trophy angler makes a similar chair

https://www.trophyoutdoorproducts.com/product-page/4-season-chair

[3300]

15% off everything at harbor freight today only.

[Sylvanboat]

Check out Prospector on YouTube. He brings his big LazyBoy.

[DrummerManDrew]

What chair do you mean dmd? Harbor freight are extremely lightweight and made of aluminum.
They cost $29.99 msrp

I was referring to the crazy lazy boy chair at the start of the post... not the harbor freight chair. I should have specified.

[Dave R]

I have the HT sports chair for my Frrabil Adventurer ..cousin to the Trekker/Aegis ..which came with tri pod seats Trophy angler makes a similar chair

https://www.trophyoutdoorproducts.com/product-page/4-season-chair

I have a HT sports chair also and have used it from time to time. I find it a bit unsteady if I lean back.

[seano]

https://www.amazon.com/GCI-Outdoor-Freestyle-Portable-Folding/dp/B077J9N283

check these out...you can rock in, very comfy and you can jig with your legs or lean forward easily, might be expensive to normal people but we are icefisherman!

[hardwater diehard]

https://www.amazon.com/GCI-Outdoor-Freestyle-Portable-Folding/dp/B077J9N283

check these out...you can rock in, very comfy and you can jig with your legs or lean forward easily, might be expensive to normal people but we are icefisherman!

That style the "Freestyle" ..looks better then the other versions as it more of a directors style chair ...while the others tend to be more of a camping chair ..which are horrible for jigging ..sit to far back ..great for camping and sitting otherwise ..you could add a rod holder and add jigging motion to your deadstick hole in you Hub set up.

[joefishmore]

That style the "Freestyle" ..looks better then the other versions as it more of a directors style chair ...while the others tend to be more of a camping chair ..which are horrible for jigging ..sit to far back ..great for camping and sitting otherwise ..you could add a rod holder and add jigging motion to your deadstick hole in you Hub set up.

12 pounds, fairly heavy to lug around

[MNicecold]

https://www.amazon.com/GCI-Outdoor-Freestyle-Portable-Folding/dp/B077J9N283

check these out...you can rock in, very comfy and you can jig with your legs or lean forward easily, might be expensive to normal people but we are icefisherman!

I have a couple of these, and used it fishing out of a wheel house.  Very comfortable! But they do take up quite a bit of floor space, so make sure you have the room.  Probably would work great in a hub.

[BlueSnow]

I'm also a fan of the Eskimo 3 leg stool/chair with a back.  Much easier to get out of than regular camp chairs and a lot smaller to pack in than a directors chair.

https://www.amazon.com/Eskimo-27613-Folding-Ice-Chair/dp/B072PVWXW4

[hole_hopper454]

I use a 7 gallon bucket with a twist on lid. Much taller than a basic 5 gallon bucket and very comfortable with the wide top. I cut a 5" diameter hole in the lid to slide fish in. I put my poles and ice scoop in the bucket too.

I think I'm going on 13 years with that bucket. It sounds silly but I really cherish it. It's one of the few things for ice fishing that I've had this long. Everything else has been upgraded or replaced. People always ask me about it and where I got it. Got it for free, it was an old chlorine bucket for chlorine pucks for pools. It's starting to show its age a little bit due to the UV. I've probably had several thousand fish in that bucket over the years. Lots of good memories and limits of fish.

[Dave R]

Reading the above post by hole_hopper 454 got me to thinking that over the years as I have tried different chairs, I always come back to a plastic bucket. Last year I bought a Scheels/Clam 6 gallon bucket and really like it. Up until then I used a 5 gallon with a padded swivel seat. I tried a 7 gallon that was given to me but it was too tall. The lid on my 6 gallon has some padding and my back doesn't seem to bother me. Which at my age is a blessing. Unfortunately the swivel padded lid doesn't fit so I might look for one that does.

[BlueSnow]

Reading the above post by hole_hopper 454 got me to thinking that over the years as I have tried different chairs, I always come back to a plastic bucket. Last year I bought a Scheels/Clam 6 gallon bucket and really like it. Up until then I used a 5 gallon with a padded swivel seat. I tried a 7 gallon that was given to me but it was too tall. The lid on my 6 gallon has some padding and my back doesn't seem to bother me. Which at my age is a blessing. Unfortunately the swivel padded lid doesn't fit so I might look for one that does.

The 6 and 7 gallon buckets are good, but it is hard to deny that having something to lean back on is even better!  But the biggest problem I have with buckets is that I end up putting poles and other stuff in them which end up getting in the way when it comes time for sitting. 

[SirCranksalot]

I'm also a fan of the Eskimo 3 leg stool/chair with a back.  Much easier to get out of than regular camp chairs and a lot smaller to pack in than a directors chair.

https://www.amazon.com/Eskimo-27613-Folding-Ice-Chair/dp/B072PVWXW4

aaah----the deluxe nutbuster!!

[BlueSnow]

aaah----the deluxe nutbuster!!

It seems like it would be, but it's pretty comfortable.  Course I don't use it in the summer when it is warm so...

[1moslab]

Those three legged chairs make me sore just looking at them.

[MNicecold]

How comfortable are the mesh seats from Otter?  I sat in both the Eskimo Wide One and the Otter Hideout, but didn't really pay attention to which one was more comfortable.

I do remember the Eskimo being pretty comfortable, and the Otter being wobbly.

I'm trying to find replacements for my heavy Frabill (but comfortable) boat seats to cut down on weight.

Unfortunately, I am only able to find the Otter mesh seats right now; the Eskimo Versa ones are out of stock everywhere.

[kasilofchrisn]

Here's my opinion.
I love the Eskimo 3 legged chairs.
They are very comfortable for me and put me in a good fishing position.
My disabled buddy with his messed up back loves them as well.
Personally can't stand those directors chairs for ice fishing. Great around a campfire but totally wrong position for ice fishing or you end up hunched over in the edge of the chair.
Then your back hurts from hunching over and not using the backrest.
Same thing with the old folding camp chair.
Plus those camp chairs are not easy to get out of quickly.
The back rest on the Eskimo chair is comfy and your in a good fishing position over your hole.
Mine is plenty sturdy enough for my 250#.
To each his own but that's my opinion.

[jimhaney08]

I use this one from CGI and like it.  Folds up nice.  Has a table.  Bait puck fits nicely in the cup holder.  It has a higher back than the HF chair, which I like being that I'm tall and have some lower back issues.

It's also $10 off on Amazon right now!

https://www.amazon.com/GCI-Outdoor-Slim-Fold-Directors-Chair/dp/B00HKCXVR0/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=GCI+Camping+Chairs&qid=1610727980&s=outdoor-recreation&sr=1-8

[Royalwapiti]

Many of you are referring to the directors chair from Cabelas, Coleman, Trophy Ridge, which is the same style as the Harbor Freight one, except you are probably paying twice as much for yours.  I have tried many and the HF chair is great.  I bought 3 of the Eskimo 3 legged chairs when I bought my 949i and that was a mistake....