Many people wonder why most camping chairs are low. Actually, not all camping chairs are low.
First, we need to look at the history of camping in Japan. As everyone knows, Japan has a long-standing culture of sitting cross-legged and on low chairs. Japan's camping history began with the introduction of camping culture from Europe and America. Between 1990 and 1995, Japan's camping boom peaked, with 15.8 million campers. At that time, most equipment was imported from Europe and America; chairs were mostly of normal height, with the seat 40-42 cm off the ground, and tables were 70-72 cm high.
However, with Japan's economic downturn, many young people couldn't afford cars, and even those who did often opted for small, lightweight vehicles, sometimes even having multiple owners for the same car. This necessitated simpler camping equipment. In this context, Coleman's aluminum alloy Kermit chair was launched in 2013 and quickly became a trendsetting chair. Lightweight and inexpensive, it perfectly suited the needs of young people and thus became very popular. Low chairs began to gain popularity around this time.
In 2014, the Helinox Moon Chair entered the Japanese market. Its extreme lightness and portability quickly made it a highlight in Japanese camping history. It was not only popular among campers but also sought after by backpackers and audiences of large outdoor concerts. This further fueled the low chair trend, with major brands joining the market, such as Onway's thin chair and Logos' cross-legged chair. Xuefeng's "Seal Chair" naturally became a member of the high-end low chair category.
For brands lacking original design capabilities, they directly "borrowed" imported products, with the wooden Kermit chair being the most popular. This chair is suitable for various environments, such as themed camping and retro camping.
With the popularization of low chairs, matching tables and accessories also appeared. The low chair trend developed in this way and became the mainstream of camping chairs.
However, due to its "low" profile, the use of low chairs is somewhat limited, and they are not as convenient as chairs of normal height, for example, for eating. As players explore further, the trend of "returning to normalcy" will gradually emerge. This is especially true for domestic players, who have large cars and spacious venues and are not accustomed to sitting cross-legged, so there's no need to feel uncomfortable in low chairs where they can't get up after sitting down.
