Pros:

It's of excellent quality (hence its somewhat high price), and it seems incredibly sturdy. It's sufficiently stable and comfortable. The red tabs that pop out to hold the legs in place when extended seem solid, not at all like they could collapse, as one reviewer mentioned.

Cons:

Contrary to questioning the red tabs' holding capability, I find it challenging to push the tabs in enough that I can retract the legs. And, although the product description says you can use it without the legs extended, I don't understand how that would work because when retracted, the legs end where they cross...so wouldn't the stool just fall right over? :) (I decided not to test this.)

Other comments:

Perhaps it's a shame that instead of offering various stools of different heights, the manufacturer didn't create just one model with various height settings. Of course, any difficulty pushing the red tabs in could then come into play multiple times, both when extending and when retracting the legs!

I'm 5'3'' and kind of wish I'd chosen the lowest stool (the 45 cm) instead of the 55 cm. For short periods, I'd prefer the higher one, but for longer periods the shorter one.

I got this for resting on hikes and for attending rallies or protests. But mostly I got it for waiting in lines...like the one for DMV services at my local AAA office (where instead of using a take-a-number-and-be-seated or page/mobile notification approach, they torture their customers by making them stand in a roped wait-line, even though it takes an average of 10 minutes to serve each customer and the line is typically at least 10 people long...my rant for the day).

I'm a big guy, 6'3, 330 lbs. This stool cradles me like a 2 week old baby. Its really wonderful and feels sturdy under my manly girth. You have to sit on it right to avoid crunching your peas and carrot, but once you get the position right, its like be held in the air by a three handed robot giant.

Is it worth the price? Well, if I didn't like to eat, I could have bought a cheaper model, so really who is to blame.

Hopefully after a few hikes with this, I will be able to downgrade my weight requirement.

Safe, secure, comfy, and easily portable. I'm a rubenesque beauty and this stool holds up very well. Checked the Walkstool website first, looked over all the reviews possible and decided this is the best. Here's a point by point analysis.

I've been blessed to go to San Diego Comic-Con the last several years by volunteering and have tried numerous portable seat products. First tried a rolling cart with a seat attached; ok but needed more strength. Then a portable short mesh chair with a carrying bag; did the job but was a bit heavy and cumbersome. This stool is the best one by far. It has it's own carrying bag, fits in my backpack, and is extremely lightweight.

Wanted a seat that would hold my weight and a heavy backpack. I believe this can hold a max 400lb but the suggested weight is around 350lb. They probably want to be sure people don't over weight it.

The price seemed a bit high compared to other stools but then I realized the combined cost of the 2 previous chairs equaled the cost of this one. Also, getting a well made chair that should last a long time and can handle my weight was of utmost importance. I wanted to avoid being flat on the ground after breaking a chair in front of so many people.

Having never used a 3-legged stool before, besides holding my weight the second biggest concerned was stability. After a few tries the easiest method was to position one foot against the bottom of a leg and then sit down. Was that a necessary step? Probably not, but it made me feel more confident that the stool wouldn't inadvertently slip out from under me or fold itself up as I set down. After doing this a few times I was popping up and down from that stool like a jack-in-the-box.

One drawback, which isn't a real con, the polls dig in your flesh just a little. I'm going to find a little padding to put on those points of contact and see what that does. After I set for a while I stopped noticing it as much so it may not be a real issue.

I'm not only in love with this thing, I'm taking it to work to show a fellow Comic-Con'er. Those long convention lines have met their match.

I wanted something to sit on while backpacking. So, I looked around at everything on the market and ended up with a WalkStool. There weren't really many other viable options for me. This review is for the Walk Stool Comfort 55 cm / 22" model.

Some background to begin. I'm a 6'0" tall guy who weighs about 215 lbs. I'm 60 years old but have no health issues that caused me to want a chair for backpacking. I don't have arthritis or bad knees or bad hips or back problems. I do 10 mile runs 2 days per week. I lift weights 2 days per week. I can squat 400 lbs in the gym. I generally carry a backpack that weighs between 40 and 55 lbs. I bring up my fitness level only to emphasize that unlike many of the reviewers of the Walk Stool, I wasn't looking to deal with health issues or seeking relief from pain. For me it was a quality of life issue.

I've been backpacking since I was about 14 years old (early 1970's, yikes). I live in New England and that's where I do most of my hiking with the majority of that in New Hampshire's White Mountains. Now, I've been backpacking without a chair or stool for 45 years and I have no problem sitting cross legged on the ground or popping myself back up on my feet. But recently it occurred to me that some sort of seat would make life better if it were small and light enough to carry into the back country. I'll give you some examples.....

1.) Here in New England, I'd say a rock is handy about 50% of the time. I've always plopped down on or against a rock to rest and take the load off without removing my pack. But there's that other 50% of the time.....
2.) Even if you can find a rock, it may not be the right height or shape to rest on. It would be nice to have a seat that deployed quickly to exactly the right height for a rest and allowed you to stand up easily with a 55 lb pack on.
3.) The forest floor here is wet about 75% of the time. So sitting on the ground can be wet and / or muddy. A soggy butt is not fun.
4.) We also have no shortage of ticks. Wood ticks, deer ticks, and lone star ticks all call this area home. Sitting on a rock, a log, or the ground increases your exposure to ticks.
5.) My liquid fuel stove, an MSR Dragonfly, is positioned on the ground 99.9% of the time. Bending over or kneeling while preparing, cooking, and serving a meal would be a lot more comfy with a seat at the proper height.
6.) Lacing up your boots with a heavy morning dew is more difficult when you are seated on the ground, bending down, or kneeling. Once again, a seat would make it easier.
7.) Doing chores like washing dishes or clothes would be a lot easier with a seat.
8.) Just sitting around a campfire in the fall would be nicer if you are up off the cold ground.
9.) etc., etc., etc.

So, for me I rationalized the weight / benefit and looked around for a seating solution. Given my 215 lb weight + a 55 lb pack, I wanted something strong. I would flip out if I had to carry useless weight for a week because the chair failed. The 55 cm / 22 inch walk stool supposedly supports 495 lbs. That provides plenty of safety margin. I also wanted something that could be deployed and packed up quickly. So I was immediately biased against true "chairs" despite their backrest and better comfort. They all have lots of little tubes that need to be assembled and then a fabric needs to be stretched over a frame sort of like setting up a tent. Also a chair with a back would prevent using it if you had the pack on. And, all the true chairs seemed to max out around 250-300 lbs, leaving very little safety margin.

A lot of the reviewers of "Chairs" with metal poles reported failures, mostly in the plastic hubs that hold the poles. Some said the frames of those chairs were OK with front to rear forces but not side to side forces. Also the chairs seemed to deliver a seat height between 12 - 16 inches which seemed a little low.

So I decided to trade off the comfort of a back support of a true chair for the strength, ease / speed of deployment and pack up, and seat height of the Walk Stool. I'm very happy with it. It's very comfortable for me. It weighs only 2 lbs. It takes less than 10 seconds to deploy or store. And it's pretty rugged.

As for height, like I said I'm 6'0" tall and I ordered the 55 cm / 22" stool. I actually could have been happy with the 45 cm / 18" stool. But the 55 cm model was about $20 cheaper when I ordered and the extra height may come in handy on soft ground. There is no simple answer to height choice. It depends on your own height and your weight as well as your physical condition as well as your intended use for any stool. If you are taller or you have trouble rising from a seated position you'll want to go with a higher seat. If you are 6'0" or shorter and you have no problems getting up, I'd bet the 45 cm / 18" model is the best bet for backpackers. I should point out that in my 22" walk stool, my butt actually sits 19" off the ground. 22" would be the height of the fabric seat with no weight on it. But when I sit down, the seat sags about 3". Yeah, I measured it. So the 18", 22", 26", and 30" sizes should only be viewed as a relative guide. You will actually sit about 3 " lower than the advertised height when you're using the stool.

One odd note. When I saw the Walk Stool marketing video that mentioned the two-height "feature", I laughed. I though it was the result of a marketing team stretching to come up with reasons to buy. Well, I tried it and I'm not laughing now. It works much better for cooking with my stove on the ground. It took me maybe two minutes to figure out how to fling the collapsed stool under me as I sat down and then balance on it. One I got used to it, it's much more comfy for cooking or putting on my boots or tending a backpacking stove on the ground.

The only thing I have left on my wish list is finding a way to rig it on my backpack so that I can deploy it and store it without taking my pack off. I'll update this review with photos if I find a decent solution. Unfortunately, the legs do not lock in the collapsed position and they will drop out with some shaking so, ditching the storage bag isn't an option unless I can find a way to attach the stool to my pack upside down.

Highly recommended as a backpacking companion.

TOTALLY IMPRESSED with this compact 'take-along' Walkstool; it is lightweight but surprisingly sturdy and strong. My hubby gasped when I first told him how much I paid for it ($80 + dollars for the 18-inch size), but once it arrived and he saw how compact it was, how lightweight it wold be to carry hither and tither, how incredibly strong and solid it was, and how surprisingly comfortable it was to sit on - he applauded my purchase. (Yeah) (Note: the stool came in a vey well made and handy carrying case that can either be slung over the back, carried by hand, or stored in a large tote (or a beach) bag. It is very, very comfortable and lightweight to carry.

I am a 5' 9" woman in my 60s with limited physical ability (notable back/spine and leg issues). I believe the Walkstool is going to liberate me, allowing me to get out and about by myself without fear of being stranded with no place to sit comfortably and rest when my legs give out, or when my back demands I sit and rest a bit. I haven't had the opportunity to 'field-test it,' yet. But, in 10 days my hubby and I have a day trip planned that includes 1 1/2 hours total time on a sight-seeing boat, an island excursion, enjoying a live performance, a salmon buffet, and time to explore shops, the shoreline, etc., before heading back for mainland. Of course, I plan to take my Walkstool and put it to the test, but I'm optimistic it will not only meet but exceed my expectations. I will be back after our excursion to update my review and let you all know how the stool performed.

MAY 22ND UPDATE: Here I am as promised, with an update after using the stool on our day-trip excursion. The stool exceeded my expectations ... I don't know what I would have done without it. I was able to sit whenever I needed whether or not public seating was available. In fact, the day had been rainy, so while others sat outside on damp, wet, cold picnic table benches or rocks, I sat comfortably on my dry stool. I was able to carry the stool in it's convenient storage bag slung over my shoulder with ease ... it was so lightweight I often forgot I was carrying it. NOTE: as it turned out, having the Walkstool for this excursion was the difference between me having a great time, or having to cancel plans and stay home. A week and a half before the trip I experienced a major setback. My spine became inflamed and very painful; my joints became swollen and radiated heat. This prevented me from standing for more than just a few minutes at a time, or doing even the simplest of household tasks without discomfort or extreme pain. Two days before our trip, my hubby was still considering canceling our plans, and would have done so had it not been for the Walkstool. The day of our excursion was my first day 'up and about' since having the flare-up. I am sincere when I say that it brings tears to my eyes knowing that even when experiencing a mobility setback caused by a flare-up, I don't have to feel like a prisoner. I can still go out and enjoy the outdoors and going places, within reason.

One thing I would like to mention is the lock-buttons on the telescopic legs (they are used to shorten the legs for storage, when the legs are fully extended). There is an indention surrounding the lock-buttons. Although I am right handed, it proved time consuming, difficult and frustrating to try and press in the buttons with my right hand. This was because the fingernails on my right hand are moderately long; they extend beyond my fingertips. It was very easy to press in the buttons using my left hand, however, because the fingernails on my left hand are cut very short. (I play mandolin. I keep fingernails on my left hand short, to hold down the mandolin strings, and grow out the nails on my right hand for strumming.) Just wanted to give a heads up - if you have long fingernails it might prove difficult to press the buttons in all the way.

AUGUST 93, 2016 UPDATE: still loving my 'take anywhere stool.' Spend an entire afternoon at the beach with my husband in the shade of a beach canopy. He had his telescopic canvas chair (which is heavy, cumbersome, and is long/large even when folded up). I had my trusty Walkstool (which is lightweight, barely noticeable carried over my shoulder, and very compact). The stool performed perfectly, even in the shifting sand, and remained comfortable to sit on throughout the day. I loved that the net fabric dried so quickly when it got damp (yes, I went in the surf!). Because the seat is netting and breathable, the fabric never felt hot or uncomfortable even during the hottest part of the noon. I enjoyed myself so much and liked that I could easily carry it myself, without having to burden my dear hubby with having to carry seating for me, in addition to his own.

NOTE: I paid full price for my Walkstool Comfort 18-inch stool; I did not receive it free or at a discounted price in exchange for an evaluation. So, why did I take the time to write such a detailed review? Because, like you, I depend upon the comments and experiences of others when making an Amazon purchasing decision.