It may look the same at first glance, but you will feel the difference once you sit down. I expect at least 2.5 million will be sold over the next 10 years.
Rajegeun (71), chairman of Dong-A Aluminum (DAC), noted this while introducing the new camping chair "Chair One re" at a product presentation held in the evening of 4th in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Chair One re is a renewed version of the best-seller "Chair One," which sold over 1.2 million units since its launch by Helinox in 2012.
Helinox is an outdoor goods brand that was established by Dong-A Aluminum in 2009. Initially producing tent poles to supply famous outdoor brands, Helinox later created its own brand and introduced the camping chair Chair One.
Chairman Ra became interested in camping chairs in 2008 while in the Mojave Desert in the United States. He recalled, "Sitting in a camping chair, drinking wine, and enjoying the scenery made me think it was a great idea to bring the chair. It was a different experience compared to standing or sitting on the ground."
Following this, Chairman Ra began developing lightweight and comfortable camping chairs and launched the ultra-lightweight camping chair Chair One in 2012. Chair One ranked first in camping chair sales on Amazon, a global e-commerce platform, from 2015 to 2017. It also earned the nickname "the Hermes of camping chairs" through collaborations with global brands like Louis Vuitton, Supreme, and Nike.
Despite its massive success that led to counterfeit versions being made, Chairman Ra expressed that he had many regrets about Chair One. Thus, after more than 10 modifications to the pattern, they have now introduced Chair One re.
Chairman Ra explained, "The width between the front and back legs has increased, improving the feeling of insecurity of tipping over when leaning back. When I first made Chair One, the focus was on reducing weight, but this time I prioritized increasing stability even if it meant adding some weight." The previous Chair One weighed 850g, while Chair One re weighs 1.115kg.
Chair One re features a "Tension Line" in the fabric that stabilizes the body and has improved the pattern to enhance sitting comfort. Additionally, the shape of the horizontal pole in the frame has been changed from round to square, and the structure of the plastic hub has been improved, while the thickness of the aluminum poles in the horizontal and leg sections has been increased by about 25% to enhance stability.
Moreover, a production method that recycles aluminum scraps generated during the aluminum manufacturing process has been implemented, taking sustainability into account. The design preserves the unique colors and details of Chair One.
Chairman Ra remarked, "The slogan of Helinox is 'Sitting is believing.' You may not realize the difference through a photo, but I think you'll feel it when you sit down," adding, "I believe we have resolved about 70-80% of the aspects that were lacking."
Chairman Ra expects that Chair One re will sell more than 2.5 million units over the next 10 years, more than double previous sales. The reason for this confidence is the observation that the outdoor lifestyle has changed since the launch of Chair One.
He noted, "Unlike when people carried straw mats, having just one chair allows for many activities outdoors. The concept of tents changed after the development of ultra-lightweight backpacking tents, and I perceive the change that Chair One brings is even greater." Helinox plans to launch Chair One re on the 6th and unveil Chair One High Back re on the 13th.
Helinox has been led by Ra Young-hwan, chairman (41) and eldest son of Chairman Ra, since it was spun off as a separate entity in 2013. In the product development process, the technical aspects are handled by Ra, while branding and global business are managed by Ra Young-hwan. Last year, Helinox's revenue was 78.6 billion won, with about 70% of total sales generated from overseas. Helinox is preparing for an overseas IPO targeting 2027 and established a holding company in Singapore in 2023.