The Chair Rule

Some people will try to save weight and space on a camping/rafting trip by cheaping out on a chair. They'll bring one of those little 3-legged camp stools or one of those things that makes a Thermarest into a chair, or they'll plan to sit on a cooler, or they won't bring anything. Invariably, these people find out that these chairs aren't very comfortable, and they end up plopping down in whatever chair is free, and hope that the owner is too polite to say anything.

The Chair Rule has 3 parts:

1. You must bring a good chair.
2. If you do not bring a good chair, you don't get to sit in someone else's chair.
3. You must help enforce the chair rule for others.

The 3rd rule means that nobody is allowed to grab your chair and then suggest that you go and use a free chair - everyone in the group is supposed to back you up if you ask for your chair. In other words, helping someone violate the Chair Rule is a violation of the Chair Rule.

If you're going on a trip with more than 4 people, it's a good idea to bring an extra chair. Chairs sometimes get broken, or someone may not know about the Chair Rule. Better safe than sorry.