In the wilderness, a simple thing like a table can be luxurious. Just having a sturdy, flat surface to cook, eat and play cards on truly makes a campsite feel complete.
Several companies make lightweight camp tables that pack small enough to bring with car camping, on canoe trips or even backpacking. I recently tested three companies’ camp table offerings.
Blue Ridge Chair Works’ Folding Table ($60), a 12-pound, solid ash model, was the most refined table in the review. It’s a sturdy, good-looking design so nice that I’d feel comfortable putting it in my living room.
However, the Folding Table does not pack as small as the other models in this review, as it simply folds in half to stow away, making it inconvenient for backpackers and canoeists. It also is shorter, with a table surface that’s about 20 inches off the ground.
Travel Chair Company’s Canyon Table ($50) is an aluminum model with a roll-top surface for easy packing. It weighs 7 pounds and fits into an included nylon sack about the size of a rolled-up sleeping bag. For backpackers, this is the model to choose.
The Canyon Table’s legs are each adjustable from 27 to 33 inches, letting you level it out on uneven ground. The aluminum tabletop will not be damaged by heat, which means you can set stoves and hot pots on it with no worries.
Byer of Maine’s Roll Top Camp Table ($100) is the largest model I tested, with a 44 × 30-inch tabletop that can comfortably seat four to six people. Despite its large size, the wooden table rolls up and stuffs into an included bag to make a 16-pound package not much larger than an average packed tent.
Contacts:
Blue Ridge Chair Works, 1-877-218-1731, http://www.blueridgechair.com .
Byer of Maine, 1-800-338-0580, http://www.byerofmaine.com .
Travel Chair Company, 1-253-851-7519, http://www.travelchair.com .
