Did you know these things about folding tables?

When camping ,there are a few luxuries that make the experience just that much better. A folding camping table is one of those luxuries. It’s not usually a necessity which is why I classify it as a luxury. However, if you can find room in your car or on your pack, it may just be one thing that you find you don’t want to leave home without.

Once using a portable folding table, you realize how convenient it is. You have a surface you can work on, which is especially nice when you’re cooking. The times that you are in the middle of nowhere and the best flat surface you can find is a rock, a fold up table comes in really handy. The sweet thing is that with technology these days, these tables are lightweight and can be folded up compactly making it easier to carry.

There are quite a few options in folding camping tables when it comes to size, weight, features and price. When looking for a small, compact, ultra lightweight portable folding table, GSI has it figured out. The GSI folding table sells for around $30 they have a table that is made of aluminum and only weighs 1 pound, 11 ounces. Granted, this is not a large table by any means. It only sits 6 inches off the ground. But because of its small size, the table fits into a 3”x 3.5”x15” stuff sac. This is the perfect table when space is limited and you don’t want to carry a lot of weight. I personally have used this table on a 4 day canoeing trip in the Boundary Waters and loved having it. Since we were in the wilderness it was rare that we would have a campsite with a picnic table. This little GSI table got us by.

If you have more space and weight is not a concern, there are many different options of folding camping tables out there. They range in price from around $25 to $150. The main materials used to make these tables are aluminum, wood and nylon. Your desired use for the table would dictate which material would be the best choice.

The aluminum tables are nice and sturdy. These would be a better choice for pans to sit on versus a nylon table which would have more give. You would also be able to set a hot pan on aluminum without worry versus nylon which would melt. Nylon, however, is very easy to clean and packs up smaller. The wood fold up tables are not as common on the camping scene, because they aren’t as lightweight and easy to clean. They would however, look good on your deck, in your living room or in your bedroom, so you could use it every day in your house and then cart it with you to the beach or to the campsite.

An aluminum fold up table can be found in a variety of sizes. There are some like the Travel Chair El Grande Canyon Table that adjusts in height level from 27.5” to 33” and has a nice large top that is 27.5” x 43.5”. This table is pretty large in the realm of fold up tables so it is on the higher end of the price scale at around $100. The smaller version, the Travel Chair Canyon Table, also adjusts to those heights, but the top is 27” x 27.25”. It is only around $60.

A nice feature about some of the nylon portable folding tables is that they have cup holders and extra pockets that hang from the edge. These nylon tables are very reminiscent of the nylon fold up chairs. The cup holders are similar and the tables fold up, roll up, and have a carring bag with a shoulder strap. When not using it outside to eat or cook on, you could bring the table inside your tent. It would make a nice little night stand to set your flashlight, glasses, watch, book or whatever. REI makes one for $24.50 that customers have given really high reviews.

Then there is the granddaddy of all fold up tables, the folding picnic table. This is where your fold up table includes chairs or benches. These are available in nylon, wood, plastic or aluminum. Again, the features of these tables are similar to a regular outdoor folding table. For example, the nylon tables have cup holders and a stuff sac with a shoulder strap. There is a company or two that make a folding picnic table with an umbrella which is definitely a luxury item. When you start looking at the ones with umbrellas, they get in the higher price range. Usually the larger, harder material fold up tables have a large hard case that they get packed into, so you would definitely need plenty of room in your car to haul it.

I learned this and much more on website that I visit often, they write the best articles about camping in my opinion!!