Hiking

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. . . The Right One For You

Camping is becoming more and more popular the world over, of that there is no doubt, and the more potential campers there are means that the choice of camping equipment available in your local camping store is increasing by the bucket load . . . including the choice of camping tables. This is great for the sort of people who knows what they want (and how to get it), but what about the ones who find it difficult to make a decision . . . so many camping tables to choose from, oh no, which one is best . . . I’m confused . . . help!

Camping tables can fulfil loads of different functions:

• camp tables to prepare food
• camping tables to eat food
• camping table with washstands for clearing up after you’ve had food – food seems to be pretty high on the list of priorities for camp-site tables
• camp table for other activities . . . playing cards and games
• camp-site folding table is somewhere to keep your “cold one” safe on a flat surface so that some jackass doesn’t kick it over as he stumbles to the john (or the nearest bush) 
• camping tables offer a real focal-point (especially of you’re not allowed to light a camp-fire) where the whole family or group can join together and discuss the days hiking, the exciting stuff you saw on the backpacking trail or wonder what’s happening on the latest edition of “American Idol” because Mom arranged the camping trip on just the most exciting TV weekend of the year . . . thanks for that Mom! 

Did he say “cocktail table” – come again . . . this is a page about camping, hiking, backpacking, not sipping cocktails. Campers drink beer with the odd glass of wine thrown in (when the beer cooler is empty).

Stuff to Think About Before You Select a Camping Table

• How many are there in your bunch, if you regularly have a crew of 6 on your camping trips then you’re gonna need a camp table big enough to accommodate them all at meal times (especially if some of them have “wings” whilst they’re eating), plenty of elbow space to avoid the usual “yicker yacker” . . . I’m not sitting next to him, he keeps poking me with his elbows . . . look, I’ve spilled my dinner down my last clean t-shirt now because he knocked me . . . I wanna’ go home!
• Height of your camping table, and which camping chairs you will sit on at it! Camping chairs and camping tables do need a certain amount of compatibility . . . just like camping kids!
• Stability of the camping table . . . and what kind of surface it’ll be regularly used on. Camp-sites are all different and this might not be something which you can really know, but a wibbly wobbly table is good fun for some activities but if it means spilling your beer then that’s certainly not acceptable. Fortunately, some camping tables have pockets to put your cans in . . . or bottles of wine . . . they really do try to think of every way to keep the campers happy campers.
• The surface of the camping table can also have a big impact on its serviceability (that’s a big word isn’t it, serviceability, it is a real word though, I haven’t made it up). Roll up tables have fabric tops which are stretched tightly enough not to sag in the middle and very convenient to carry and stow, or folding picnic type tables are another alternative.
• The portability of the table is also very important, particularly if you’re the sort of campers who pack-up camp every day and move to another area.

Camping tables have to be strong enough to cope, light enough to carry, small enough to stow away, stable enough not to spill and big enough for the whole pack of campers to congregate around. When you’re choosing a camping table you should do your best to make sure that it fulfills all of the functions you might need.