camping table
Gear

The Last Camping Table You Will Ever Need

Camping tables are one of those weird things that are typically so over-engineered, they are destined to fail. When you shed weight but add moving parts and hinges, it simply doesn’t work. So there are two essential types of camp tables in my opinion. There’s the classic folding table that you take along when weight and space are of no concern and there’s the Roll-A-Table.

I worked as a fishing guide for 12 years and never carried a Roll-A-Table. I had a cheap table and it worked ok but was clunky in the boat and was an overall pain in the butt. I was just too stubborn to buy a new table.

Then I bought a new raft and built out my camper van for the Pan American highway and wanted a table. It didn’t take long before I had finally ordered a Roll-A-Table. And I couldn’t be happier. This is the absolute best table available for camping and rafting. It’s perfect for car camping and rolls up easily. It takes seconds to unroll and screw in the legs and it holds a ton of weight. The stability is impressive.

Ditch Your Folding Camping Table

camp kitchen table
This is what camp looks like without a great table.

The best thing about this table is that it’s flat out durable. The design is so simple yet so effective, you simply can’t beat this thing. It cleans easily and stands at 27-inches tall with a 32-inch square top. The whole thing weighs less than 10 pounds and can support more than 10x it’s weight. I’ll be taking mine down the entire Pan American highway for river trips and general camp use.

The table top easily holds a double burner camp stove with fuel and it still has room for plates, pots and a cutting board (if you actually use one). If you place two table side by side, it’s like having a big folding table without the bulk in your car or raft.

camp cooking
My friends use fancy table clothes on theirs but they really aren’t necessary.

Try a Roll Up Camping Table

The fact that the table rolls up makes it really easy to pack and store. It doesn’t have a flat surface that takes up critical square footage. Getting the table wet is also no concern. I keep mine int he dry box while towing my boat around but when I need that dry storage, it gets strapped directly to the frame. Waves, dirty shoes, banging rocks, dogs and everything that manages to kick this thing has yet to mess it up.

I friends who are running the same tables for hundreds of guide trips each year over a decade now and they are still going strong. Running mine across a few continents will really just be the break in period. You can find some cheaper options, or grab a Roll-A-Table knowing it will last for a few generations of use.

roll top camp table
The perfect camp kitchen setup.