A camp table is hardly the first thing people think about when getting their camping gear together. From sleeping bags and backpacking stoves to camp lights and a good knife, plenty of survival essentials tend to figure much higher in people’s priorities.
Once you get to camp, though, is when a camp table really shows its importance. There aren’t many raised flat surfaces out in the wild, after all, making a sturdy surface you can use to prep food, cook, eat, and keep your gear off the ground a veritable luxury. And it’s a luxury you can have without weighing down your stash too much, since the best camp tables out there tend to offer a good balance of size and weight to go along with their function.
These are the best camp tables to bring some true creature comforts to your camp life.
GSI Outdoors Macro Table
If you don’t mind smaller tables, this all-aluminum option from GSI gives you a 24 x 18 inch tabletop that stands 15 inches off the ground. Yes, you’ll likely have to hunch over if you’re going to stand while using the table, but it’s a good height if you’re using a similarly low-height camp chair. It’s incredibly durable, as we know people who’ve owned and used theirs for years, all while weighing just four pounds, making it very convenient to move around the camp site. The way it collapses is a bit more complicated than other options, but it does allow the table to compact into a very portable 24 x 4.8 x 2.4 inches, so it’s very convenient to carry around. According to GSI, it’s only rated to hold up to 20 pounds, although we’ve definitely used it to carry heavier stuff without any signs of wear from the extra heft. For the most part, though, it’s a good idea to stick to payload ratings, although we feel there’s plenty of wiggle room in this instance. The legs, by the way, can be adjusted to a shorter 8.5 inches, in case you want to use it while plopped down on the ground.
REI Co-op Camp Prep Table
This sturdy table packs down to a compact 24 x 24.5 x 4.25 inches (width x height x thickness), making it easy to load in the boot of the car for taking to the campsite. When unfolded, it gives you a large flat surface (49 x 24 inches) for getting stuff done and setting down gear, with legs that can each be independently adjusted anywhere from 22 to 31 inches, allowing you to level the table even when setting up on uneven ground. The slat tabletop is made from aluminum, with the legs cut in steel, so this thing is built to withstand anything the outdoors can offer, all while supporting loads of up to 100 pounds. Do note, loading it beyond the 100-pound limit will cause the locks on the table legs (which are its clear weak spots) to give out (causing them to retract to the shortest length), so keep that in mind if you have plenty of heavy gear in tow.
So long as you don’t overload it, the table should make for an indispensable addition to any campsite, allowing you to have a sturdy workspace that can conform to most terrains and maintain stability while you work on top of it. Plus, the aluminum top does a better job of handling heat from stoves than plastic tabletops, allowing it to last longer. Of course, all that metal in the build puts this on the heavier side, tipping the scales at almost 20 pounds.
Helinox Table One
If you want the most packable table you can find, we can’t imagine anything that packs down in a more portable package than this, which collapses to a bundle measuring just 16 x 4.3 inches and weighing 1.3 pounds. Seriously, this is the only table in this list you can even consider taking when backpacking. That’s because the tabletop is actually made from a fabric material that’s held taught using the shock-corded pole structure. And yes, the table surface is surprisingly sturdy enough to let you set down drinks, prep food, and hold gear, so much so that they have it rated to support up to 110 pounds of weight. Sadly, you can’t use it for cooking (the fabric will burn), so you’ll have to put that camp stove somewhere else. Do note, this is really small, with the tabletop measuring 24 x 16 inches and the whole thing standing at just 14 inches off the ground. If you value extreme portability, though, it doesn’t get any better than this.
Nemo Moonlander
It’s not the biggest camp table out there, but its rugged build, compact packed size, and easy assembly makes for one handy table to have in the outdoors. Measuring just 16 inches tall with a 19 x 15 inch tabletop, it doesn’t give you much room nor does it allow you to comfortably work standing, but it does make for a sturdy surface that lets you make dinner, set down drinks, and clean your gear after a busy day out. The tabletop is heat resistant, so you can cook on it without damaging the surface, while the custom-engineered molded aluminum hinges keep the legs incredibly stable. If you remove the legs (they can be stored on a slot under the tabletop), the tabletop can be used on its own, with built in legs that raise it four inches off the ground, so you can use it that way if you prefer to sit on a blanket (or want to use the table inside the tent). Seriously, we included this just for the fact that it comes so handy when you need a flat stable surface inside the tent.
Dometic Go CMP T4 Compact Camp Table
This stylish-looking table combines a bamboo tabletop with aluminum legs, making it look like a proper home furniture at your camp. And yes, it’s a proper camp table, with a design that folds the tabletop in half during collapse, allowing it to pack flat and comfortably fit inside the boot of any car. When deployed, it uses locking clips to hold its shape, keeping it stable while you chop meat, sharpen your knife, or clean your tools on the tabletop, all while having enough room to fit four people during dinner. Even better, the legs can lock in one of three heights (19, 22.5, and 27 inches), making it feel like a proper table you will gladly use at home. Of course, that bamboo tabletop gives it substantial heft, causing the whole thing to weigh over 20 pounds. For the convenience of a full-height table with room for four people, though, moving a 20-pound piece of camp furniture around seems worth the hassle.