Best camping table: The perfect tables for camping from £15
If you’re going to sleep under the stars, don’t leave home without the best camping table you can buy
Whether the sun is shining or dark clouds are looming on the horizon, a good camping table is an indispensable asset in your outdoors arsenal. It doesn’t matter if your idea of getting back to basics is a one-man tent on the side of some bleak, barren mountain, or a palatial family tent on an overpriced glamping site – the best camping tables will make a big difference to how comfortably you can cook, eat and relax during your stay.
Rain or shine, festival or beauty spot, you can’t guarantee good weather when it comes to camping, so a table is a practical way to get your food, drinks and belongings up and away from dust, sand, mud and moisture – or just to ensure that the kids don’t spill your mug of Pinot Grigio. Here we’ve selected a few of our favourite models to suit every camping situation you might encounter.
READ NEXT: The best tents to buy
Best camping tables: At a glance
- Best camping table for small families: Quechua Folding Camping Table | Buy now
- Best camping table for larger groups: Vango Granite Duo 160 | Buy now
- Best compact low camping table: Decathlon Low Folding Table MH100 | Buy now
- Best compact camping table with storage: Quechua Camping Bedside Table | Buy now
How to choose the best camping table for you
What do I need to look for in a camping table?
With camping tables available in a wide range of sizes and designs, it pays to pick one that works for you. What do you intend to use the table for? How many people are you planning on sitting around it?
In short, you’ll want to make sure your table is big enough for its intended purpose. If it’s for dining, then make sure it’s big enough to seat all your campmates comfortably – and look out for features such as adjustable feet for levelling your table on uneven ground. If it’s just a side table for food prep or storage, then you can downsize to a more basic model, or look for other features such as under-table storage.
Are camping tables easy to transport?
Camping tables fold down into relatively compact packages, but you’ll need to consider how you’ll be transporting your table alongside all your other kit. If you’ve got a big car boot, that’s great, but if you don’t you’ll need to check the packed dimensions carefully, and you definitely don’t want to be backpacking with a weighty and unwieldy slab strapped to your bag. So, start with the numbers and then factor in the practicalities.
READ NEXT: The best travel gadgets
What about storage?
Good question. Some camping tables come with integrated storage cupboards, which can be a huge boon while camping. To keep weight down and maximise packability, these storage cupboards are normally made from a fabric of some kind – although sometimes they have solid bases that fit inside to provide a flat surface. In either case, they’re a great way to keep essential items off the ground and easily accessible when you need them.
Anything else I need to know?
A couple of things. First, camping tables aren’t designed to permanently live outdoors, and prolonged exposure to the weather will damage them. Most are capable of shrugging off a little rain, but on the whole, once they’ve done their job, don’t forget to clean them and pack them away for the next trip.
READ NEXT: The best sleeping bag to buy
The best camping tables to buy in 2022
1. Quechua Folding Camping Table for 2 to 4 People: Best camping table for smaller families
Price: £20 | Buy now from Decathlon
Conceived and designed by Decathlon’s own dedicated Quechua team at their site below Mont Blanc and tested – literally – in the field with actual campers, this seriously sturdy two- to four-person table features a melamine-covered non-slip steel top sheet capable of coping with an impressive combined load of 50kg. The two-year warranty is a boon, too.
The aluminium legs unfold easily and simply swing into place, while two hooks hold the table open. Height is adjustable to a high or low position depending on requirements, and the table can accommodate up to four people, although two or three is a more comfortable number.
It weighs a relatively lightweight 3.4kg, and the convenient carry handle makes it easy to move around. As the top is non-folding, the dimensions are 78 x 60cm even when packed down, but at only 3cm thick, it’s still easy to fit in the car boot.
Key specs – Size: 70 x 78 x 60cm (HLW); Packable size: 3 x 80 x 60cm (HLW); Weight: 3.4kg; Materials: Aluminium, steel; Seats: Up to 4; Maximum load weight: 50kg
2. Vango Granite Duo 160: Best camping table for big families and groups
Price: £100 | Buy now from Vango
For bigger groups, the Granite Duo 160 from Vango is a veritable banqueting table that provides seating room for up to eight people to wine, dine and relax.
Featuring an aluminium frame for lightweight strength and a maximum load weight of 30kg, the Granite Duo 160 is height adjustable from 33cm to 71cm high – which means it can double as a dining and coffee table – and the adjustable feet provide extra stability on uneven ground. The tough, granite-effect tabletop looks great, too.
Measuring 160cm long and 80cm wide when unfolded, the Vango breaks down nicely when you need to transport it: simply detach the legs, fold it down and pop it into its accompanying carry case.
The three-year warranty bodes well for longevity (once you register your table with Vango), so if long, lazy lunches with family and friends is your style, then the Granite Duo 160 is a sturdy, highly portable option.
Key specs – Size: 71 x 160 x 80cm (HLW); Packable size: 42 x 82 x 14cm (HLW); Weight: 8.28kg; Materials: Aluminium; Seats: Up to 8; Maximum load weight: 30kg
3. Decathlon Low Folding Camping Table MH100: Best compact low camping table
Price: £15 | Buy now from Decathlon
Sometimes all you need is a compact and lightweight table, and the dinky MH100 folding camping table from Decathlon is just that.
It stands a mere 32cm tall, but with a surface area of 58 x 52cm and a maximum weight capacity of 80kg, this 2.55kg table provides a sturdy surface in a tiny package – it’s more than ample for laying out a meal or getting crucial items up and off the floor.
With steel legs and a top made of MDF and polyester, the MH100 feels sturdy in use. It’s nicely portable, too, folding down into a compact package which slots neatly into the supplied carry case.
The Decathlon MH100 is a great camping accessory to have to hand when boot space is tight or for festival events where you don’t want to carry too much weight.
Key specs – Size: 58 x 52 x 32cm; Packable size: 58 x 11 x 11cm; Weight: 2.55kg; Materials: Steel, MDF, polyester; Maximum load weight: 80kg
4. Outwell Kamloops M: A gorgeous bamboo camping table
Price: £135 | Buy now from Outwell
Outwell’s Kamloops M is a good-sized camping table with an eco-friendly twist: the top is crafted from bamboo instead of the less ecologically friendly materials found on rival dining tables.
The Kamloops M features a strong aluminium frame and legs, with adjustable feet for uneven ground and a gorgeous-looking bamboo tabletop. Stable and sturdy, it can bear a huge maximum load of up to 80kg and comfortably seat up to four people across its 100cm long and 72cm wide dimensions.
When not in use, the Kamloops M folds neatly in half, and comes with its own carry bag for easy storage and transportation. At 8.5kg, it’s reasonably lightweight, and the integrated carry handle makes it easy to carry around even when it’s not in its carry bag. The two-year warranty adds some welcome peace of mind, too.
Key specs – Size: 70 x 100 x 72cm (HLW); Packable size: 37 x 100 x 8cm (HLW); Weight: 8.5kg; Materials: Aluminium and bamboo; Seats: Up to 4; Maximum load weight: 80kg
5. Quest Stick Table: Best miniature table
Price: £6 | Buy now from Blacks
The Quest Stick Table is the ideal camping accompaniment for those who like nothing more than to kick back in a chair with a mug of tea or a bottle of beer and watch the world go by.
Comprising a non-slip plastic tabletop measuring a diminutive 25 x 25cm and a two-piece steel pole that slots together to form the central stick, the Quest Stick Table is the perfect portable solution for festivals or camping where you want your drinks and snacks to be kept off the floor.
Weighing in at a feather-light 0.1kg, it’s super light, and setting up the Quest Stick Table is simplicity itself: assemble the metal stick, drive the spike end into the ground and insert blunt end into underside of the table surface. Simple.
Key specs – Size: 40 x 25 x 25cm (HLW); Packable size: n/a; Weight: 0.1kg; Materials: Steel, plastic; Seats: 1; Maximum load weight: n/a
6. Quechua Camping Bedside Table: Best compact camping table with storage
Price: £15 | Buy now from Decathlon
Just because you’re out under canvas doesn’t mean you can’t be organised. At the end of a busy day, there’s nothing better than crawling into a tent with a ready rolled-out sleeping bag, an easily accessible light source, and a safe, convenient place to store all your everyday essentials, such as your wallet/purse, phone and other personal items.
The Camping Bedside Table from Decathlon is the perfect piece of furniture for people who hate losing items in the depths of a tent. Simply pop it out of its storage bag, slot in the two steel feet, attach the shelf and – voila! – you now have 8.5 litres of handy storage space, which includes the main drawer and two external storage pockets for easy access.
Packing down to just 6 x 30 x 20cm and weighing a piffling 1kg, this is a perfect addition for backpackers and family camping alike.
Key specs – Size: 30 x 30 x 26cm (HLW); Packable size: 6 x 30 x 20cm (HLW); Weight: 1kg; Materials: Steel, cotton, polyester, wood; Seats: n/a; Maximum load weight: 4kg
