As my cooking ambitions increased, I found I needed to use Mother Earth’s tabletop – aka the ground – less and less and found something that I thought would be just the ticket: The Robbens Wilderness Cooking Table.
I picked up a couple from Leisure Outlet for £19.99. The table top is anodised aluminium – anodised meaning it’s much (+10 years) more abrasion and corrosion resistant – with stainless steel legs and dimensions come in at 36cm long x 25cm wide and 10cm high. It weighs 395g and comes in a black bag to keep the four parts (2 x table halves, 2 x legs) together. The bag doesn’t feel like it would last too long though and would certainly be outlived by the table.
It’s not really something you would particularly consider on a Appalachian thru-hike – both it’s size broken down (36cm x 12.5cm) and weight adding what really is a non-essential item to your pack. It’s weird because it exists between not being suitable for lightweight thru-hikers but being too small and sturdy for a leisure campers equipment list.
However, for a cheeky day trip or when you have a car, van, canoe, paddleboard, donkey or something that takes the weight of of your pack, want a few luxury items and like your cook area organised, clean and level, it’s one of the lightest tables out there.
I use mine two when doing a few days away based at a campsite. It does keep my Campingaz Bistro 2 off the ground away from dirt and nature’s tinder, dry grass.
Conclusion
A well made, lightweight table that is too large for thru-hiking and too small for leisure camping. However it can make a nice handy addition to a multiday camping holiday or when your gear is carried by someone other than yourself!
