There are two pairs of legs which open outwards away from each other in a U shape, and the height of these legs can be switched between two settings. One thing we did notice is that there is a spring-loaded pin which requires pushing in to change the height of the legs, and this can easily catch the skin on your thumb as you press it. Probably the only negative about this table, and only a minor problem at that. Summing up Trekology have released a fantastic folding table which uses aviation-grade aluminium as the tabletop material. The colour of the metal top needs to be seen to be believed – a gorgeous electric blue sheen which attracts a lot of attention.

Our first bamboo choice is the Dometic Bamboo Large Table which is a gorgeous camping table using premium bamboo wood as a fixed (non-folding) top section.

The table top itself consists of a series of connected aluminium slats which unfold and then clip directly to the base leaving very small gaps in between the slats – this means the top works well for supporting plates and glasses, but you could not use it to write on very easily. However, we don’t expect many people do much writing when camping! Key specs (2 cupholders): Dimensions: 56 x 43 x 39 cm / Folded dimensions: 60cm x 7 cm / Weight: 1.2 kg Setting the Navaris Bamboo up is easy – simply unfold the table top so that it is upside down, with the underside facing upwards. The four aluminium legs are foldable and an excellent design. They are each independently height adjustable and have very wide ‘feet’ which means they will not sink into soft ground. The legs allow the table height to be adjusted from 54cm up to 71.5cm. When folded away, they barely take up much space.

All in all, we love the Trekology- it does everything expected of it exceedingly well! And that blue colour is to die for – yum! A sturdy table is an essential component of camping life, but unfortunately they don’t receive the focus they should compared to other camping ‘must-haves’ such as tents or awnings. We should emphasize the beauty of the Japanese bamboo used for the tabletop. It is sublime and exceptionally smooth but with a lovely grain. You can mentally picture the bamboo shoots swaying in the Japanese breeze! Let’s start with the legs – these are the best legs in the business! OK, I’m not talking about Miss World here, but you can see why the Victorians used to have to cover their table legs to avoid the menfolk getting too amorous! The legs on the Nestling are independently adjustable for height which means you can level the table on any surface. Extremely useful indeed!Our first ‘luxury’ choice is the Outwell Kamloops which is a gorgeous camping table which uses premium, sustainable bamboo wood as the folding top section. This is a big table and can seat four with ease, and potentially up to six people.

The Atepa Folding Bamboo Table is a wooden-topped offering in our roundup and an absolute peach of a design. A clever touch is the central triangular section of the table which can be used either flush with the main surface or raised by around 10cm to act as a platform to put food on in a more easy-to-share location. This table is absolutely perfect for setting up inside your awning or close to your cooking area, because within that briefcase-like exterior, there exists a couple of sizeable fabric cupboards having individual zippable front-loading bays. These cupboards are capacious, and perfect for storing food, drink or even bedding if so required. The table top surface This Bamboo Folding Table is a wooden-topped offering in our roundup and an absolute peach of a design from a classic outdoor company called Snow Peak who are based in the Fukushima region of Japan.

Preview

What do you think about fishing or angling? You either get it or you don’t I guess. I’m in the latter camp, and can’t really see the point of sitting at the side of a lake, in beautiful countryside, sipping at your chilled beer, occasionally pulling the line and…. hold on a minute! I can see exactly why anglers angle – it’s a way of relaxing in the arms of Mother Nature, and for that reason, Anglers and Campers are of a similar mindset…. Bamboo wood is fairly unique in that it has the look of tree wood but is actually made from a grass. As such it does not warp or shrink when the humidity of the surroundings change. Adjustable legs are extremely useful – preferably all four should be independently extendable to help level the table on undulating ground.

Cupholders sunk into the table top can help stop your drinks slipping, but these are not usually too useful for wine glasses with a stem. Instead, we generally prefer to make sure the table is simply solid and stable and easy to level – then you don’t need cupholders. Setting the Outwell Kamloops up is easy – simply unfold the table top so that it is upside down, with the underside facing upwards. This is a great table for socialising for it can seat up to 8 people due to the hexagonal shape, with an independent height adjustment of each of the three legs. We have recently discovered some delicious bamboo tables which cost slightly more than comparative aluminium or plastic alternatives but perform in a very stylish and practical manner. Bamboo as a material is extremely environmentally friendly and sustainable and so worth considering for that reason alone.OK, we hold our hands up – this Nestling folding camping table is a budget offering and probably not the highest quality piece of furniture you’ll ever buy – however, it covers all the basic features that we consider essential in a camping table. It’s a fairly small side table, measuring 45-65cm tall and 60 x 80cm on top. What makes it so good is the fact that the legs can fold into the wooden top and then the whole table can effectively be ‘rolled’ into a very small carry bag measuring 12 x 17 x 81cm. It also looks very nice indeed! But it’s the bamboo which is the star of the show here. It provides a highly stable surface with a real quality feel. I much prefer using a table with natural materials like bamboo – it feels much more tactile and rustic than metals or plastic. Underneath the tabletop a useful net can be suspended (included in the bag) which adds a second layer of storage for say laptops or magazines. This certainly improves the functionality and flexibility of the Nestling versus some of the other similar-sized tables.