If you do a lot of camping, having a decent table can make a surprisingly big difference. Whether you’re cooking, eating, organizing your gear, or just looking for somewhere to put things, this small folding table is one of those pieces of camping gear that gets used constantly once you have one.
I’ve been using the Coleman Outdoor Folding Table for about four years, and it has come with me on every camping trip during that time. It’s a compact table with an aluminum slat-style tabletop, a steel frame, and a snap-together design that makes it fairly quick to set up and break down.
Overall, it’s been a useful camping table and has gotten a lot of use. But after four years, there is one significant problem: the legs have developed quite a bit of rust. I do a lot of camping near the ocean, so it has definitely been exposed to more salt air than a table might see in other environments. Still, I don’t think it should have gotten this rusty after only four years, especially because the rust now makes the legs harder to open and close.
What’s Included and the Basic Design
The Coleman table measures 27 x 27 x 27 inches and is designed to seat up to four people.
The tabletop is made from aluminum slats that roll up for storage, while the frame and legs are steel. The table also comes with a carrying bag.
The snap-together design is one of the better things about the table. There’s no complicated assembly involved, and it doesn’t take long to get everything together.
For camping, that’s exactly what I want. I’m not interested in spending a bunch of time assembling furniture at the campsite.
Setup and Take Down
The table is easy to set up and take down.
The snap-together design works well, and I’ve never had an issue getting the tabletop and frame assembled. It’s a fairly straightforward process.
The problem I’ve developed over time is with the legs.
The legs have rusted quite a bit after four years of use, and that has made them harder to open and close. I regularly use WD-40 on them to keep everything moving and make setup and breakdown easier.
When the table was newer, this wasn’t an issue. It’s something that has developed with age.
How Sturdy Is It?
This is probably the biggest weakness of the table besides the rust.
The legs are somewhat wobbly once the table is assembled. It’s not terrible, and I wouldn’t say the table feels like it’s about to collapse, but it isn’t the most solid camping table I’ve ever used.
Where you place it makes a difference.
If the legs are sitting on firm, reasonably level ground, it handles things like a camping stove, cookware, food, and other gear just fine. On uneven or soft ground, however, the wobbliness becomes more noticeable.
For normal camping use, I’ve never found the table unusable. It’s just something to be aware of.
The Aluminum Tabletop
The tabletop has actually held up quite well.
After four years of camping use, the aluminum slats are still in good shape. I haven’t had problems with them bending or failing, and the tabletop has handled the normal abuse that comes with camping.
I also like that the aluminum surface is easy to clean. Camping tables are going to get dirty, especially when you’re cooking on them, and aluminum is a practical material for this kind of use.
Considering how much I’ve used the table, I’m pretty happy with how the tabletop has held up.
Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about the legs.
Size: 27 x 27 Inches
The 27 x 27-inch tabletop works well for one or two people.
For me, it’s a comfortable eating and cooking table for two, but I wouldn’t really consider it a four-person table in practical terms.
You could certainly have four people sitting around it, but once you start putting plates, drinks, food, or cooking equipment on the table, 27 x 27 inches isn’t a huge amount of space.
For camping, though, I actually like the relatively small footprint.
It gives me enough room to eat or cook without taking up a huge amount of space at the campsite.
Using It for Camping and Cooking
I’ve used this table on every camping trip for about four years, so it has seen a lot of use.
It’s been used for eating, cooking, and holding camping gear.
It handles heavier items reasonably well as long as the legs are sitting on firm ground. I wouldn’t put a huge amount of weight on it or expect it to behave like a heavy-duty workbench, but for normal camping equipment, it’s been fine.
A camping stove, cookware, food, and other gear aren’t a problem.
The main thing is making sure the legs are properly seated on the ground.
Packing It Up
One of the advantages of this table is that it packs down fairly well.
The aluminum tabletop rolls up, and the entire thing can be stored in the included carrying bag. It’s not the smallest camping table in the world, but for what you’re getting, the packed size is perfectly reasonable.
The carrying bag has also held up well.
After four years, mine doesn’t have any tears or holes, which is honestly all I really need from a storage bag.
Durability After Four Years
This is where the review gets a little complicated.
The tabletop has held up well. The carrying bag has held up well. The table itself has been used on every camping trip I’ve taken for four years.
But the steel legs have rusted quite a bit.
I do a lot of camping near the ocean, so I know I’m putting this table through harsher conditions than someone who only camps inland. Salt air is not exactly friendly to exposed metal.
Even taking that into consideration, though, I think the amount of rust after four years is disappointing.
More importantly, it isn’t just cosmetic anymore.
The rust has made the legs harder to open and close, so I have to use WD-40 fairly regularly to keep them working properly.
That’s my biggest complaint about the table.
What I Like
After four years of use, there are still several things I like about it:
- The aluminum tabletop has held up well.
- The snap-together design works.
- It’s easy to set up and take down.
- The 27 x 27-inch size works well for one or two people.
- It handles normal camping cookware and gear without a problem.
- It packs down reasonably well.
- The carrying bag has held up.
- It’s relatively inexpensive.
For a budget camping table, there is quite a bit to like.
What I Don’t Like
The biggest issue is the rust.
The legs have rusted significantly, and that has made the folding mechanism harder to operate. I can keep it working with WD-40, but I shouldn’t have to fight rusty legs on a four-year-old camping table.
The legs are also somewhat wobbly.
Again, it’s not terrible, and the table works fine on firm ground, but I would prefer a more solid frame.
Those two issues keep this from being a table I’d enthusiastically recommend regardless of budget.
Would I Buy It Again?
If I were on a budget, yes.
The table is under $100, and for that price, it has given me four years of very regular camping use. I’ve used it on every camping trip, and despite the rust and slightly wobbly legs, it’s still doing its job.
That’s not nothing.
However, if money weren’t a constraint, I’d probably spend more on a better-built camping table.
The rust is the main reason. I don’t think a table that gets regular outdoor use should have this much corrosion after four years, even though mine has seen a lot of coastal camping.
Final Thoughts
The Coleman Outdoor Folding Table has been a useful piece of camping gear for me for the past four years.
The aluminum tabletop has held up well, the snap-together design makes setup easy, it packs down reasonably small, and the included carrying bag has survived years of use without tearing.
The biggest downside is the steel frame. The legs have developed quite a bit of rust, and that rust has eventually started affecting how easily the legs open and close. They’re also somewhat wobbly, although that isn’t a dealbreaker when the table is placed on firm ground.
For someone looking for an inexpensive camping table, I think it makes sense. It’s relatively cheap, compact, easy to use, and capable of handling normal camping duties.
But if you’re willing to spend more, I’d look for something with a better frame and better corrosion resistance.
For me, this is a good budget camping table, but not a table I’d choose if durability and long-term construction were the priority.
Would I recommend it?
If you’re on a budget, yes. It’s served me well for four years and has seen a lot of camping use.
If you have room in the budget for a better table, I’d spend the extra money.
Want to See More Gear?
Wondering what gear is actually worth taking on the road? Check out my gear page for the equipment I use for hiking, camping, fishing, road trips, and exploring.
