Helinox Table Four
It’s often said, that when camping you can’t have enough flat surfaces, and in our case, we can’t have enough flat surfaces that are both tall, lightweight and pack small. You’d think it’s an easy request, but spend any time trawling through the outdoor furniture market and you’ll quickly discover that most tables are either knee-knockers, wobbly as a jelly on a washing machine, or weigh about the same as a small hatchback.
Enter the Helinox Table Four
Before I get into the review, I guess we really need to discuss the price, you know, the elephant in the room. At £359.95, the Helinox Table Four isn’t cheap, but quality kit seldom is… cheap, that is. It’s the same logic as buying proper boots or a decent tent – you only moan about the price once, but you’ll moan about shoddy kit every time you use it.
We’ve had Helinox gear for donkey’s years. Our Savanna Chair is still the comfiest seat outside of a pub snug, and both our Table One and Café Table have survived more than a decade of being dragged in and out of cars, chucked in the garage, and left out in the drizzle. They still work as well as the day they arrived, so when it came to buying a larger table, I knew Helinox had form.
So why did I cough up nearly £360? Simple: I wanted a table that was both large and lightweight, with the ability to use it as a proper desk - you know, where you can actually tuck your knees under it. Some so-called camping tables stop about halfway down your thighs, which is fine if you’re a gnome but not so good if you’re trying to eat without wearing most of your dinner.
Putting It Together – A Tale of Two Camps
Now, because there aren’t any instructions - at least not with mine, assembling the Table Four is one of those things that’ll either have you smiling smugly like you’ve spent the day ‘laning without needing to be recovered, or swearing under your breath while your camping mates try not to laugh.
The frame is Helinox’s usual lightweight aluminium pole system - shock-corded, so it’s all strung together and pretty much impossible to lose bits and get wrong. You simply unfold the legs and click the two sides together. Next, unfold the two silver poles (shock-corded again), and feed them through each side of the table top, and attach it to the legs. Easy, right?
Well, yes… once you know the knack. The first few times I put it together I was convinced I’d been given a rogue prototype. The frame continually popped away from the table top and the braces refused to line up, and the whole thing looked about as stable as a drunk Labrador. But once I’d worked out that all four ‘C’ clamps have to face outwards it suddenly clicked. Literally. Once assembled, it’s as solid as a rock. No wobble, no sag, no flappy corners.
Everyday Use - Flat, Sturdy, Bliss
Once it’s up, the Table Four is a joy. It’s big enough to comfortably seat four adults with plates, glasses, and the inevitable “oops, I spilt the sauce” bottle of ketchup. As a desk, it’s fantastic, plenty of legroom, no danger of banging your knees, and a surface large enough for a laptop, notebook, and a brew without feeling cramped.
The height is what sets it apart. At 70cm, it’s not far off your average dining table, which makes it feel like proper furniture rather than a glorified tray on stilts. Length is 69.5cm and it’s 47.5cm wide. Another bonus is that it will carry up to 50kg, which means I can rest my Ecoflow Glacier fridge freezer and my WITT Pizza Oven on it - all sorts really.
As for weight, at around 4.2kg it’s hardly featherlight, but considering the size and sturdiness, that’s impressive. It packs down into a tidy carry bag that’s about the size of a Muddy Madam’s yoga mat, which makes it easy to stash in the boot alongside chairs, stoves and all the other camping tat we seem incapable of leaving behind.
Our Verdict
The Helinox Table Four is one of those bits of kit that feels like a luxury until you’ve lived with it, then it becomes a necessity. Once you’ve had a proper, full-height, sturdy camping table that packs small enough to hide in the boot, going back to the flimsy, knee-high alternatives feels like a punishment.
Yes, it’s expensive, and yes, you’ll probably curse the first time you put it together. But after that, it becomes one of those pieces of gear you just trust, like a good head torch or your favourite penknife.
For me, the Helinox Table Four has turned camping meals and on-the-road workdays from “making do” into something approaching civilised. And in the world of camping, that’s worth its weight in Kendal Mint Cake. Oh, and let’s not forget about Helinox’s 5-year warranty!
Price: £359.95