Alps Mountaineering has a hit with the Eclipse table. This table is a great addition to any camping trip or outdoor picnic. The Eclipse table comes in two styles; Khaki and Checkerboard. Both are very similar, with just a couple of differences between them. The Khaki has a side pocket organizer whereas the Checkerboard has, as you‘d expect, a checkerboard printed on the polyester fabric. It also has an attached pouch to hold the checkers pieces which are included.
It’s really easy to set them up, which is an important featuring for outdoor gear. First, remove it from the carrying bag.Then just pop it open like a folding camp chair. There are four straps to adjust the table‘s tautness. We‘re talking less than 30 seconds from bag to set up. Take down is equally as easy. Simply loosen the four straps and fold it up. Just like that.
Eclipse Table from Alps MountaineeringAs mentioned above, this version has a checkerboard printed on it and is great for some family gaming. Immediately after setting up at our campsite, we lost a few kids (and kids at heart) to the lure of playing checkers. It was really fun to see how quickly it caught people‘s attention.
Both Eclipse tables feature double levels. The top level is the main table for gaming and placing your gear. The lower level has plenty of space to also store gear and also has four cup holders. The cup holders are wide enough in diameter to hold our thermal bottles, which is convenient. However, on my week long camping trip I ended up using the cup holder to hold my personal effects like keys and other small things I didn‘t want to lose. Super cool.
It is sturdy once placed on a good flat spot. The legs are not adjustable, so this will not be a great fit for really uneven ground.
In our ten man tent, we have two sets of cots and this table fit perfectly between them. The dimensions are around 27” square. With that size and with a weight of around 6 pounds, it is not really the best option for super light camping, but is perfect for loading in a car and unpacking at a camp site.
Again, the Eclipse table is a true, multipurpose table for family camping. It‘s a great surface for eating and it‘s great for stowing beverages as well as gear on its two levels. The checkerboard version takes it a step further by adding a built in game board. It really invites people to put down their cell phones and interact, which is why we go camping in the first place.
For more info on either Eclipse table, visit Alps Mountaineering‘s furniture section at http://www.alpsmountaineering.com.
MSRP: $44.99
-Andy
A big thank you to Alps Mountaineering for providing the Eclipse table for this review.