Chair and Table recommendations

[rbrandenstein]

As we wait for our 19' to be delivered, we are looking for some information and recommendations on living the RV life. We are totally new to trailer camping, so as we wait, we are trying to plan, purchase and organize all the stuff we need.

Do RV campsites include a picnic table of any kind? None, some?
What about state and national parks?

What about your own table? Is a small folding table adequate? I have seen these fold up picnic tables, but they get quite a few bad marks for being flimsy.

The zero gravity chairs were recommended elsewhere and look like a good way to go for lounging under your awning. Do these chairs allow you to sit up straight for dining at a table?

We appreciate any advice and info.
Thanks.

[Jim Bennett]

For starters, I would recommend outfitting yourself with a minimal amount of gear to start with, enough to get by with.

One you start camping and discover what style works best for you, you will then be able to outfit yourself with the equipment that works best for your situation.

Wild gravity chairs are comfy for lounging, I find that laying around and lounging just is something I never do. They are also really bulky and take up a lot of room while traveling. If you go camping and find you do loans around a lot, they might be a worthwhile purchase for you.

We carry and aluminum folding roll up type table, which is handy when there is no table, and even the odd time there is a table we find it handy to cook on.

We carry two small chairs is all. They are a very compact chair that fits in a small space when stowed.

One thing I do not care for, and try to always avoid, is to have anything stored on the floor, on the bed, or on the dinette seats. I like it to be all put away so it is not in the way when we do a short stop and do not need these items.

[Bobbito]

In all our years of camping in both Canadian and American parks and private campgrounds, I can't think of a time where there wasn't a picnic table. There have been times where its condition or location were poor. This is when a portable folding table and chairs might have come in handy, but we don't bother because we have enough other camping and fishing gear to haul. If you plan on camping entirely off the grid without designated campsites it would make sense to carry your own table and chairs.
We just carry a plastic table cloth to dress up the tables that we are provided.

And congratulations on your purchase. We hope you take to trailering as much as the rest of us on this forum. We are just itching to go camping again. Waiting for the snow to go!

Bob K


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Zardoz]

We were kind of surprised that we never take our meals at the dinette (we try to spend as little time as possible inside the trailer) so we never take the table with us any longer. While my wife is somewhat more refined than I am, I'm happy to sit in my folding chair and hold a bowl of cereal, chili, or spaghetti in my lap and eat. When she does compel me to demonstrate a higher degree of sophistication, every campground we've ever stayed at had picnic tables. And of course she puts out a table cloth .

[Red Dog]

Great points Jim. We also have anti-gravity chairs back home in a storage room. We stopped carrying them. Rarely used them.

We full-time in our rig and don't always have a table available at the sites. So, we will probably invest in a small set of some sort.

[Anne H]

Echo the advice on not buying a lot of stuff right away - you won't 'need' any of it with your fully functional trailer. Take your time and see what you really miss after a few trips (miss enuf to justify having to pack it/unpack it, have it take up too much space . . . )
That said, I love my gravity chair - it's so much more comfortable than dinette seats, picnic benches, other fold up chairs, or large rocks - depends on your back.
Same advice for kitchen gear - I still mostly use my old backpacking gear - lots of new pans, utensils, etc never got used and went to goodwill after my first year.



Anne H

[Donna D.]

A chair, any kind of chair, is as personal as shoes. Due to having back surgery I can't sit in any kind of "sling" back chair. I last about 1 minute, then a hot poker is jammed into my spine. Give me an old fashioned aluminum web chair and I'm in heaven for hours. Besides, it can be left out in the weather... rain or dew are wiped off with a towel and I can sit on it immediately. Not so with anything fabric or canvas. I can schlep my chair to another site... it's not heavy. It doesn't rust either. I hope everyone can find a chair that fits their needs/body and desire!

That said, I've found I pack my zero gravity lounge chair depending on if I'm group camping or camping solo. It's a great place to nap, under a shade tree when the weather is warm. Or to lay back and read a book. NIRVANA. The downside is it's heavier than most chairs and bulky. But if I want it, I'll make room for it.

I've recently inherited a roll-up table. I'll find a place for that too as not every place I camp has a picnic table. It's nice to have a table that you can place anywhere in your site that is convenient for what you need it for.

Isn't it nice to have choices?

[dfandrews]

We have an ancient (1950's) Coleman roll-up wood table (actually, a bunch of hinged wood slats) that is just big enough for the camp stove or the grill. Then we also have a 2'x4' plastic and metal folding table. Both ride in the back of the tow vehicle.
The picnic tables almost universally found at campsites at SP's and RV parks are sometimes in poor condition, or in a location we don't prefer, or have bird and animal droppings to a degree that the table cloth is an insufficient protection. So, our tables are used a lot.
https://www.amazon.com/Lifetime-4428...+folding+table
https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Outdo.../dp/B00VWA1XZ8
We carry 4 lightweight aluminum-cloth covered chairs. They're light enough to carry to the neighbor's campfire on occasion.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...f_rd_i=3400791
They ride in the trailer under the bed.
All the links we added just show products similar to what we have; they're not a particular recommendation.
Chair warning: we have been disappointed in the folding chairs with the criss-crossed legs and the little plastic feet that break so easily. All the ones we had went to park dumpsters.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

For starters, I would recommend outfitting yourself with a minimal amount of gear to start with, enough to get by with.

One you start camping and discover what style works best for you, you will then be able to outfit yourself with the equipment that works best for your situation.

Wild gravity chairs are comfy for lounging, I find that laying around and lounging just is something I never do. They are also really bulky and take up a lot of room while traveling. If you go camping and find you do loans around a lot, they might be a worthwhile purchase for you.

We carry and aluminum folding roll up type table, which is handy when there is no table, and even the odd time there is a table we find it handy to cook on.

We carry two small chairs is all. They are a very compact chair that fits in a small space when stowed.

One thing I do not care for, and try to always avoid, is to have anything stored on the floor, on the bed, or on the dinette seats. I like it to be all put away so it is not in the way when we do a short stop and do not need these items.

I'll be be Jim , we have something in common . Like you do not want items on bed , dinette seating or floor . Who knew . Pat

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

I'll be be Jim , we have something in common . Like you do not want items on bed , dinette seating or floor . Who knew . Pat

My wife knows too.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

My wife knows too.

Pat

[steve dunham]

We have encountered on several occasions campgrounds both public and private that did not furnish or charged an additional fee for a picnic table & fire ring. We now carry a 2' x 4' folding plastic table . My only recommendation for camp chairs is to buy a high quality , well built chair . Lesser quality chairs do not last and tend to break when set on uneven ground

[Bobbie54]

My zero gravity chair changed the way I enjoy camping, because I can sit outside and read and be comfortable, and enjoy the sounds and smells and peace and quiet. I wouldn't leave home without it in good weather.

I also carry an upright camp chair when I'm going to group camping trips or rallies- that way it can be used for dining or visiting with the group, while the recliner stays at my campsite. For me, it is well worth carrying both. It has a little side table. It's also nice if someone visits me at my site to have an extra chair.

The only thing I use a picnic table for if I'm alone is preparing food, but often with others we sit at it to eat. For shared food a table is great, but as others have said, they are usually available. The portable tables tend to get more use in group setups where more than one table is needed.

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

...One thing I do not care for, and try to always avoid, is to have anything stored on the floor, on the bed, or on the dinette seats. I like it to be all put away so it is not in the way when we do a short stop and do not need these items.

Exactly my thoughts. Unfortunately though, my wife and daughter have a different opinion on this matter and there is not much of a chance that I could win if we went head to head on this.

[Fox hunt]

i bring my zero gravity chair its big and gets in the way but i love it. i also bring two small folding chairs for taking to other camp grounds etc... i also have a small roll up aluminium table but all camp ground ive been to seem to have tables. the small chairs and table are always in my trailer in case i need them.

[rbrandenstein]

Thanks so much for your thoughts on this. I also would like to avoid carrying things in the trailer. I'm hoping to fit most into the storage box or under the bed via the outside door. If not, it will have to go into the SUV.
I can see where the ZG chairs would be great for reading and lounging but not so great for moving around, sitting at a table, or set up in a group.
I also think the idea of going minimalist until we get a few camps under out belt is a good one.
The knowledge and experience contained within this forum is tremendous. Thanks.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by rbrandenstein

Thanks so much for your thoughts on this. I also would like to avoid carrying things in the trailer. I'm hoping to fit most into the storage box or under the bed via the outside door. If not, it will have to go into the SUV.
I can see where the ZG chairs would be great for reading and lounging but not so great for moving around, sitting at a table, or set up in a group.
I also think the idea of going minimalist until we get a few camps under out belt is a good one.
The knowledge and experience contained within this forum is tremendous. Thanks.

We bring different items along depending on where we are going . We have small chairs and then the loungers . If we are staying at the beach we like the loungers . Different items to bring whether we will have hookups or boondocking . Not a whole lot of things but depends where we are camping . Pat

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by ice-breaker

Exactly my thoughts. Unfortunately though, my wife and daughter have a different opinion on this matter and there is not much of a chance that I could win if we went head to head on this.

I battle my wife a bit with this too. She is great about keeping the trailer in order, but tends to store a few things on the floor. I hope to be able to provide enough good storage in the 5.0TA to completely eliminate this.

Originally Posted by Donna D.

.... I can't sit in any kind of "sling" back chair. I last about 1 minute, then a hot poker is jammed into my spine. Give me an old fashioned aluminum web chair and I'm in heaven for hours.

I am the same. I would rather sit on a solid wood bench, than get folded up in one of those crappy sling chairs. They are so uncomfortable for me too. Our Kermit chairs provide a taut flat seat, as do many of the director type chairs.

[padlin]

We have zero gravity's, too heavy and bulkie for our style of camping. Tried a few different types of regular chairs, as Jim and Donna mention, the sling ones are uncomfortable to me, the cross bars on the old standby aluminums bother the back of my thighs. Bit the bullet and picked up a pair of the Kermit's, one of each size, me of course needing the larger. We find them very comfortable due to the cross peice shape, but they do take a couple minutes to put together, and break down. Takes a bit of practice to get it down. Deb got bit while attempting it for just the 2nd time earlier today. I like to try and keep all my stuff as small and compact as I can find, these fit the bill. I do carry and use 2 of the cheesy plastic folding tables from WM. Yes they are a bit shaky with the grill on one but work fine to hols a book and a highball. They work, are cheap, and store small. I have no need for a bigger table but everyone's style is different.

By the way Jim, the Kermit's and the leg extensions fit in the little storage door next to the trailer door.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by dfandrews

We have an ancient (1950's) Coleman roll-up wood table (actually, a bunch of hinged wood slats) that is just big enough for the camp stove or the grill. Then we also have a 2'x4' plastic and metal folding table. Both ride in the back of the tow vehicle.
The picnic tables almost universally found at campsites at SP's and RV parks are sometimes in poor condition, or in a location we don't prefer, or have bird and animal droppings to a degree that the table cloth is an insufficient protection. So, our tables are used a lot.
https://www.amazon.com/Lifetime-4428...+folding+table
https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Outdo.../dp/B00VWA1XZ8
We carry 4 lightweight aluminum-cloth covered chairs. They're light enough to carry to the neighbor's campfire on occasion.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...f_rd_i=3400791.

Like the Coleman folding chair; probably going to replace the old Tommy Bahamas with them. For a table we use an ALPS that rolls up and stows easily. Often we use it as a prep table next to our outdoor Camp Chef MVP.