I picked up the Tailgater Tire Table about three months ago because I wanted a sturdy table that offered me the flexibility to work, prepare meals, eat, or whatever else I needed to do in camp.
So, has the Tire Table been successful in those endeavors?
In short, yes! The Tailgater Tire Table has been a fantastic investment that has performed exactly as I hoped.
Let’s get into the details, though, so you can see precisely why the Tire Table has been such a great addition to my overlanding kit.
Table of Contents
- Tailgater Tire Table Specs
- Tailgater Tire Table Features
- How to Set Up a Tailgater Tire Table
- How I Use the Tailgater Tire Table
- Pros and Cons of the Tailgater Tire Table
- Tailgater Tire Table Review – Worth Every Penny!
Tailgater Tire Table Specs
The Tire Table comes in various sizes. I have two versions: a regular-sized black aluminum table and a large black aluminum table. There’s also a regular-sized silver aluminum table, a regular-sized black steel table, and a large steel table.
The regular-sized table is 23″ W x 29″ L x 1.5″ D and tips the scales at just under 6 pounds. The table fits most tires that are at least 14 inches, and it can hold up to 50 pounds, which is a hell of a lot of gear, food, or in my case, my camera, laptop, and other photography gear.
The larger black aluminum Tire Table is 28″ W x 33.5″ L x 4″ D and holds up to 75 pounds of gear, despite weighing just 8 pounds. It can fit onto most tires that are 25 inches or larger.
Tailgater Tire Table Features
In both cases, these tables have a retractable leg to offer additional support for the load.
One of the best features of these tables is that they’re both made of aluminum, so they’re extremely lightweight, yet very strong (as noted by the 50 and 75-pound load limits for the regular-sized and large tables, respectively).
I should mention, though, that these tables are not made to be a step or a seat. While they hold a lot of weight, you shouldn’t sit your kid on one!
Additionally, the tables are powder-coated to enhance durability. This is a must-have for those of us that go camping and overlanding in challenging environments.
How to Set Up a Tailgater Tire Table
Aside from the durable construction and excellent functionality these tables provide, they’re also easy to set up.
It takes just a few moments to hang the table on the tire of my truck or trailer, and no tools are required to do so. Furthermore, since the tables mount on your tire, you don’t have to have any special machinations to attach it to a hitch.Â
Another factor that makes the setup of these tables so easy is that all the pieces and parts are stored on the table. You don’t have to dig around in a carry bag to find anything – it’s all right there, ready to go on the table! It doesn’t get much easier than that!
How I Use the Tailgater Tire Table
If you follow my articles on 4WDTalk, you probably know that I love to cook. And while I have a lot of prep space for cooking in my Turtleback Trailer, it never hurts to have additional space to prep meals. That’s where the Tire Table comes in…
I can put the regular-sized table on one trailer tire and the large table on the other and have two perfectly-sized surfaces for meal prep and dining. In fact, I often use one table for setting aside food that’s already been prepped and is ready to cook, and the other table as a dining space.
Another use I have for these tables is for gear prep. If I’m packing a backpack or a camera bag for a hike, these tables are just the right height and size for laying out my gear and getting everything ready to go.
I also use the Tire Table as a workspace for those occasions (which are all too frequent) when I need to get some work done while I’m out adventuring.
Of course, I often bring my son with me on my trips, and the Tire Table is a great spot for him to sit down and eat, play games, or even do homework.
In other words, these tables offer tons of versatility. You can set them up, use them as you need them, and never worry about if they’re up to the task.
Pros and Cons of the Tailgater Tire Table
After three months of using my Tire Tables, I’ve found that the pros definitely outweigh the cons.
On the upside, these tables are:
- Incredibly easy (and fast) to set up
- Very strong
- Supremely sturdy
- Able to fit onto various-sized tires
- Small and lightweight
- Extremely functional
Additionally, the Tire Table is very well designed and impeccably built. I have no doubt that it will last me for years and years and years.
Another primary benefit of this table is that it provides a solid, flat surface no matter the terrain. A regular table can be impossible to use when you’re in the wilderness because you need flat terrain for its four legs to provide stability. But since the Tire Table attaches to your tires, that’s not a concern.
As for the cons, I have yet to come up with anything! With my particular setup, these tables are a perfect addition.
Now, if you have a small car or SUV, the table might interfere with opening or closing the door closest to the tire. This isn’t a problem for me, though.
Likewise, Tailgater notes that the table might not fit if the fender is too close to the tire. Again, this isn’t a problem for me. Just something to be aware of, though.
Tailgater Tire Table Review – Worth Every Penny!
So, for me, the Tire Table has been an ideal piece of gear to add to my overlanding kit. It’s well-made, durable, highly functional, and super versatile.
For me, the table is worth every bit of its price tag (around $172.00 for the regular size aluminum table and $210.00 for the large). I know those prices will give some of you sticker shock – they aren’t cheap tables.
But, you get what you pay for. You can buy some cheap knock-off version and give that a go, but as I’ve found out the hard way in the past, a lot of the cheap gear you can buy is cheap for a reason!
If you need some extra prep space in your camping or overlanding setup, I highly recommend investing in a Tire Table. It’ll be your quick setup, go-to workspace for all your adventures!