Long Term Report

Coleman Exponent Backpacker Table
& Gear System
Long Term Report
February 7, 2006

Biographical Information

Product Information

Field Conditions

Field Test

Summary

Table set up

Biographical Information
Name	Jennifer Pope
Age	25
Gender	Female
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.7 m)
Weight	140 lb (64 kg)
Email address	Jennifer dot Pope at gmail dot com
Location	Los Angeles, CA
Backpacking Background Intermediate. I've been a car-camper as long as I can remember and started backpacking in Northern California when I was 16. I've been backpacking for a little over a year after a hiatus during college. I backpack in the Sierras as well as other National Forests and Parks in the Los Angeles vicinity. I also spend time in the California deserts and the mountains and coast of Northern California. I'm a tent camper leaning towards lightweight; but I'm also a fan of gadgets and I like being comfortable. I also frequently day hike close to home and while car camping.

Product Information (back to top)
Manufacturer	Coleman
Manufacturer URL	http://www.coleman.com/
Year of Manufacture	2005
Contents	table, 2 metal supports for table, 2 thin ropes to hang table, 4 table/gear hooks, & a drawstring bag to hold it all
Maximum weight capacity gear hooks table	50 lbs (23 kg) 25 lbs (11 kg)
Listed Weight	1.25 lbs (.5 kg)
Actual Weights strap & ropes tabletop metal table supports lantern hook hooks drawstring bag	2.7 oz (75 g) 16.9 oz (480 g) 4 oz (115 g) 1.7 oz (50 g) .7 oz (20 g) each 1.3 oz (35 g)
Tree strap length	7 ft (2.15 m) which means the table should accommodate trees up to slightly less than that
MSRP	$14.99 US

For more details on this item please see my Initial and Field Reports.

Field Conditions (back to top)

Thus far the table has been used in the Los Angeles area in elevations from sea level to 500 ft (150 m). Temperatures were mild ranging in the 60s and 70s F (15 to 25 C). The table was also used in a forested area at elevations up to 6,000 ft (1,800 m). Temperatures there were chilly in the 30s and 40s (15 to 25 C) while the table was in use there. Precipitation was nonexistent on all trips. Types of trees encountered were oak trees in lower elevations and pine trees in upper elevations.

Field Test (back to top)

In the Long Term testing period I was really, really going to try and cook on the table. I convinced myself to give it a go. Then when I got the table set up on the tree and got my stove all set up on it (an MSR PocketRocket) I really just didn't feel safe doing it. There were a couple reasons for this. First the table isn't all that stable. It's fine for things that I don't mind tipping and I've actually never had anything fall off of it- but a stove is a different animal. Second, the ropes are really not that far from where the flame would be. Now I have no idea if they're close enough to actually melt and break but again I wasn't willing to take the chance. There's currently a large fire burning in Southern California and I definitely didn't want to be the one to start another one. Lastly, it's kind of hard for me to get a level surface to set the stove up on. It's tricky to get the strap around the tree straight and it's tricky to get the table to sit flat. It could just be me on that one though.

After having said all that, I love using the gear system part of the set up. I love putting the strap around a tree and having a place to hang my pack, fleece, etc. This part of the setup will accompany me on all my backpacking trips and possibly even day hiking trips. It's just a nice accessory for not that much weight (especially in marmot country where packs shouldn't be left on the ground). Sadly, the table probably won't keep coming with me backpacking. I know that I'd probably use it backpacking and it might be handy but just not enough to warrant the extra weight.

The packability is good for this system. It fits ok inside a pack; the table itself is on the long side and does take up some room. I really like to pack it into the water bottle holder on the outside of my pack and then hold it in with a compression strap. I use a hydration bladder anyway so I don't really use the water bottle pockets. I just have to adjust the weight in my pack so it stays balanced. Of course packing the system without the table is really simple since it packs down to fit inside a quart-sized (.95 L) baggie.

Finding a suitable tree occasionally provides some problems, but is usually pretty easy. In the lower elevations in Southern California there are fewer trees that are large enough to strap the table too. Although on every trip I've taken the table on I was able to find a suitable tree. Occasional there are pine trees available but oak trees are more common. In upper elevations I sometimes have the opposite problem. I guess I'm not a very good judge of tree diameters because on one outing it took me three tries to find a tree that was small enough to fit the strap around. On larger trees I also need a hand from my husband to get the strap around the tree. I have to toss one end of the strap around to him and then he hands it to me so I can set it up.

As far as durability is concerned I've had no issues here whatsoever. Every piece of the table and gear system looks pretty much the same as it did when I first got it. Nothing is showing any wear other than maybe a little dirt (and I've definitely dropped all the pieces in the dirt and on rocks several times as well as shoved it into packs and strapped it to the outside of packs).

The rest of my findings were similar to that reported in my Field Report.

Summary (back to top)

Again, I love the gear system part of the set up. I love having a place to hang item and keep them off the ground. The table is nice and I wish I could take it on all my backpacking trips but realistically my pack is already heavy enough and I'm a wimp when it comes to carrying really heavy loads.

Thank you to BackpackGearTest.org and Coleman for letting me test this item.

Read more reviews of Coleman gear
Read more gear reviews by Jennifer Pope

Reviews > Cook Gear > Cooking Accessories > Coleman Exponent Backpacker Table > Jennifer Pope > Long Term Report

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