REVIEW – The more camping gear I research and acquire, the more I’m amazed at some of the latest space-saving innovations they showcase. Bringing larger items, like a table, along on a camping trip has always required some advanced Tetris-like packing skills. Since testing the Helinox Table Four and Café Chair, however, I can put my packing skills to better use. The Helinox Table Four is a rigid, sturdy table that folds up to the size of a small duffel bag. Coupled with the equally transportable Café Chair, the Table Four makes “roughing it” an absolute pleasure. Priced at $399.95 for the Table Four and $169.95 for a Café Chair, comfort and portability do not come cheap, but the convenience and coziness they bring to a camping trip make them worthwhile investments.
What is it?
The Helinox Table Four is a portable, collapsible camping table with a rigid tabletop. Its aluminum frame features polycarbonate inserts and a proprietary lever lock technology. The Helinox Café Chair is a compact and lightweight camping chair with an upright aluminum frame, sturdy fabric backing, and standard dining table height.
The Helinox Table Four ships in its own carrying bag encased in a simple plastic bag.
The Café Chair ships the same way, using its own carrying bag to protect it during shipping.
What’s included?
- Table Four
- Foldable tabletop
- Two cross beams
- Two sets of legs
- Carrying bag
- User manual
- Café Chair
- Chair backing
- Collapsible legs
- Carrying bag
- User manual
Tech specs
- Helinox Table Four
- Assembled:
- Height: 27.5 in (70 cm)
- Surface Length: 27.5 in (70 cm)
- Surface Width: 47.5 in (120.5 cm)
- Length: 28.5 in (73 cm)
- Width: 8.5 in (21 cm)
- Weight: 9.91 lb (4500 g)
- Capacity: 110 lb (50 kg)
- Packed:
- Height: 3 in (8 cm)
- Length: 28.5 in (73 cm)
- Width:8.5 in (21 cm)
- Weight: 10.38 lb (4702 g)
- Materials:
- Frame:
- Proprietary aluminum alloy
- Proprietary resin hubs
- Rubber feet
- Proprietary nylon resin lever lock
- Tabletop:
- 8mm polycarbonate inserts
- Recycled 600D polyester
- Carry case:
- Recycled 600D polyester
- Frame:
- Assembled:
- Café Chair
- Assembled:
- Height: 33.5 in (85.5 cm)
- Width: 22 in (56 cm)
- Depth: 21.5 in (55 cm)
- Weight: 2.84 lb (1288 g)
- Capacity: 320 lb (145 kg)
- Packed:
- Height: 6.5 in (16.5 cm)
- Length: 23 in (58 cm)
- Width: 6.5 in (16.5 cm)
- Weight: 3.13 lb (1418 g)
- Materials:
- Frame:
- Proprietary DAC aluminum alloy
- Silicone shock cord
- Proprietary resin hubs
- Rubber feet
- Seat:
- Recycled 600D polyester
- Recycled polyester mesh
- Carry case:
- Recycled 300D polyester ripstop
- Frame:
- Assembled:
Design and features
The Table Four has an innovative design with six collapsible rigid polycarbonate panels encased in weatherproof fabric making up the tabletop. The rigidity of the frame is provided by interlocking aluminum poles.
The fabric of the tabletop is 600D polyester, a durable synthetic fabric. The Table Four comes in two colors, black and coyote tan.
The stitching along the seams of the Table Four is very sturdy and strong. There’s a simple Helinox logo sewn on the top of the tabletop.
The only other branding is the Table Four logo on the sides of the tabletop.
Underneath the tabletop are long loops for two aluminum poles that keep the sides of the Table Four rigid.
The fabric loops are a bit stiff during the first assembly but loosen up after a few uses.
The aluminum poles that insert into the tabletop loops are segmented and held together by elastic shock cords similar to most tent poles.
There are reinforced buckle-like bands on the poles that the table leg assembly locks into.
The two sets of legs are also held together by shock cords and are connected to a strong hub made of a proprietary resin.
Two ends of the legs have lever locks with spring triggers that lock into the buckles on the side poles to ensure maximum rigidity.
I really like the way these locks connect to the side poles of the tabletop to hold everything in place. They’re not too difficult to lock in place, yet the rigidity and support they provide are pretty impressive.
I also appreciate the size of the included carrying bag; there’s plenty of room to fit everything after disassembly, especially if you don’t pack it as efficiently as it shipped.
The Café Chair has a lot of similar design elements to the Table Four. The minimalist design is very effective yet provides a lot of support. The chair comes in the same two colors as the Table Four, black and coyote tan, but is also available in forest green and charcoal.
The backing of the chair is made of the same 600D polyester that composes the tabletop of the Table Four.
The only real difference in the fabric is that the Café Chair has a significant amount of mesh sewn in to help keep you cool.
Reinforced corners on the backing of the chair support the aluminum poles of the frame.
The frame has shock cords, poles, and a hub just like the Table Four.
And like the Table Four, the legs of the Café Chair have large rubber feet on them to prevent slipping.
The case for the chair is large enough to fit all the components easily and has extra looping on the outside.
Assembly, Installation, Setup
Assembling the Table Four was initially quite difficult because the included instructions are seriously lacking.
Luckily, the poles and hub only really fit together one way, so it’s relatively easy to suss that out.
Once the two leg sections are assembled, the supporting poles for the tabletop need to be installed.
The poles slide into the long loops along the sides of the tabletop. As I mentioned, the loops are a bit stiff for the first assembly, but they ease up after some use.
It’s important to pull the loops on the ends of the tabletop over the ends of the poles to prevent them from slipping out.
You also need to make sure that the reinforced buckles on the poles align with the open sections of the tabletop loops.
With the tabletop assembled, it’s time to mate it with the two leg sections. The half-moon ends of the legs snap onto the buckles and are held securely in place by locking the lever lock down.
It is absolutely vital that the half-moon ends of the legs assembly face out from the legs. This is especially important for the lever lock because that’s how it maintains the support across the edges of the tabletop.
You would think the instructions would highlight this critical piece of information, but that’s not the case. After some internet sleuthing, I finally stumbled on the correct way to secure the frame and it all worked out fine.
The Café Chair was much easier to assemble. Again, the poles and hub only fit together one way, so that was a snap.
After making sure all of the poles are securely attached to the hub, the frame of the chair is complete.
All that remains is to slip the chair’s backing onto the frame, making sure to pull the edges snugly over their corresponding poles.
Performance
Once the Table Four and Café Chair were assembled, it was time to test them out.
The height of the Table Four is perfect for campsite use and the tabletop’s fabric is durable enough to handle any messes or foul weather.
The Table Four reportedly can support about 110 lbs, which is really impressive for a collapsible table. I didn’t want to test the absolute limit of the Table Four, but it easily supported four 25 lb bags of garden soil without any issue.
The aluminum frame Café Chair is said to be capable of supporting up to 320 pounds, but it would take about three of my test models to reach that limit. Being a bit “huskier” myself, I felt that the chair was comfortable for short periods and easily supported my weight. After extended periods, though, the angle of the chair became a bit uncomfortable and I found myself shifting around to find a suitable position.
Overall, both the Table Four and the Café Chair make valuable and welcome additions to my camping setup. I appreciate how small they pack down to as well as their sturdiness and durability.
What I like about the Helinox Table Four and Café Chair
- Easy setup
- Sturdy rigid design
- Incredibly portable
What needs to be improved
- Expensive
- Café chair uncomfortable after long periods
- Assembly instructions lacking
Final thoughts
The Helinox Table Four and Café Chair, priced at $399.95 and $169.95 respectively, both have an innovative and stylish design. Their easy assembly, exceptional portability, and durable materials make them great options for camping even though their cost is on the higher side. The Table Four’s taller dining height and the Café Chair’s higher seat work well together for dining, game playing, or just hanging out at camp. There is some room for improvement in the comfort of the Café Chair for extended use, and the assembly instructions leave a lot to be desired. But, all in all, this table and chair are excellent picks for those looking to enhance their outdoor adventures with some comfort.
Price: $399.95 Table Four / $169.95 Café Chair
Where to buy: Helinox and Amazon
Source: The samples of these products were provided for free by Helinox. Helinox did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
