Les Izmore
Junior Ranger
A while back someone asked about whether the Rear Folding Table option was worth the trade-offs, which were mainly stated as the need to remove the stored table in order to access/store items in deep storage, and that to achieve the most efficient galley configuration requires also purchasing the Table Extension, which adds weight and complexity. And I agree, when the Table Extension is stored with the Rear Folding Table, the combined weight can be significant for some people.
Having had the RFT since we purchased our teardrop, my initial response to that earlier query was that it was a worthwhile option to have, though we have never used it as a dining table, as some people claimed is its intended purpose. In fact, we rarely use it unfolded. We found it most useful at those times where we would feed a touring cyclist at our campsite, which would increase the number of pots and pans in use - the RFT gave us convenient additional workspace for that purpose. A big downside for us is that we travel with our dog, and she can get her leash wrapped around the table leg, and has caused it to crash on many occasions.
Recently we had to hit the road in a hurry to respond to a family emergency. In doing so, we failed to load either the RFT or the Side Table, giving us our first opportunity to see whether traveling without either of them was better or worse. Luckily, we did pack a small aluminum folding table, which we ended up using whenever we needed to remove our Dometic to fully access the stove. The Side Table is a much better option for the Dometic, but using the camp table inspired us to consider reconfiguring the Side Table to better suit our needs. I'll be posting about that in the future.
As for the RFT, I'd have to say that, at least for us as dog owners, it is an option that we could have left off the build of our camper. While we've made good use of it for the 8 years that we've owned our camper, we are likely to leave it at home in the future.
Anyone wanting to hedge their bets as to whether they might need or want it might inquire with Cary to see if it is possible to pay to add the outside mounting hardware to the build without purchasing the table assembly (and that it would be possible to purchase the table assembly as an accessory in the future, if desired).
By the way, we had solved the problem of the dog accidentally collapsing the table leg by adding an eye bolt to the end of the leg and staking it to the ground. That worked about 90% of the time, but at times the campsite was configured such that we had to set it up over a hard surface and could not use the stake.
Having had the RFT since we purchased our teardrop, my initial response to that earlier query was that it was a worthwhile option to have, though we have never used it as a dining table, as some people claimed is its intended purpose. In fact, we rarely use it unfolded. We found it most useful at those times where we would feed a touring cyclist at our campsite, which would increase the number of pots and pans in use - the RFT gave us convenient additional workspace for that purpose. A big downside for us is that we travel with our dog, and she can get her leash wrapped around the table leg, and has caused it to crash on many occasions.
Recently we had to hit the road in a hurry to respond to a family emergency. In doing so, we failed to load either the RFT or the Side Table, giving us our first opportunity to see whether traveling without either of them was better or worse. Luckily, we did pack a small aluminum folding table, which we ended up using whenever we needed to remove our Dometic to fully access the stove. The Side Table is a much better option for the Dometic, but using the camp table inspired us to consider reconfiguring the Side Table to better suit our needs. I'll be posting about that in the future.
As for the RFT, I'd have to say that, at least for us as dog owners, it is an option that we could have left off the build of our camper. While we've made good use of it for the 8 years that we've owned our camper, we are likely to leave it at home in the future.
Anyone wanting to hedge their bets as to whether they might need or want it might inquire with Cary to see if it is possible to pay to add the outside mounting hardware to the build without purchasing the table assembly (and that it would be possible to purchase the table assembly as an accessory in the future, if desired).
By the way, we had solved the problem of the dog accidentally collapsing the table leg by adding an eye bolt to the end of the leg and staking it to the ground. That worked about 90% of the time, but at times the campsite was configured such that we had to set it up over a hard surface and could not use the stake.
