Camp Chef Mesa CT48A vs Mountain Summit Gear Roll-Top Table

The short answer

For most van and camp kitchens, the Mountain Summit Gear Heavy-Duty Roll-Top Table, Large, is the better buy. It has about the same top area as the Camp Chef Mesa, weighs about 7 lb less, packs into a shorter 30-inch bag, costs less, and its maker publishes the figures you'd want before you buy, including a 70 lb load figure. It stands at a fixed 28 inches, which is right for eating and fine for most prep.

Buy the Camp Chef Mesa if you want to stand while you chop. Its legs adjust from 27 to 39 inches, according to Camp Chef, so it can be raised to the height of a kitchen counter, and that's something no other table on this site does. In exchange, you carry a heavier table in a longer bag, and accept that Camp Chef publishes no load capacity, packed size or warranty term on its product page.

For full detail on each table, read our Camp Chef Mesa review and our Mountain Summit Gear Roll-Top review. VanLifeKitchens researches products rather than testing them; the figures below come from each maker's page and the Amazon listings, as cited in those reviews.

Specifications side by side

Both tops are aluminium roll-tops, and both tables come with a carry bag. Camp Chef lists powder-coated steel legs and a middle support crossbar. Mountain Summit Gear lists a weather-resistant steel frame.

Height: the deciding difference

This is the reason to choose between them. At 28 inches, the Mountain Summit Gear table is at normal dining height. It suits full-height chairs such as the ALPS King Kong, with its 19-inch seat, or the GCI Freestyle Rocker. For standing prep, 28 inches means bending over the board.

The Mesa's 27 to 39 inch range covers dining height at the bottom and counter height at the top. A typical home counter is about 36 inches. If you chop, knead or wash up standing for half an hour at a time, raising the table toward your elbows takes real strain off your back. Our van kitchen layouts guide explains why working height matters.

Two cautions. Camp Chef's page doesn't say whether each leg can be set independently to level the table on a slope, so assume all four go to the same height. And any folding table is less stable at full height than at its lowest, so at 39 inches keep heavy items near the legs.

Edge: Camp Chef Mesa, clearly, if you'll use the extra height.

Size, weight and storage

The tops are nearly the same size: 48 by 27 inches for the Mesa and 47 by 28 inches for the Mountain Summit Gear, both about 9 square feet. Either one has room for a cutting board, a washing-up tub and ingredients laid out in order, or four place settings.

Storage is where they differ. Mountain Summit Gear publishes a 30 x 9 x 6 inch packed size, which fits behind a seat, in a garage bay or under a bed platform. Camp Chef doesn't publish the Mesa's packed size, but the top is 48 inches long, so plan for a bag of about that length. In a small van, a 4-foot bag is much harder to place than a 30-inch one. Our storage guide covers where camp-only gear can live.

Weight follows the same pattern: about 22 lb for the Mesa against about 15 lb for the Mountain Summit Gear. The adjustable steel legs account for much of the difference.

Edge: Mountain Summit Gear, for a shorter bag and less weight.

Load and documentation

Mountain Summit Gear publishes a 70 lb load figure for the Large. Camp Chef doesn't publish one for the Mesa on its product page. Neither maker publishes a heat rating for its roll-top.

That gap matters if you plan to load the table heavily. A full washing-up tub, a two-burner stove and a cast-iron pan together can approach the weight where a published figure is reassuring. With the Mesa, spread heavy items toward the legs and don't use it as a seat or a cooler stand.

Edge: Mountain Summit Gear, for publishing the numbers.

Stoves and hot pans

Neither maker publishes a heat rating for its top or says it's designed to hold a running stove. Both tops share the quirks of any roll-top: small gaps between slats where crumbs and knife tips catch, slight flex between supports, and aluminium that conducts heat quickly.

The best setup with either table is to give the stove its own stand. The GCI Compact Camp Table 20, which GCI describes as safe for a small camp stove, or the heat-resistant top of the GCI Slim-Fold Cook Station both work. Use a trivet under hot pans on the roll-top. Fuel-burning stoves are usually labelled outdoor-only by their makers; follow the stove's manual on location and clearances, and see the van cooking safety guide.

Edge: tie.

Value

Both sit in the mid-range, but the Mesa is the more expensive of the two and costs noticeably more than the Mountain Summit Gear Large. Check current prices on Amazon, since they move often. The extra money buys adjustable legs that reach counter height and a middle support crossbar. It doesn't buy more surface, a shorter bag or any published load or warranty figures.

For most buyers, the Mountain Summit Gear does the same everyday job, a dining and prep table, at a lower cost and with less weight and bulk. The Mesa earns its higher cost only if standing height is the reason you're buying a table. If it is, there's no cheaper way on this site to get it.

Which one should you buy?

Buy the Camp Chef Mesa if:

• You prep standing and want the table raised toward 36 inches.
• You're tall, or you find 28-inch tables uncomfortable to work at.
• You have room in the van for a bag about 4 feet long.

Buy the Mountain Summit Gear Roll-Top, Large if:

• You mainly want a table to eat at and lay food out on.
• Storage space is tight, and a 30-inch bag fits where a 48-inch one won't.
• You want the lighter table and a published 70 lb load figure.

If neither suits you because you want a gap-free surface, look at the Front Runner Pro Stainless Steel Camp Table, which has a one-piece stainless top and folds about 2 inches thick.

FAQ

Which table is taller? The Camp Chef Mesa adjusts from 27 to 39 inches, per Camp Chef. The Mountain Summit Gear Large is fixed at 28 inches.

Which one is bigger? They're almost the same: 48 x 27 inches for the Mesa (Amazon) and 47 x 28 inches for the Mountain Summit Gear (maker). Both are about 9 square feet.

Which one packs smaller? The Mountain Summit Gear packs to 30 x 9 x 6 inches. Camp Chef doesn't publish the Mesa's packed size, but its 48-inch top needs a bag of about that length.

How much weight do they hold? Mountain Summit Gear gives 70 lb for the Large. Camp Chef doesn't publish a figure for the Mesa.

Can I put a camp stove on either one? Neither maker publishes a heat rating or says the top is designed for a running stove. Use a stove stand that its maker rates for stoves, and a trivet under hot pans.

Sources and verification

• Camp Chef Mesa Aluminum Camp Table review: specs and sources, including Camp Chef's product page and the Amazon listing for ASIN B00OB6S5VU (checked 2026-10-13)
• Mountain Summit Gear Heavy-Duty Roll-Top Table, Large review: specs and sources, including the maker's product page and the Amazon listing for ASIN B08VQLR1ZB (checked 2026-10-11)