Over the years, we’ve collected common questions from folks interested in adding a Rear Door Setup to their vehicle. So, to make it easy, we’ve compiled all your questions in a single place.
Now if you’re the type who prefers to watch than read, we don’t blame you, and we’ve got you. You can find the full video with all the information included in this post, here:
Now, let’s dive into it! Here’s everything you need to know when considering adding a Rear Door Table to your setup.
Where to Start: Will I find a Rear Door Setup Useful?
The best place to start when considering any gear for your camping or vehicle setup is to work out if it suits you, and in the case of a Rear Door Setup, how you like to travel.
At the end of the day, everyone’s requirements are unique, but in our experience, there are a few fundamental similarities.
ROAD TRIPPERS
Move Every Day or Quick One Nighters
Folding tables can provide a versatile platform for road trips: things like quick lunches, tea and coffee on the go, even using a laptop to shoot off a quick email or setting up camera gear.
When you like to move on to a new spot every day during big trips, keeping it simple is often best. Having a setup that allows you to get dinner going within minutes of arriving into camp means you can get to enjoying your surroundings quicker.
BASE CAMPERS
Find the Perfect Spot and Day Trip
What about if you like to have a base camp? Maybe you tow a caravan or a campervan, or you have a tent and marquee. Either way, you’re the type to want to find a great spot, set up once, and spread out for a few nights, before doing day trips to attractions in the local area.
If this sounds like you, you’ll know all too well that the last thing you want to do after setting up is pack everything back into the car, so you can visit the local waterfall for lunch. For those who are ‘base-campers,’ having a rear door setup means you've got your lunch, coffee, and tea essentials ready.
NON-CAMPERS
The Day to Day
We've also seen people use these tables for things in their day-to-day lives, too. Whether it be a coffee after a surf, gear maintenance or servicing requirements, videographers and make-up artists that work on location…
Really, a rear door setup is just a platform – how you use it is totally up to your imagination.
What Are The Different Types of Rear Door Setups?
Before we get into the nitty gritty of what you’ll want to know when considering a rear door setup, let’s cover the basics. We have a variety of Rear Door setups, and each vehicle has a unique configuration designed to suit that specific vehicle. But across our range, you'll see two main types:
Rear Door Tables and Cages
Tables that are fixed to the rear door trim, often accompanied by Rear Door Cages.
Rear Door Tables with Replacement Rear Door Cards
Tables that include replacement Rear Door Cards, to provide a slimline and robust mounting surface.
How Do I Know if I Have Enough Space?
Regardless of which type of setup we make for your vehicle, there is one thing that you're going to want to make sure you have: enough room.
We generally recommend a minimum of 35mm to any accessories installed in your vehicle, including drawers, fridges, cages, etc.
The point at which you should measure this might change from vehicle to vehicle. A good rule of thumb is to take it from the points of the rear door trim that protrudes most into the vehicle cargo space. This point is often on the outermost points of the rear door, as many doors have a slight concave shape.
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Just make sure to identify things that might protrude into the space that the rear door table occupies, such as latches or handles.
If you don't have enough clearance, some drawer setups allow you to move the wings or even the whole set of drawers themselves further into the vehicle, but this does vary from one manufacturer to the next.
What are the Features of the Table?
There are a few key features across our rear door range that help to make them ideal for life out on the road. Number one being that they have rattle free storage – so you won't have to deal with the nuisance of noise on tougher tracks or corrugated roads. Number two being that they have an adjustable levelling feature, so you can have a flat surface, no matter the terrain.
Let's take a closer look at how they work:
How does it stay rattle free?
All the tables are secured with bungee cords and buttons – these work to keep tension on the table. The soft closures are paired with small rubber bumpers, and together they're critical in ensuring that the table remains rattle-free, even on corrugated roads.
How does the levelling feature work?
A distinct feature of all our tables is the paracord adjustment lines. It’s a common misconception that the woven ends need to be tied. On some models, one end is tied closed, but there will always be at least one end—usually the table end—that's woven and left unknotted. The reason for this is really clever. Weaving the paracord uses friction and tension to keep the weave in place and the table secure.
What it does is it gives you the ability to very quickly adjust the levelling of your table when you're parked on unlevel ground, without the need for untying and retying.
Fun fact: the paracord is glow-in-the-dark too.
What Fits on the Table?
How big is the surface area?
The answer to this is quite simple: it depends! All our tables are different sizes, and they're each designed to fit the proportions of each vehicle.
The dimensions of the tables are as follows:
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What will the table hold?
No matter the table, they are all rated to hold 10kg, so you can rest assured it’s up for the task of holding everything you need.
A common question we hear is whether they’ll fit conventional camp stoves. We’ve got good news – they do! They’ll even accommodate some of the larger market leading stoves, like the Coleman Hyperflame series.
How Do Cages Work?
If we look at the Prado 150, the 120 or the Gen 4 Pajero, you'll notice that we do a variety of cages, all designed to suit the individual recesses in each of these vehicles.
The great thing about these cages is you can pick and choose which ones suit your individual setup, giving you the flexibility to build your ultimate rear door storage space.
If you own one of these vehicles, you'll no doubt know that these cavities are used to store things like basic tools. If you’re travelling with a small toolkit, there's every chance that you've already relocated these and have a more comprehensive into a toolkit of your own. With the tools removed, these cavities are the perfect place for storing other things.
What cages are available for the Toyota Prado?
The Prado has three different cage types:
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The Original Cage
Available for Prado 150 & 120
Perfect for slightly bulkier items. Things like tea and coffee, spreads, noodles and soups, bin bags, canned goods, etc.
The Caddy
Available for Prado 150
Great for smaller, more compact items. Such as spices, sauces, insect repellents, wipes, matches, and more.
The Utensil Cage
Available for Prado 150 & 120
No surprises here, this one is great for utensils, or anything quite tall and thin. Things like plates, cutlery rolls, tongs, spatulas, even dishwashing liquid and a dish brush. It also includes a bungee cord which helps keep taller items secure.
What cages are available for the Mitsubishi Pajero?
The Pajero has two different cage types:
The Centre Cage
Available for Pajero Gen 4
Perfect for slightly bulkier items. Things like tea and coffee, spreads, noodles and soups, bin bags, canned goods, etc. The Pajero even has a factory recess, too, which is perfect for holding extra stuff.
The Pocket Cage
Available for Pajero Gen 4
Coming as a pair, the pockets are fairly deep, but overall great for anything on the taller side. Things like tool rolls, servicing spares, cutlery rolls, utensils like tongs, spatulas, and even dish liquid.
What are the slots on the front of the cages for?
You might have noticed all the cages feature the same slot pattern on the front – this isn't just decorative, but rather a clever pattern designed to be MOLLE compatible.
If you haven’t heard of MOLLE before, it stands for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment. In its simplest form, it’s a specific secure method of attachment that you will find on things like pouches and bags. On the cages, it's a great way to add extra accessories onto the front of these cages, if you're not using them with a table.
You can find MOLLE-compatible pouches and bags online, and it’s also often built into products you might already have come across, like first aid kits or sheathes for knives or torches.
What Other Accessories Are There?
We make a bunch of accessories that are compatible with our tables, and this is why you'll see the same basic table profile across most of our range.
These add-ons include the:
Rear Door Chopping Board
Enables you to clip a cutting board securely into your Rear Door Table.
Kitchenette Sink Extension
Also clips into the Rear Door Table for storage on the go, the Kitchenette enables you to easily add a sink and drying rack.
We’ve approached both of these add-ons in the same way, too: sourcing readily available pieces to complement our range. That way if the board or sink wear with use, you can easily replace them by visiting a local store or ordering pieces online.
It’s worth noting that these accessories have also been designed to specifically suit the profile unique to KAON tables, and therefore aren’t compatible with other aftermarket tables.
How Durable Is It? Will It Last?
What is it made from?
All the tables and cages are made from durable Stainless Steel.
In terms of finish, most come in a durable black textured powder coat, while a few are also available in a natural stainless brushed finish option.
The reason you might pick one over another really just comes down to aesthetic preference. Some people love how the black blends in with the back of their car… in fact customers often tell us in their reviews that the black tables have a really factory look.
The natural brushed finish is also made from 316 stainless – often called marine grade.
What are the benefits of stainless?
Making gear from stainless steel means that our range is corrosion-resistant over the long term. Treat it well, and should last you the life of your vehicle.
The perks of a stainless table are that it can take heat too – so placing a hot pot directly onto the table isn’t a problem, unlike with a conventional plastic blow mould trestle table.
Can I apply pressure to the table?
It can take a bit of a beating. We generally tell customers that they shouldn’t be afraid to apply a bit of pressure to the table – things like using an aero press or even rolling out pizza dough are no trouble.
What about the replacement door cards?
For vehicles that have rear door cards, we produce these from a variety of lightweight and durable materials that allow us to give you a factory look, all while providing an ideal surface for mounting the table.
These can be made from:
Aluminium
As seen on the LandCruiser 70 or GU/Y61 Patrol
These perfectly contour to the door and include with rolled edges to create a really sleek finish.
Composite HDPE
As seen on the Jimny JB74
This composite HDPE is made from a mix of recycled and virgin HDPE, to create a flexible and secure surface that moulds to the curve of the rear door. This material is UV stable, scratch-resistant and impact-resistant.
How Hard is it to Install?
One of the things we focus on most during our R&D process is ensuring that we can provide you with an intuitive and straightforward DIY install.
That all said, we understand you may find it a little daunting to install a table or a cage if you're not used to being on the tools. So in every one of our products, you'll find a comprehensive set of instructions. These will tell you not only the best way to install that product, but also the best installation order if you're installing multiple products to your vehicle at one time.
On most of our instructions, you'll also see a little QR code on the front –scan that, and it'll take you to the video install on YouTube, which you can follow along at home.
So that’s the nitty gritty on our rear door range! Learn a little bit more about the options that we have for your vehicle here.
Or leave a comment below with your questions and well add them to the list!
Found yourself off-track? Our team is on hand to help you get unstuck.
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