The Stiga XTR outdoor table tennis table is by far one of the most popular choices when it comes to outdoor tables. It sports a very impressive composite tabletop that is very unlikely to ever warp or rust. Additionally, its frame is of a very high-quality construction that is very strong and durable.
This table receives many excellent reviews from its customers on Amazon and if the words of hundreds of satisfied customers don’t entice you enough, we’ll be going over what makes this table so praiseworthy.
Specifications:
The XTR has the dimensions of a full-size, regulation ping pong table. The tabletop is 9 feet long and 5 feet wide while it stands at about 2.5 feet high. It is quite heavy for a ping pong table due to the aluminum composite tabletop along with the steel frame and legs, it comes out to be about 166 lbs.
In terms of assembly time, you will not have to waste hours fumbling around with complex instructions as the XTR comes 90% preassembled. In fact, it only took us about 10 minutes to put it together completely with one person. The tabletop itself is made out of an aluminum composite material like we stated earlier and is 6mm in thickness. You can see the assembly process of a similar model here:
In terms of pricing, the XTR is $565.39 on Amazon right now and also includes free shipping. Compared to other ping pong tables of the same type, this is a pretty reasonable price. It’s not the cheapest one on the market, to be certain, but a product of this quality won’t come cheap. Also, the table does come with a 1-year warranty in case you’re worried about damages or are unsatisfied.
Stiga XTR Overview
Now that you have a general idea about what the XTR is made of and some of its more specific features, we’ll go into more in-depth detail about why this outdoor ping pong table has so many amazing reviews on Amazon and why it’s one of our favorite tables.
Table Thickness
For starters, we’ll look at the thickness of the table and why this is such an important feature. This is possibly one of, if not the most important thing you should be looking at when shopping for outdoor ping pong tables. The reason being that table thickness dictates how well and consistently your balls bounce across the table.
Something to consider about outdoor tables is that they are generally thinner than tables designed for indoor play, due to the fact that they are made from heavier materials. Thus, the Stiga XTR has a tabletop that is made from aluminum composite and is 6mm thick.
This amount of thickness is standard for many outdoor tables, allowing for the best playability. In fact, many outdoor tables tend to vary between 5mm and 7mm thick tables and are made from aluminum mixed with something else. For instance, an outdoor table made by Joola is made with aluminum and plastic.
An aluminum tabletop of some sort is absolutely mandatory for an outdoor table. If the tabletop is made from traditional materials such as MDF or another type of wood then it is extremely susceptible to warping or other types of damage due to moisture, sunlight, and other types of exposure.
This is why the aluminum composite tabletop is such an excellent feature for this table is because it resists weather conditions that would otherwise severely damage a normal ping pong table. The aluminum composite makeup even makes it resistant to UV damage and thus it isn’t likely to fade. Also, the tabletop is resistant to rusting so even if it gets wet, it is unlikely to sustain any sort of damage for a long period of time.
Frame, Undercarriage, and Legs
This is another important part of the table as you don’t want the frame or legs to collapse due to someone leaning on them or due to some other types of damage. Thankfully, the XTR has you covered in this department as its frame is extremely durable.
Its frame, legs, and undercarriage are made from a very sturdy 32mm galvanized steel that ensures it will withstand all sorts of distress. Additionally, the galvanized steel legs that the tabletop sits on are covered with a rust-resistant powder coating.
The legs themselves come with features of their own and are another great talking point about this table. For added convenience, each leg of the table has levelers on the bottom that you can adjust. This ensures you’ll be able to play and have a level playing surface, even on uneven terrain. Additionally, the legs come with a self-opening feature. This quickplay design means that when the table is unfolded, the legs will deploy themselves automatically.
Wheels
If we’re talking about outdoor ping pong tables then the wheels are another absolutely essential feature that must be considered. The wheels on the XTR are high quality like the rest of the table and allow you to maneuver it easily around so you can find the perfect place to park it and play. The XTR sports 4 wheels that are 3 inches in diameter that also have a convenient locking mechanism on them to ensure that the table won’t move around while it is stored or while it’s in play.
Foldable Halves and Playback Feature
Possibly the most convenient feature about the XTR, besides its auto-deploying legs, is that it comes in two foldable halves. This feature allows you to fold this table in two, like the name suggests, for super convenient storage. This is made possible due to the unique design of this table, each half of the table has its own caster beams.
With this feature, you’ll be able to easily store the ping pong table in a place like a garage, corner of a deck, or an empty spot in the backyard. The playback feature is another essential piece of any high-quality ping pong table so it’s not a surprise that the XTR has this.
This feature is made for those who wish to play ping pong by themselves. Essentially, you can fold one of the halves up, allowing you to volley balls off of the folded piece over and over again. It’s great for practice or if you want to play for a while by yourself.
Included Net and Post Set
This outdoor ping pong table, like many others of its kind, also comes with an exterior grade net and post set for it. It comes out to be 72-inches which is plenty for a full-size table like the XTR. Also, this net, like the rest of the table is weather-resistant and made to be used in the outdoors.
Pros and Cons Summary
Now that we’ve gone over all of the Stiga XTR’s features, specifications, durability, and general performance, it’s time to take a quick look at all of the pros and cons of this table are.
Pros:
- Foldable halves
- 6mm aluminum composite top
- Galvanized steel undercarriage, legs, and frame
- Caster wheels with locking mechanisms
- Very portable and easy to store
- Comes 95% assembled out of the box
- Playback mode
- Net and post set is included
- One year warranty
- Affordably priced
Cons:
- Net is not waterproof
- Heavy
- Not the thickest table on the market
How to Set Up the Stiga XTR
Setting up the Stiga XTR is actually a very simple process because the table itself comes 95% preassembled. The first step is to attach the wheels. This is a fairly simple process, just fit one wheel onto one of the metal rods that come with the packaging, slip it through one of the corresponding holes on the table’s legs and then attach and secure a wheel on the other side. Do that for all four wheels and then you can move onto the next part.
After that, it’s just a matter of putting together the frame and legs and attaching it to the table so that it works well with the auto-deploy system. This is done by a series of screws and brackets that all come with the packaging. It’s all rather easy and the instructions are very clear and concise. As we stated earlier in the review, this should only take about 10 minutes with one person.
Best Places to Set Up Your Stiga XTR
The XTR is a full-size table, first and foremost, therefore you must make sure that you have enough space for it to fit. Moreover, you should leave ample space around the table so that people can move without running into something and will have enough space to swing their paddles. Because it’s meant for outdoor play, an open area of a backyard or a spacious deck are the two best places to set up this table.
Final Thoughts
To sum things up: The Stiga XTR is a very excellent outdoor table that comes with all of the necessary features anyone could ask for in an affordably priced outdoor ping pong table. It’s durable and very weather-resistant and provides excellent gameplay.
You really can’t go wrong with this table, it’s perfect for things like house parties, barbecues, or something to get the kids to play outside. It can be used by multiple people or switched into a single-player mode, making it a very versatile source of entertainment.
History of the Stiga Brand
Now that we’ve covered all of the XTR’s excellent features, you might still not be totally convinced. This may be the first time you’ve heard the name Stiga and you’re worried that they’re not a trustworthy brand. Have no fear, with a brief overview of the brand’s history, we’ll show you how they became one of the most trusted brands in the table tennis world. Stiga is a brand that calls Sweden their home.
The brand did not originally produce ping pong products. In fact, you may find it funny to learn that the brand originally produced lawnmowers and other gardening supplies! To this day they still make lawnmowers and other types of gardening products and in 1976 they were actually responsible for creating the largest factory in the Nordic countries that produced motor-powered lawnmowers.
This was such an amazing feat that the King of Sweden at the time inaugurated the factory. They began to make ping pong products back in 1938 and have since grown to be a globally recognized name within the table tennis community. Tables are not their only specialty, they also make top-quality balls, rubbers, rackets, shoes, and other accessories. Now, they have partners in over 100 countries and are one of the leading brands in the world of table tennis.
Why Should You Own a Ping Pong Table?
If by some chance you’ve come across this review randomly and don’t have the slightest clue about ping pong and are wondering why you should even consider purchasing a table, then you’ve come to the right place. Ping pong tables are an excellent investment for anyone who’s looking to add some fun somewhere they’ve got a lot of space.
The sport of ping pong is very easy to pick up and play and if you’re willing to get invested in it, it can become a passion. Who knows, maybe you’ll even want to start competing in tournaments? If you’re a parent, then a ping pong table is probably one of the best things you can buy for your kids.
Because it’s such a simple game, even children can easily pick up a paddle and start playing together, it’ll keep them entertained for hours. If you’re worried about them not getting enough sunlight and they stay indoors too much, then an outdoor table is exactly the product you’re looking for. Not only will it provide hours of entertainment, but it’ll let your kids get some fresh air while they participate in a friendly competition.
Own an office space and looking for something to spice up that empty and dreary employee break room? Then look no further than the ping pong table! Table tennis is an excellent way for your employees to blow off steam while they’re on a break as opposed to sitting around drinking coffee and dreading going back to work. It can be a nice distraction from the day’s work and something fun to do in between shifts.
Apartment complexes or similar places like hotels can benefit from buying a ping pong table as well. It’ll give tenets and residents something to do if your building has a common area for people to use. Additionally, it’ll add that extra layer of appeal to possible tenants.
Of course, if you’re an aspiring competitive player, then a ping pong table to use at home is practically a necessity, especially if you don’t live near your club or another place you can practice consistently. If that’s the case, you do need to be a little careful about which ping pong table you invest in as some of them are not the best quality. Luckily for you, however, we have done reviews on a plethora of other tables that you can check out here.
How to Take Proper Care of a Ping Pong Table
Taking care of a ping pong table can be pretty easy or slightly challenging depending on the type of table that you end up buying. But, once you get the hang of things, it becomes a habit and will ultimately be pretty simple. We’ll start with the tables that are the easiest to take care of, outdoor tables.
Since these tables are usually designed from the ground up to stand up to whatever mother nature decides to throw at them, taking care of these tables is usually pretty easy. Really, you’ll just have to keep the surface clean, dry, and free of debris. You should be a little cautious if you’ve purchased a cheaper table as they may not be made with the same weatherproof materials that are found in high-quality tables.
You may want to pay attention to the legs and frame, while many outdoor tables come with rust-resistant coatings, they’re not totally rust-proof and may need maintenance from time to time. Indoor tables are a completely different type of beast and require more specific care.
For starters, under no circumstances should they be used or stored outside. High-quality indoor tables require stable circumstances to avoid being damaged. If they get wet or are stored in a place that has a lot of moisture, then the table will warp because of it. This is not the only threat, however, as even exposure to sunlight can cause the table to warp as well.
With all this being said, something an owner of a ping pong table may want to invest in is a cover for their table. These ensure that your ping pong table will remain protected by keeping moisture out, blocking sunlight, preventing scratches from debris, and keeping the table clear of dust.
These are an especially good investment if you’ve purchased an outdoor ping pong table and are looking to give it that extra layer of protection. We’ve actually reviewed table tennis table covers in the past, you can find a lineup of the best ones in this article.
