When the creator of the PECOS outdoor table, Rick Scheen, attempted to fillet a batch of fish on a backyard dining table in preparation for an upcoming fish fry, he was met with a strong “I don’t think so” look from his wife. After digging around the garage for an appropriate substitute, he ultimately came up empty-handed. In the end he resorted to using the top of an old cooler, and thus began his search for a sturdy and portable outdoor table that would stand up to future jobs—whether filleting fish or cleaning quail, duck, or even deer at home or in the field. What seemed like a simple piece of gear—one he was sure already existed—turned out to be a near impossible find. Scheen couldn’t understand why he could easily purchase top-tier shotguns, binoculars, apparel, knives, and coolers but not a hardworking table to finish the job. So with the resourcefulness of a lifelong Texas outdoorsman, he set about creating his own design.
“Necessity is the mother of invention,” Scheen says. Six years, hundreds of sketches, countless prototypes, and in-numerable real-world stress tests eventually resulted in the acquisition of seven patents for a one-of-a-kind outdoor table that’s durable and easy to assemble and disassemble on-the-go. “It is important for us to make the table right here in America, with American manufacturers, because we don’t want to make compromises. This country produces the best, and our customers care about that quality.” Whether hunting White Tail in South Texas, shooting ducks in Arkansas, fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, or barbecuing on the patio for the big game, PECOS is built to work.
The portable, lay-flat design cleverly stows its four extendable legs—made from substantial aircraft-grade aluminum—on the underside of the table, which tops out at just twenty-five pounds, making it easy to toss in the back of your truck, SUV, or ATV. And the legs’ patented orbital feet mean you can find even footing no matter the terrain. Plus, they lock into place with a quick quarter turn, so there’s no fumbling to assemble when it’s time to get to work.
For the team at PECOS, portable doesn’t mean puny. “Most people are shocked that a product that weighs only twenty-five pounds can hold over three thousand—we’ve got the videos to prove it,” Scheen says. The thirty-eight-by-twenty-inch design is built to countertop height, allowing you to work without straining your back. Additional attachments are designed to meet a variety of needs: cup holders, a paper towel holder, three different styles of cutting boards, a trash bag ring, and a multifunction utility basket, all of which snap into place along the perimeter of the table using PECOS’s simple trigger-clip system.
“My father lived the life of an outdoorsman, hunting, fishing, and cooking—providing for us,” Scheen says. “He was a fishing guide on Toledo Bend, and when he was not on the water, he was in the woods. He would bring me with him from the time I could walk. I grew up loving everything about the outdoors.” With his ingenious PECOS outdoor table, he hopes to inspire others to get out there and do the same.
To elevate your outdoor experience, shop PECOS tables at PECOSOutdoor.com
