Plenty of camper companies are obsessed with transforming vehicle interiors, but Washington-based Daylodge Gear is much more concerned with tidying up the exterior. It started off with inflatable awnings for camper vans, 4x4s and other adventure rigs and is now preparing to introduce the very handy Workspace kitchen sack. Like other camp kitchen organization systems, the Workspace keeps things like cutlery and dishware neatly organized on the ride, but it also doubles as an actual kitchen space thanks to an integrated worktop. It's a ruggedized modern-day spin on the picnic basket with tabletop lid.
We were quite excited to stumble on the Workspace because we've been looking around for both a camp kitchen organizer and an all-in-one portable cocktail bar, and it looks like the Workspace can perform both functions better than average.
Meant for overlanding and camping off the beaten path, the Workspace bag is made from buyer's choice of Cordura nylon or Hypalon synthetic rubber, both made for gritty, hardwearing performance. Like other camp kitchen organizers, the Workspace comes loaded with purpose-built dividers, straps and pockets for utensils, plates, cooking tools, cups, bottles and accessories. Unlike other organizers, it also features s fold-out face that holds the 12 x 18-in (30.5 x 46-cm) bamboo cutting board up like a countertop or small table.
The Workspace can hang off the side of a pickup truck bed or out of the vehicle window, creating a side table like those you find on various camper vans and trailers. The system also sets up on a level surface like a tailgate or picnic table. Either way, it keeps all your cooking tools and serving ware right where you need them, just in back of your prep board.
Daylodge calls the Workspace the first of its kind to combine both organizer and table functions, and while hanging camp kitchen organizers are a dime a dozen at shows like Overland Expo, this is the first we've seen with its own drop-down table. The table also doubles as a cocktail or wine bar – the organizer bag can hold items like outdoor-grade wine or cocktail glasses, a cocktail shaker, wine or liquor bottles, mixers, a corkscrew and other barware, becoming a portable minibar-in-bag.
In bar mode, the cutting board works as the perfect place for cutting up lemons or limes, mixing ingredients and keeping the glasses steady for during the pour. It's everything we were looking for in a portable all-in-one camper bar but with the added advantage of being able to hang off the vehicle rather than just work on a tailgate or table. Hang it off the side of the pickup outside the fridge/freezer in the bed, and you can reach in directly for ice.
A small startup still working out of a residential garage?, Daylodge is now accepting preorders for its Workspace soft launch. It's offering 25 initial pre-sale Workspace units for a price of $199 per, and each comes with the multi-section organizer bag, interior organizers and pockets, bamboo cutting board, and hanging hardware for pickup beds/Ford Bronco tailgates and SUVs and crossovers.
Source: Daylodge Gear