Kettler Champ 5.0 Table Tennis Table Review

The Kettler Champ 5.0 is one of the most popular and best selling outdoor ping pong tables in the world. Not only is it extremely well built and weatherproof, but it also comes with the variety of convenience and safety features that make this table perfect for families and ping pong players of all kinds that want to enjoy the sport outside.

Specifications

• Features non-glare, waterproof aluminum top built to withstand the toughest conditions and a proprietary ALU-TEC climate control underside to control natural expansion and contraction of the material that changing weather can cause
• Built with a UV and fade resistant topcoat that provides a certified tournament bounce as well as a high-impact, 2.25-inch resin apron that prevents table warping
• Boasts patented locking mechanisms to keep it in place for added safety and ease of use
• With playback design that’s great for warm-up or solo play
• Included in the package are 2 Kettler Halo 5.0 outdoor table tennis rackets, 2 x 6 pack of 3-star rated balls, and a Kettler premium outdoor table tennis cover

Table Construction

The Kettler Champ 5.0 Outdoor Table Tennis table is made in Germany with top-quality materials. The most impressive component of the Kettler Champ 5.0 is Kettler’s patented ALU-TEC playing surface that consists of a specially treated wood composite that is fully encapsulated in aluminum. This allows the table top to be completely waterproof and resistant to warping while also retaining the bounce similar to a traditional ping pong table. The ALU-TEC underside is specially designed to control the expansion and contraction of the table due to changes in temperature and humidity.

The table top is an impressive 7/8” (22mm) thick and is also treated with a UV resistant coating so it won’t be negatively affected by direct sunlight. The top is supported by a 2.25” resin apron that is specially designed to withstand the elements as well as 2” square steel legs that are powder-coated to prevent rusting. Each leg also features a built-in leg leveler so you can adjust it to the perfect height no matter where the table is placed.

The frame rests on 5.5” dual swiveling wheels with rubber treads so that it’s easy to maneuver the table into position. Also, two of the dual wheelsets have an integrated locking system to keep the table in place during play.

Convenience Features

The Kettler Champ 5.0 has almost too many convenience features to count. First, it comes with a dual lock safety system to prevent the unintended opening or closing of the table. This is an important safety measure especially for households with small children.

Each Kettler Champ 5.0 table also comes with an integrated paddle and ball holder that is a very easy and convenient place to store your table tennis accessories. This is a really nice little feature because losing track of paddles and balls outside can be a real problem.

The Kettler Champ 5.0 also conveniently comes with a nice bundle with everything you need to play on your new table. Included in the package are 2 Kettler Halo 5.0 outdoor table tennis rackets, 2 6-packs of 3-star rated balls and a Kettler premium outdoor table tennis cover. While you may want to upgrade the paddles in the future, these included items that come with the table are nice added bonus.

Assembly

One of the biggest downsides of the Kettler Champ 5.0 is the assembly process. Assembling the Champ 5.0 is long and tedious and consists of 20 separate steps each involving numerous small bolts, nuts, and washers. You can see from the manual here that this is definitely not a pre-assembled table. Be prepared to dedicate the better part of an afternoon to assemble this table and make sure you have at least 2 adults available to do so.

Conclusion

The Kettler Champ 5.0 is an extremely weatherproof, family-friendly table with lots of great features. From the ground up, the Kettler Champ 5.0 is built to withstand harsh weather conditions and large swings in temperature and humidity. The table can be stored outside for long period of time without causing damage which can’t be said for most outdoor ping pong tables.

While the aluminum encased top has a good bounce for an outdoor table, it will definitely feel different than a traditional indoor table with an MDF playing surface. This is to be expected for an outdoor table but is important to point out. Overall, we highly recommend the Champ 5.0 for those looking for an outdoor table tennis table with lots of extra features that is built to last.