STIGA Baja Outdoor Review

The Stiga Baja Outdoor Table Tennis Table is a mid-tier outdoor table equipped with aluminum composite top, a thick steel support frame, 2-inch self-opening legs and 5-inch all terrain wheels. It’s built with a heavy-duty welded steel construction and very durable materials.

The top consists of dual aluminum sheets that enclose a composite fiberboard material inside to allow for a completely weatherproof playing surface. The heavy duty all terrain wheels are perfect for outdoor conditions and allow the table to be easily moved around. Stiga also includes a branded 72-inch all-weather net and post system with this table.

Specifications

• Outdoor table tennis table- perfect for decks, garages, and covered porches
• Aluminum composite blue top with silk screen striping
• Heavy-duty welded steel apron
• 2” self-opening steel legs with leg levelers
• 5” Double wheels with all-terrain tires and locks
• Heavy-duty welded steel support frame
• Oversized composite caster beam with steel cross beam supports
• Molded corner protectors protect from snags
• Galvanized hardware
• Translucent graphic on aluminum underside of tops
• Patented QuickPlay Chassis for quick and easy assembly
• Includes: STIGA 72” Pivoting All-Weather Net & Post System

Table Construction

The Stiga Baja Outdoor is built with heavy steel components and is very heavy because of this - it weighs in at well over 200 pounds. The 2” legs come equipped with leg levelers that allow you to adjust the table to any outdoor surface. Also the heavy-duty steel apron, frame, and undercarriage provide good stability during play.

Playing Experience

The playing experience of the Stiga Baja is one of its major downsides. For a table this price range, the Stiga Baja does not have a consistent bounce throughout the playing surface. This is one of the most important factors of table tennis table and Stiga seems to have got it wrong. Possibly due to inconsistencies in the manufacturing process or how the top was attached to the undercarriage, the bounce of this table is noticeably “dead” in the center of the table. The edges of the table provide a strong and lively bounce, but the bounce in the center of the table sounds different is much weaker.

The frame reinforces the edge quite well but for some reason does not seem to support the playing surface inside the edges. This makes for a pretty dismal playing experience for anyone that is not an absolute beginner because the ball bounces inconsistently and unpredictably. Stiga typically produces outstanding tables that deliver an exceptional level of playability but, in this case, the Stiga Baja is an exception. It does not offer good playability because the bounce is really sub-par.

Assembly

Another downside of the Stiga Baja is the assembly process. It can take 2 to 3 hours to fully assemble the table and more than a few tools are required for this process. Most importantly you’ll need a screwdriver (or drill), a crescent wrench and ideally a ratchet set. Many of the bolts that need tightening require you to hold the bolt from one side while tightening it on the other. This difficult job for one person so you should definitely

Conclusion

The Stiga Baja is a heavy-duty table that has one fatal flaw: an inconsistent bounce. For a table in this mid-tier price range, this is simply unacceptable. I do not recommend you buy the Stiga Baja especially since there are so many good and affordable outdoor tables on the market today.

The Kettler Top Star XL is a german-made outdoor table that has a much more consistent bounce than the Baja and is in the same price range. It is not built with the same heavy-duty materials, but it provides a great playing experience and will stand up to the toughest weather conditions without warping or cracking.

Another great option for a few hundred dollars less than the Stiga Baja is the Joola Nova Tour DX. The Nova DX is an extremely versatile table that is light enough to be able to move it inside for play during the winter months, yet also weatherproof and durable enough to be taken out during the summer.