Whether you're heading up to the mountains for a weekend of camping or tailgating with friends before a football game, clutter-free “counter” space is usually at a premium. A regular truck tailgate can get overcrowded quickly once you set up a stove, cooler, cookware, utensils, plates, a cutting board, water jug, and so on. The new HitchFire Ledge provides a flat, working-height platform that attaches directly to a standard trailer hitch and swings into position to allow access to the vehicle's hatch or tailgate. It's sized for a two-burner propane stove plus fuel canister, and also accommodates an optional cutting board side table for food prep.

Metal rails and a raised back panel ensure your stove and other gear won't go flying if you bump the platform, and there are slots for mounting hardware, bungee cords, or ratchet straps. When you're driving to your destination, the HitchFire Ledge serves as a hitch basket for storing boxes or crates, and when you arrive, it swings out to serve as a work/cooking space. The company says it also works well for holding a smoker or even a laptop.

The HitchFire Ledge platform is available at an MSRP of $325, and the Cutting Board Side Table add-on is available separately for $190. The system can also be purchased as an Adventure Bundle along with a 52-liter Roam Adventure Co. hard case and two straps for $500:

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For more information on the new HitchFire Ledge, as well as the company's other grills and accessories, go to HitchFire.com.

Written by Patrick McCarthy