Summer's over, so now we all have to switch from living it to reading about it. When it comes to the picnic tables we won't get to enjoy again until next June, they're often bulky, permanent affairs that just sit there passively. But a host of folks have created more innovative units with a bit of dynamism.

The cake-taker is probably this model, designer unknown, which folds into a bench:

And while we think of this as an outdoor piece of furniture, it does in fact have good indoor utility in a space-tight home, though the design could use some refining:

A more robust version of a dual-unit system is the Lifetime Convertible Patio Bench sold at Home Depot and Costco, which uses metal supports and artificial wood:

This collapsible aluminum design breaks down much smaller, and is truly portable. But I think it sacrifices a bit, as it works great as a folded rectangle but looks kind of janky as a table:

This guy didn't need his picnic table to fold, but did want to be able to transport it from site to site:

This other gentleman also wanted to be able to transport his, but without the truck:

These two dudes took it a step further, opting for mobility via human power over an internal combustion engine:

But of course, the central design flaw with every picnic table is that when using one, there's virtually no opportunity for you to accidentally drown. Well, problem solved:

Happy end of summer, everyone!