Setting Gear Out in the Field

I was just wondering what others use to set their gear (lenses, body, filters, etc.) on in the field. Small towel? Fabric? I was at the beach the other day and all their were was sandy tables at best. All I had was a 1'x2' towel tucked in my bag and it worked, but not exactly water resistant for other cases. I'm considering picking up a piece of Nylon Ripstop to throw in my bag instead. What do you use?

depends. if im going somewhere sandy and wet, Ill bring a pelican case. but thats only if its pretty much a guarantee I will get dunked or hit the water. Like kayaking in costa rica, I fell out or had to get out multiple times to pass felled trees and things. Having a case that was water tight and floated was essential.

But usually I just keep things in my Think Tank streetwalker, and zip it shut as much as possible. I never lay things out just for the sake of ease of accessibility when working outdoors.

TL;DR: I use my pack or case as my mobile "work station"

I tend to use the lid of my backpack as a table/bench. I use the Gura Gear Kiboko 30 which has butterfly type access. Otherwise I just try not to over pack and leave a lens compartment or two empty and remove the padded divider - this gives me a bit of "clean" space when changing lenses, filters etc.