How do you pack your tent?

Denni2

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I just recently sent my tent in for repair. It came back today and the tent was sent stuffed and not rolled. I know there are different thoughts on this. I don’t really think either way is wrong. I was always taught to fold the tent so that it ended up in a strip as wide as the tent poles are long if that makes sense. Then roll the tent around the poles. Just don’t fold it in the same place every time. Doing it this way I have never had a problem getting the tent back into the bag and there’s usually extra room for the ground cloth. Now I’m curious. How do you guys put your tents away. Do you fold and roll or do you stuff the tent into the bag?
 

Grandpa

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I'm a roller, SIL is a stuffer. With today's fabrics, I've never seen any wear on my fold lines like we used to see on the old canvas tents.
 

Roybrew

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I've tried stuffing my tent before, and I didn't like it. I fold and roll as you stated. I can towel the moisture off the bottom as I roll it around the tent poles. It fits and stores better.

Get Out an Do It!!
 

Cappy

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like dinosaur I fold and roll tightly always have tents hammocks tarps etc way I was taught. We have one of those 10x10 folding things though and its much easier to stuff the top and screen walls into the handy case. We stuff the sides in the tube first and the top in last cause we dont use the sides all the time.
 

MacGyver

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If you can stuff a canvas tent, you're a better man than me. My nylon tents get stuffed after I put the poles in the bag.
 

MacGyver

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I also tightly roll all our clothes been doing that for years working out of a sea bag.
I started doing that when I was working for a company that had me flying out to different states. I don't remember what I was looking for, but I read that that's how you keep clothes from getting so wrinkled when they're packed in a suitcase. It still seems a bit counter-intuitive to me, but it works.
 

Denni2

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I have tried rolling clothes for packing. The life of me I can’t figure out how to roll them without lots of wrinkles. I smooth and roll carefully and when I unpack my clothes, they look like I just wadded them up in a ball. So I fold and put them in packing cubes carefully.
 

ppine

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Nylon tents get rolled. Canvas tents get folded.
Now I have a nylon tarp and it gets folded, rolled and stuffed.
 

Happy Joe

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I typically fold the tents until they are capable of being rolled and stored in the canvass duffels.
 

Mathew169

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Totally depends on how you like to pack your pack, or whether you want to be able to split the load with another hiker.
 

Northern Dancer

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Generally, I follow the manufacturer's recommendations. However, it is to be noted that many tents sold are packaged. That is to say - the container that the tent comes in is really a packaging device. So...if your tent is perfectly clean, dry, and folded correctly you can have fun negotiating with the bag. [Right?] My solution is to get rid of the packaging device and get your own bag - it will save you a lot of frustration and headache.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are bags designed specifically for the tent proper and normally cause no problem.

The real issue is storage. How you do it properly will assure a long life for your tent. I'm not talking about the $27.49 special - I'm referring to the $800.00 plus category.

 
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