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Do you roll, fold or stuff your tent?

Glenn MacGrady

Glenn MacGrady

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I've always stuffed my sleeping bag and tarp into its carry bag. However, I've always carefully folded and rolled my tent before inserting it into its carry bag. I just read that it may be easier and more packable to just stuff the tent into the carry bag. I never thought about that.

What's your experience?
 
I fold my tents into thirds and then roll them up with the poles and stakes in the middle, but I haven’t thought too critically about why or whether that’s the best way—it’s what I learned as a Boy Scout and also the way the tents came when I bought them, and it’s always been compact enough, so I’ve just gone with it.

I did participate in a backpacking trip once when we carried pyramid tarps and just stuffed them into our backpacks on top of all of our other things, and the trip leaders told us that packing them that way saved space. It seemed to work great on that trip, but those fancy tarps could be balled up so small that they hardly took up any space in the first place.

The carry bags I have for my tents aren’t compression sacks, and when I roll my tents, they fit pretty loosely in their carry bags, so for me, I don’t think that stuffing my tents into their carry bag would be more compact than rolling them. But perhaps stuffing would be the better way if I had a compression sack or if I forewent a carry bag altogether and stuffed the pieces of the tent among my other things as I did on that backpacking trip—I’m really not sure!
 
I find it easier to fold the tent, tarps and tipis first and then roll it up.

Why? Because of the cords and ropes, which are then not quite as tangled as when I simply stuff the tent into the stuff sack.
 
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Always stuffed - I cannot recall where I first heard this, but the idea was if you fold it, you will probably always fold it the same way and compromises can develop in the folds. Could be a Bigfoot thing, but I have faithfully followed this advice ever since.
 
Keeled Over said:
Always stuffed - I cannot recall where I first heard this, but the idea was if you fold it, you will probably always fold it the same way and compromises can develop in the folds. Could be a Bigfoot thing, but I have faithfully followed this advice ever since.
Click to expand...
I had always heard that too, but I have a 40 year old tent that I always rolled, and it has never showed any creases, etc.

One think I do to help keep the tent rolled is to wrap a "Voile" ski strap around it before putting in the stuff back. Keeps it tight. 1711144983362.png
 
I have always stuffed my sleeping bag, and now quilt, but when I was young, I did fold & roll my tent. I stopped doing that back in the early 80's when I spoke with a manager at the old Eureka Camping Store in Binghamton, NY. Kevin said that folding and rolling the tent meant you typically folded it along the same lines. The problem with that over time a crease would be created in the floor waterproof material. Eventually that would crack and begin to peel, leading to a weak spot for water to infiltrate into the tent. By stuffing it, you'd never have a crease in the same place so it would save on the floor over the life span of the tent. Honestly, I don't know if there's any scientific evidence to back that up but I've been stuffing my tents ever since unless directed otherwise by the tent manufacturer.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper
 
snapper said:
I have always stuffed my sleeping bag, and now quilt, but when I was young, I did fold & roll my tent. I stopped doing that back in the early 80's when I spoke with a manager at the old Eureka Camping Store in Binghamton, NY. Kevin said that folding and rolling the tent meant you typically folded it along the same lines. The problem with that over time a crease would be created in the floor waterproof material. Eventually that would crack and begin to peel, leading to a weak spot for water to infiltrate into the tent. By stuffing it, you'd never have a crease in the same place so it would save on the floor over the life span of the tent. Honestly, I don't know if there's any scientific evidence to back that up but I've been stuffing my tents ever since unless directed otherwise by the tent manufacturer.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper
Click to expand...
I REALLY miss that store - part of my region back in the day so many stops were made. Many years ago while looking around I came across one of those old Camp Trails Tripper XL packs. CT was not known for making really high quality gear, but I had heard about these for some time so I bought it for $35. dang thing is indestructible. Still going strong today.
 
Stuff ! I have an over sized bag, and in seconds have the tent packed, ready to go. No more bending over, folding or rolling to get the tent small enough to fit the original bag !
 
Always folded and rolled tents to pack. I am familiar with the stuffing method but have only used it on sleeping bags. I have several old tents that have always been folded and rolled w/o any problems. When it comes to my tents, the most common problem has been zipper failures which usually can be fixed by installing new zipper sliders.
 
I’m a stuffer when it goes in a sack. I fold my baker and teepee type tents that go in a duffle style bag.

Bob
 
This question calls for a poll.

I stuff starting in the center of the fly or tarp to avoid air pockets and fold the inner tent with the screening on the inside to protect it. I also fold the inner liner because it's stiffer material.
 
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@Keeled Over - I picked up one of those Camp Trails Duluth-like canoe packs years ago and have been using it ever since. I used it for years in the Adirondacks while working for an outdoor program and it's been down to the Okefenokee a few times as well. A great pack that looks as good today as the day I got it; which had to have been at least 30 years ago at this point.

@Sweetfancymoses - To stuff my tents I initially leave a few inches of the door/floor zipper open. From there I go to the opposite corner and begin the stuffing process. This allows air to chimney out instead of getting trapped in the tent. In all the years I've been doing it this way, I've never had a problem with trapped air. Just another way of doing the same thing.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper
 
I fold and the roll the tent. I find that it is not much more time to pack away but definitely fast when it’s time to set it up again, especially if it is threatening or currently raining.
Sleeping bags are always stuffed, and stored loose at home after the trip. The tent is also stored loose folded between trips.
Jim
 
I do both depending on the weather, but given the time, I prefer to fold’n’roll. It protects the poles from getting bent and packs up smaller than stuffing. What takes up more room, a folded newspaper, or one where every page is crumpled into a ball? I think folding is easier on the mesh too.
 
Fold and roll tents for storage; sometimes stuff during a trip, especially if the poles are packed separately from the tent body.

Always stuff my hammock.
 
Tent is a lean one. Lines on tent are rolled up and held in place with elastic hair bands. The tent is then stuffed in the stuff sack.
 
Fold and roll tents. Tight on trips, sometimes with compression bags, loose for storage. Sleeping bags go in compression bags on trips and in very loose and ventilated stuff sacks for storage.
 
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