Who puts their tent back in the bag?

[fudgeorama]

I was trying to pack up my tent last weekend and had a hard time getting everything back in the bag. I was tempted to just loosely stuff it in a container so no moisture would get trapped in the tent. What do you guys do when there is still some condensation on the tent?

 

[suzicute20]

We always packed stuff up for the trip home and then laid it out again at home to dry. Things will almost never fit back into the bag nicely the first time. It's a real art to figure out how to fold and squish things just right so they will fit into a bag. I think another container would be fine.

 

[clkelley]

I get rid of the bag almost as soon as I get a new tent.

I use a bin to store everything.

For our BSA camping days each of us had a bin. (Myself and the boys). The bin would be loaded in the order that stuff needed to be set up.

Pillow/sheets/blanket on bottom
Air Mattress
Inside Plastic Sheet
RainFly
Tent
Outside Plastic Sheet and Poles on Top.
A small box was stuffed in the corner of the bin with a flashlight, mess kit, bug repellant, mini first aid kit, etc.

There was also a large plastic garbage bag put in the bin each trip. That way if stuff was a little damp when packing up, the tent would be placed in the plastic garbage bag.

When we got home, everything would get draped over the fence for a bit till dry, the linens would be put in the wash machine and dryer, then all repacked in the bins.

So for the next camping trip, just grab the bins, pack a duffle with a few clothes and ready to go.

 

[Live4FW]

Throw it away and pick up a sleeping bag nylon sack at walmart/target/dick's, etc.

With all the tents we have for scout camping, I would go nuts trying to get them back into their original bags. I wish they would just take a buck or two off of the price and keep their bags.

 

[Live4FW]

I get rid of the bag almost as soon as I get a new tent..

Must be the scout camping experience when the new scout gets all frustrated trying to get that tent back into the stupid bag!

 

[DisneySoccerScouts]

I agree with above - although I can get the tent back in the bag it is not worth it. With our troop tents are sent home with scouts on a rotating basis - the tent is set up in the yard to dry out (or in the case of incessant rain in the garage) then the poles are rolled in the fly, tent folded, poles rolled up inside then tied off with a piece of rope around the middle. This works great and keeps the dozens of tents able to be stored in a neat fashion.
Of course if you only have 1, 2 or a few tents totes work great!
Oh, and Carol - I tell all of our scouts the same tote trick - pack it once, put everything back in as it gets clean then you don't have to keep packing! You should be writing a book!

 

[clkelley]

I agree with above - although I can get the tent back in the bag it is not worth it. With our troop tents are sent home with scouts on a rotating basis - the tent is set up in the yard to dry out (or in the case of incessant rain in the garage) then the poles are rolled in the fly, tent folded, poles rolled up inside then tied off with a piece of rope around the middle. This works great and keeps the dozens of tents able to be stored in a neat fashion.
Of course if you only have 1, 2 or a few tents totes work great!
Oh, and Carol - I tell all of our scouts the same tote trick - pack it once, put everything back in as it gets clean then you don't have to keep packing! You should be writing a book!

Thanks!! I guess it's the OCD tendencies I have

FYI, Our trooop didn't have troop tents. Each Scout provided their own.

 

[chilipyro]

I must have 6 tents (ranging from a single person backpacking tent to a giant three room dome tent), and have never had any problems getting them back into the bag that was provided with the tent. Most tents I own are stuffed, rather rolled. I find the stuff packing tents easier to deal with, but none are that difficult.

As for water on the tent when packing up, I always unpack the tent when I get home and either leave it on the covered porch to dry (if it is really wet), or draped across the couch in the family room (if it is just slightly damp). Once fully dry, I stuff it in the bag until the next trip.

 

[Tiggntaz]

I was trying to pack up my tent last weekend and had a hard time getting everything back in the bag. I was tempted to just loosely stuff it in a container so no moisture would get trapped in the tent. What do you guys do when there is still some condensation on the tent?

we still use our bag. Once we get home we will set it up in the back yard and clean it out and let it dry. then fold it up and put it back in the bag.

 

[DisneyRose&Boys]

I must have 6 tents (ranging from a single person backpacking tent to a giant three room dome tent), and have never had any problems getting them back into the bag that was provided with the tent. Most tents I own are stuffed, rather rolled. I find the stuff packing tents easier to deal with, but none are that difficult.

As for water on the tent when packing up, I always unpack the tent when I get home and either leave it on the covered porch to dry (if it is really wet), or draped across the couch in the family room (if it is just slightly damp). Once fully dry, I stuff it in the bag until the next trip.

\

Chili, I stuff my tents, too. And sleeping bags. I read that rolling them puts too much pressure/stress on the same places, so stuffing them is much better for the tents (and sl. bags).

Besides, it takes a heck of a lot less time stuffing than rolling.

Rose

 

[Goofyseven]

We use a tent for the grandchildren. Althought its tough, it seems after while the bag streatches and it gets easier to put it back in the bag.. or mabey not everything that was in the bag gets back in??

But it still fits and the grandchildren still fit in it!!

 

[Katie Dawn]

I love Carol's & others idea to put it all in a tote. Will have to seriously consider that in the future...

Just wanted to add that we have noticed the ability to get everything back in the bag will greatly depend on who makes the bag. For several years we had a Ozark Trail (Walmart brand) tent and it was a major struggle to get everything back in. We now own a Columbia tent and it's not a problem at all (there's even a little extra room).

Have fun!

 

[Thumper_ehhhhh]

I don't put our tent back in it's original bag. My wife does. She has the nack for that stuff. I would just end up loosing all the parts.

 

[fldisneyfamily]

I remembe once when I was in the military, 22 years ago, when my squad tried tried to put away a gp large, said the heck with it and put it in the latrine fire. It was easy!!

 

[hopeisb4u]

Thats so funny that you asked that!! From our spring break trip, my tent is still half in half out of it's bag, in my trunk! I had forgotten all about it until we went shopping yesterday! I opened up the trunk, and was like WOOOOO!!! I had also stuffed the nasty tarps in a huge black garbage bag. It had rained some while we were there, so the tarps (for under the tent) were filthy! I guess I should pull all that out tomorrow, and take care of it!! But, I'm glad to know that I don't have to keep the bag if i don't wanna!

 

[CampingBandit]

Why can't the tent manufacturers make a better and/or bigger bag to begin with?

My friend's tent is very nice and came in a rolling bag...it's got a hard bottom, wheels and a handle to pull. It has a zipper-expander so it gets bigger if you want...or you can try to fit it in as original.

I bought a cheap screen tent at Target for $60 and the zipper bag fell apart on the first trip.

Our old tent, if you didn't roll it up just right it never fit back in the bag. I like the idea of the bin....so right now I'm saying to myself, "Duh, why didn't you think of that" instead of messing with the darn thing all the time....

 

[juligrl]

I can and do roll my tent and supplies back into the bag, but if my gear is at all wet I don't until it's dried out. I'll usually toss it in a bin to get the tent home then dry it out at home then rull it up and stuff it into the bag. I guess I just never thought of permanently storing it in the bin. Not a bad idea though.

 

[BrightScouter]

Another vote here for putting it back in the original bag. The caveat to that is that eventually the original bag rips out and when I replace it, I try to make sure that the new bag is big enough to fit the tent, and a groundcloth that I add to all my tents.

And as for the tote idea, we use those for all our miscellaneous gear, but not the tents, sleeping bags and pad. We pack in all our gear, so a tote is not workable on a campout. But, at home, they are fantastic! our storage room has 4 shelf racks on rollers that we just slide the totes into. All our sleeping bags and self inflating pads get either laid out flat or hung up to keep them fluffed. They only get stuffed or rolled right before we go out on a campout. A sleeping bag, or si pad will lose a lot of loft if left stuffed, or rolled.

Our oldest tent is a Cabelas 8 person dome that is probably about 20 years old. Still in great shape!