NOTE! I show the tent inside my pack in the video. This is simply to show that the tent easily fits inside the pack. It’s not meant to be the literal placement of the tent inside your pack. Please keep in mind that there are obvious variables to all the tent designs out there that may not allow this method of packing to work. Some of this also comes down to personal preference, or based on conditions. So packing your tent differently would totally make sense. But this is my go to method of folding and rolling a tent to pack it into my backpack. ** I will also add that in the event you have a soaking wet tent, you may want to pack your tent differently or have a dry bag on hand to pack it into.**
Caused a bit of a stir lol. It can get wet or humid here. Sometimes everything gets damp no matter what including the quilt/sleeping bag. What I did for one trip was have 3 different 'dry bags'. A garbage bag held gear that absolutely needed to be dry like my clothes. The nylofume pack liner held the damp quilt to dry later. Then I had a dry stuff sack to hold the soaked tent so water wouldn't leak out. I stuck the quilt and tent more toward the top of the pack to quickly pull out to dry later. I guess it depends on the pack, but I generally don't like gear hanging off of it and rather have most of it inside the pack.
@@rodoutdoors I had this written in the description before it went live, so thought I’d share it as a pinned comment to just reinforce that this is my favorite method, but variables in location and environment will likely change how you approach it. 😁😁
I was going to ask about the wet tent thing! Yes I think I will still take the tent stuff sac or a refuse sack for that case, but try your way of folding it. I do carry my Lanshan 2 inside my backpack - always now, I've had it try and escape on the outside! Which would not be great....to lose the tent on the trail. Also sometimes I have beasties get rolled up in the tent, or leaves...really don't want those roaming around or getting into my bedding...
Your method is great for neatness. However, I am 76 and have been camping since I was 5, and that is the last way i would pack my tent. I fold it similar to your way, but it will never go in my bag first unless I have a tarp to put over my pitch area first to keep the area dry. Your method looks good in a perfect world. 😊
I agree that you will run into rain on an extended hike or thru-hike. With this method and this pack, one would have to take everything out and set it in the rain while digging out the tent. Hikers often have to dry their tent while on a break so once again, they unload the pack to get to a wet tent.
This is another one of those trendy larper videos made by someone who camps beaide their car. Nobody that has ever camped for days or weeks at a time in the back country would pack their tent this way. This dude is a fool, id put it less nice but RUclips would autodelete my comment.
Thanks for showing the folding/rolling method. But I do agree with previous comments about carrying/strapping your tent outside your pack. Here on the East Coast; lots of rain and moisture and doing so will keep the inside of your pack cleaner and drier. One other thing that I would change is not placing your wet fly directly over the mesh portion of the tent prior to rolling and folding. Perhaps fold the tent first with the mesh ( the inside of the tent) on the inside and then before rolling, add the fly so that it only touches the outside floor portion of the tent; then roll and place inside the stuff sack. And of course if hikers do want to pack it inside the backpack, make it the last thing in your backpack on top, because it will most likely be the first thing out at the end of the day.
I completely forgot that some people have separate outer and inner tents. I have only really used tarps for the last 5 or so years, so I just figured tents would be the same
2 месяца назад
Using the Durston X-Mid has made it so much simpler to do this. I can now have the outer and the 4 or 6 tent pegs in a separate drybag and very easy to get to AND I can have it in a easy to reach place in the backpack. This has been very useful as one day, for example, we had to take shelter from a thunderstorm. The outer was up in 2mins and 4 of us hid in inside until the storm passed.
Your tent is literally the last thing you pack, especially in bad weather. By then, your backpack is filled with all the rest of your gear. For this reason it stays on the outside of my pack and if wet, it can dry out and does not leak in my backpack.
I agree. I've always packed my tent outside of the pack for that very reason. I roll it up in the foot print and strap it on the bottom. I don't even use the storage bag.
With eight months of constant rain, it's usually better to keep the wet tent outside the pack. The tent is most often the last item packed so everything in the pack stays dry under cover, and the first item set up in camp. But it makes little difference in dry periods.
Yeah I’m learning more than ever with the comments here that the environment you hike in dictates a lot of your process. A wet tent isn’t very common for me. That said, packing a wet tent does can change things, and in that case, do what works best for you. Thanks for your comment!
@@BackcountryExposure Maybe a video series exploration of how you tailor equipment and packing, maybe even clothing choices and hiking practices, to different environments. You could visit a variety of locations and tailor hear/practices to each location and/or season (a content map for years!). Also, this would expose your audience to many different manufacturers with products performing in different settings. Just a thought 🤔
For the same reason, in wet weather I put my tent on top of my closed pack and set it up first. Then my gear can go straight under the fly or in the tent as I unpack. If its wet when I pack up in the morning, I can put my gear in the pack, then add the tent and fly last.
Love the tent rolling! That pretty much exactly how I do it too. The only difference is when it is wet, then it does not go inside my pack. Never rains in Utah though, so you’re lucky there!
I only camp in the snow here in Australia (yes we have snow). I have a Hilleberg one man tent. I stuff it into a small Sea to Summit compression sack and keep the stakes and poles separate and just slide them in my pack. There are only three poles, 8 stakes so it is pretty easy.
Great tips. My favorite setup was stuffing the entire wet tent in the huge side pocket of the Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60. Didn't need a bag for it. These days I'll fold & roll and stick it near the top of my current pack.
Yeah I know in the video the tent was all the way at the bottom of the pack. The point was to just show the size of the tent rolled fitting in the pack as intended. 😁
Such an often overlooked skill! I can tell you work with new backpackers. It’s one of those “wait, how do you do this?” tasks that everyone forgets about until they try it! I fold and roll freestanding tents the same way. Except the fly either gets laid on the tent after folding and before rolling (so the fly doesn’t get the inside of the tent wet) or separately, if it’s really wet or the bottom of the inner is dirty. One of the things I love most about nylon/poly trekking pole tents is not having to fold/roll. With my GG The One, I leave one stake in a corner, then just start stuffing the other end into the bag. Takes 30 seconds. My new X-Mid Pro is still a bear for me to roll up correctly. Dan needs a whole video on packing that tent up!
Super idea, I'm going to try this. I do carry my 2 person tent inside my Osprey Eja 58 pack, but I place it vertically next to my BV500 and it I still have a little room to spare on top. But using your method I foresee space savings to allow a better fit for items I normally put on top of my tent and bear can. I stuff my quilt into a nylofume sack and place it on the bottom of my pack, everything else goes on top. I use another nylofume sack for my clothing. If my tent is wet, after placing it in the tent sack I just use a regular trash bag to put it inside of.
Thank you for sharing. I've found keeping my shelter on the outside generally works for me as its the first thing I set up. I have it strapped to one side and to help balance it out I put my cook kit on the other. 🤘
Interesting about tucking the stake points and cords back in to your roll towards the end. I have always done it your way up to that point because it is so easy to expel the trapped excess air within the roll out the ends of zippers and such but I always ended up stuffing that mess into the tent bag before putting it into my pack. I'm going to try this out, I already bought a 12 pack of those Velcro cinch straps! Thanks! Jeff
This video was a game changer for me and my pack. Following the method you showed in this video resulted in a much more efficient use of the space in my pack. Thanks for your assistance.
I wouldn’t suggest putting the fly inside the tent when folding it. I would stuff the tent in the pack to better conform to the space and utilize every inch. Also moisture from the fly (obviously dry it the best you can) would be best to pack separately so it doesn’t creep into the tent body and get you wet on the second days set up. You can also access it easier to dry it completely during a lunch break if the sun is out
I like the idea. A tent is always a relatively heavy and bulky equipment and I don't like to carry it tied to the bottom of the backpack. But it's often wet and muddy here so I would definitively pack it in a trashbag before I put it in the backpack. I guess I would have to use other trashbags to protect other equipments that must go out of the backpack while I'm raising the tent... Maybe it would be easier with a backpack having multiple openings to the main pocket but I don't have one. I'll try your method some day. Thanks for the tip.
Wow, something to consider when packing my backpack. I figured it was going to be on the side. You have given me another way to pack my tent. Thanks for sharing this video!
Same thing I do (fold + roll in a dimension to the width of pack), except I keep the rainfly separate. At best, the fly is dirtier. At worst, it's damp from rain. Either way, I don't want it sitting on top of my mesh tent. But, absolutely I fold it and roll it in a very similar way as was shown. The tent goes inside my pack, but near the top. It's the first thing I'll need, so I don't want to have to pull out my clothes, mess kit, or anything else to get down to my tent ... particularly if it's raining or dark. The fly either goes under my tent (if dry), since I'll need that *after* my tent, or it gets lashed to the outside of my pack, if wet. I usually store my stakes and footprint in the same bag as my poles and on the outside as shown in the video. The key is to keep dirty/wet separate from clean/dry + making sure that my gear is presented to me in the order I need it when I arrive at camp. Nothing frustrates me more than when I'm digging through layers of my gear to get to the stuff I need.
I did read a lot of negative reactions.. but.. I repacked all my tents ( 1 person, 2 persons, tarp) like this now. I love it! I put it in or on the outside of my backpack, depends on where I'm going and for how long.. but that was not what this video was about I think. The best way to PACK your tent... (and sorry if my English was bad.. I'm Dutch 🙂)
Don't know if this was a response to Dixie's video the other day or not, but this was clearly much better advice even if dropping the tent in the bottom of the pack kind of spoiled it. As mentioned in several other comments - the tent is the last thing into the pack except for food and clothing needed during the day and the first thing out when you get to camp. Exactly where to put it in the pack depends on where it will fit best, but it certainly should be possible to get it as one of the first items. For example, if the length of the pole sections match well with the rolled tent I have the poles in the roll and pack it vertically, if not then I pack the poles separately as shown in the video. Personally I always pack the tent in the pack - even when wet, but I do see that there are advantages of packing it outside too if wet. It would have to go on top of the pack though. Outside at the bottom is the worst place possible IMO. Anything outside the pack can snag on branches, throw you off balance if you bump into something and the lower it is, the higher the risk of something happening. Outside and at the bottom is also the worst place possible for weight distribution. In Dixie's defense she mostly hikes with a one-pound tent and on well-maintained trails so for her it can work OK. Many tents weigh 2-4 pounds though and in that case you'll be putting one of your heaviest items as far away from the pack's center of gravity as possible and maybe even have a roll that's wider than the pack itself. Far from ideal if you ever go off-trail, go through narrow spaces, bushwack etc.
No, it wasn't a response to her video. I don't actually know which video you're referring to. Don't take the tent being at the bottom of the pack 100% literal. Even though I don't always put my tent at the top of my pack, personally. But I agree with you too on the placement being outside on the bottom.
@@BackcountryExposure "Things I won't take again" and it was about packs not having bottom stow straps. I see those as ok for foam pads, but I worry about tents there.
Nice, thanks for creating this video. I use rubber bands / straps to hold my tent poles in a tight bundle when I carry in the outer pocket, I have the same back pack too.
Thank you so much for doing this video my family are doing our first backpacking trip we pack our pack and I was like how should we pack our tents and tents poles.😊
I've done various ways to get a tent into a stuff sack and into the backpack. Nylon/Poly I'm more apt to stuff. But DCF I was told to roll. Nowadays I'm a fan of a TarpTent long DCF sack and having it go on the backpack side pocket, especially if it's wet.
Makes sense to me. Especially with a lot of the cottage brand packs having such large side pockets, it's easy to get a narrow tent bag into the side pocket. Love it.
Inner first tent Pack the fly sheet separately as it will be wet from rain or condensation Pack a dry tent with a wet fly gets the inner wet Packing a tent, fold the outside edges to the center and then fold the wet base on itself so the wet never faces in inside Also you can pull the wet fly out at a rest stop and dry it without disturbing the inner tent Fly first leave the footprint attached and fold the tent as discussed above Only the wet footprint folds onto itself Pack into a waterproof dry bag to keep the rest of your gear dry Tent up or down ? If split with fly and inner, the dry inner can go inside the top flap and the fly in a back stretch pocket Poles in a stuff sack on the side of the pack BUT clipped on the a carabiner so the don’t fall out
Love the idea of using the carabineer to secure the tent poles! I do use the sack for my tent poles and carry them in the outer side pocket and they're tall enough for two side straps to secure them, but clipping them on for redundancy is an even better idea. Thanks!
Ill have to give this a shot. I typically do the fly and the inner separate and put into the retail stuff sack. For me it just carries perfectly next to my bear can in the backpack and that works just fine for me, but always open to more efficient methods! I think this also would allow me to center the food in the bag as well. I guess 2024 will be the year for experimentation, when does summer start?
"When does summer start?"🙂 That's the question me and my backpacking friend are contemplating for the upcoming season, trying to guess what the weather will bring this year.
Thanks for sharing! I love the tip of folding in half before rolling. I’ve always rolled from one end to the other but I want to try your method next time I’m out! How do you fold the Durston X-Mid? Do you unclip the inner before folding or do you keep it attached to the fly?
Thanks Devin 👍You're absolutely right! We get 'trapped' in the bag the tent cames in. 😳 We even get happy if the bag is bigger so everything fits back🤭 Let's take the tent out of package and pack it has you will... It's sounds so silly like that!.... Well, you make it sound less bad 😊
I pack mine flat like a pancake. And keep on the outside of the pack liner. Inside the pack. Or outside the pack rolled up in a Ridgerest closed cell if it's wet.
I agree with your opinion on the roll v stuff for tents. Most, if not all, tents come rolled from outdoor companies. If rolling is bad for tents than why would companies store their tents that way at their warehouses for months and maybe even years, depending on how fast their products move. I have a 15 year old Coleman tent that is used a handful of times per year by my family and we’ve always rolled it. No issues with seams or waterproof
I roll the foot end of my Hilleberg Enan toward the Head end. This way when I ready to unroll it I can position the tent so that the "head" end will be faced into the wind/rain. I want wind/rain to blow "across & over" the flap covering the zipper. The wind at my back actually unrolls the tent. I add the 2 stakes into the rings/head end then go to the foot end & add the 2 stakes into those rings. My tent won't blow away as I continue the pitching process. Warm Regards from nearby Reno, Nevada.
One reason Dixie likes to lash her tent on the outer bottom of her tent is to add stability to her pack when she sets it down on the ground so it doesn't fall over. However, I still prefer to carry mine on the inside. For Dixie's method for balance, a foam/closed-cell pad could serve the same purpose.
This is very close to the way I have packed my tent. Instead of a roll, I fold the rain fly, the tent, and the footprint into separate squares that sit/fit nicely on the top of the open pack. On top and in that order because when I reach camp, the first thing out of my pack is the footprint. Then the tent. Then the rainfly. Then all the other stuff that I will need to set up camp.
I like your method and will try it. I see other commenters grilling you for throwing the tent into the bottom of the bag. I understand that this video was about packing your tent and not your bag and you were just showing the tent size to backpack ratio as a reference. 😊
I stuff mine into a Hillsound PackStack. It fits perfectly into a bag as its a U-Shape design. I don't roll it, I just stuff it in there taking up all the space
I use my tent always on the outside because it's the first thing I pitch when I go hiking and the last thing I pack and if it's raining it's a good thing and I avoid getting mud inside my bacpack
My point in showing the tent inside the pack was to show that this rolling method makes it easily fit inside. Not to be the literal placement of the tent inside the pack.
If I have a wet tent, I put the wet tent in the bottom of the pack, then put my pack liner in (no wet tent inside the pack liner). Of course it's difficult to unpack if you want to dry the tent mid-day. For me, I like to get to camp in the afternoon and have enough to dry out my tent before evening.
I'll indeed keep my poles and stakes separate. The tent goes in last though, in case of rain at the camp destination and it's the first thing I want to do anyway at the end of the day, to set up my tent.
The main reason why I have stuck with tarp tint brand tents for years, is the inner tent is attached to the fly. That way when I have to set my tent up in foul weather it has been very very rare that it ever gets wet inside.. That and my tent never goes inside my pack. It actually fits very comfortably in a side pocket, or on top.
Apart from the wet tent thing that many have mentioned, I am also very wary about have poles in an open topped side pocket. Imagine running down a hill, bouncing up and down, stumbling about etc. getting to where you want to set up, amd finding the poles have jumped out somewhere.... 😮 One small thing about the rolling, I find it better to roll all the way to the end, as that squeeze the air easily our through the mesh, and the just unroll one turn, tuck any bits in and roll back up. I don't like potentially squuezing air through the flysheet fabric.
Hey I have a quick question. Just bought the The North Face Stormbreak 2 Tent. What size tarp do you suggest i purchase? I’m new I this entire camping thing.
I like that backpack. But the 3 season tent in the winter is an air-conditioned deep freeze. 4 season for me for anything under 50°. Is this guy cold blooded?
So quick question, I’m facing homelessness soon and I’m scrambling to prepare. What tent would you suggest? I plan to carry a camo/leaf mesh over it for saftey reasons.
Thanks for the great tips. What I don’t understand is why you would put anything on the outside of your backpack? I find more random items on the trail when I go day hiking and watching other RUclips videos, it seems that more stuff falls off and is pulled off backpacks when you are walking and crawling through bushes and branches. It seems much safer and less stressful to pack everything inside your pack or the zippered pockets. By the very design of a backpack, you could lose dangling items easily unless you are constantly stopping and looking behind you to check for dropped items. For example, you won’t know if you dropped your tent until you get to camp. And that seems like a huge safety issue and a huge pain to have to retrace your steps to try and find it. I would be interested in your thoughts on this as I am taking my kids on our first family trip and I am already stressing about how I can keep the losses to a minimum. Thanks!
I am not a fan of gear being loose or bulky on the outside of my pack. The more that's inside, the better it's going to carry. Also here in Utah, especially in the desert your gear will get wrecked bushwhacking through brush and rubbing on rock. I don't think ask much gear falls off packs as you're referring to, but it is something to keep in mind.
so if its very windy or rainy? - a small trick is to leave one stake in and then roll your tent towards it - both does it keep the tent from flying away in hard wind - but makes the rolling much easier. If its not a DCF tent i just use a wp compressable stuffsack (sea to summit nano or other) both can you make it smaller - but if its so big you pack it on the inside, other stuff doesnt get wet. If a DCf tent, 1-2p - if wet i usually pack on the outside - both because for setting up and taking down, packing on the outside is an advantage. but for drying while hiking (and making it easier to dry in breaks)
I usually roll up my tarp and attach it to the bottom at my pack. Not really because I think it will dry. It won't. But because it doubles as a water barrier. Stops my pack from getting wet on the inside when it's standing around.
Eu gostei da tecnica de enrolar a barraca. Sobre onde guardar a barraca, se tudo estiver seco, ok pode ir dentro da mochila, se não, vai num saco estanque do lado de fora mesmo. O saco estanque é pra nao molhar ainda mais. Geralmente, quando acampou, coloco uma tenda por cima da barraca pois, se chover, tenho uma chance de poder guardar tudo seco ou menos molhado na mochila... ai a tenda e o footprint vão juntos do lado de fora.
1:42 as for not folding a tent the same way even the most fastidious folder of a tent would be extremely hard-pressed to fold any tent the exact way over and over. I have yet to find or see a tent that is regularly shaped to make folding straight forward, and often the fabric is pretty slippery to it wiggles around and making creases impossible.
Fold and roll is good idea. But, put tent stakes in their bag and when you start rolling tent, lay bag with staked in with tent and roll them with tent. Actually makes rolling tent better. If damp tent goes in backpack, then every thing inside will get damp too. Secure tent outside pack and it will dry next setup. I carry mine on top of backpack, so if I take break and don't take pack off, makes pillow. I secure on bottom if wet. And wher do you put or carry your ground cover? Hope not inside pack.
that’s OK packing your pack like that when you’re heading out on the trail but after a night or two of wet rain, I wouldn’t advise shoving it in your backpack everything inside the pack that’s not in a dry sack gonna get wet the best thing to do actually is pack all your stuff into your pack get out of your tent, roll your tent up and shove it on the outside of your tent to dry in the meantime everything inside your pack stay nice and dry that’s the way I do it been doing it that way for about 30 years got me started doing that was about 35 years ago and Boy Scouts. We went out camping and it rained and rained we packed up our gear to move on one night got to camp, pulled out my tent, and everything inside. My pack was soaked, every since then I put my tent on the outside of my pack
100% agree - and personally - it’s one of the first things I want out and to set up - why in the world would anyone put it, quite literally, at the very bottom of the pack…(?)
My point in showing the tent inside the pack was to show that this rolling method makes it easily fit inside. Not to be the literal placement of the tent inside the pack.
I prefer to keep the wet fly separate from the dry inner, then I pack the tent minus the pole in a bag vertically down one side of my pack,sleeping bag then clothes down the other. The the poles between them inside the pack away from my body. This allows heavy food bag etc up high. Poles inside the pack stops them catching on things or making sounds. Since my tent etc are in my pack, I also wear a belt with survival and hunting essentials. If I ever get separated from my pack I have backup for a emergency.
I prefer to pack my tent on the outside of my pack . I live in a area with lots of rain or snow . With the wet weather , it is much better to pack poles and tent on outside so my stuff in pack does not get wet .
Fold and roll is better for more compact storage of the tent. Fabric weakening and failing from folding is largely a myth. It may be a concern with waxed canvas or oilcloth. I’ve never seen gear failure from repeated fabric folds. I fold my clothes the same way over and over again and use them way more than my backpacking gear, but I’ve never had shirts or pants fail on fold-lines.
NOTE! I show the tent inside my pack in the video. This is simply to show that the tent easily fits inside the pack. It’s not meant to be the literal placement of the tent inside your pack. Please keep in mind that there are obvious variables to all the tent designs out there that may not allow this method of packing to work. Some of this also comes down to personal preference, or based on conditions. So packing your tent differently would totally make sense. But this is my go to method of folding and rolling a tent to pack it into my backpack.
** I will also add that in the event you have a soaking wet tent, you may want to pack your tent differently or have a dry bag on hand to pack it into.**
Caused a bit of a stir lol. It can get wet or humid here. Sometimes everything gets damp no matter what including the quilt/sleeping bag.
What I did for one trip was have 3 different 'dry bags'. A garbage bag held gear that absolutely needed to be dry like my clothes. The nylofume pack liner held the damp quilt to dry later. Then I had a dry stuff sack to hold the soaked tent so water wouldn't leak out. I stuck the quilt and tent more toward the top of the pack to quickly pull out to dry later. I guess it depends on the pack, but I generally don't like gear hanging off of it and rather have most of it inside the pack.
@@rodoutdoors I had this written in the description before it went live, so thought I’d share it as a pinned comment to just reinforce that this is my favorite method, but variables in location and environment will likely change how you approach it. 😁😁
@@BackcountryExposure Yeah nobody reads the descriptions haha. I'm definitely using your rolling technique. I like how all the ends are in one place.
I was going to ask about the wet tent thing! Yes I think I will still take the tent stuff sac or a refuse sack for that case, but try your way of folding it. I do carry my Lanshan 2 inside my backpack - always now, I've had it try and escape on the outside! Which would not be great....to lose the tent on the trail. Also sometimes I have beasties get rolled up in the tent, or leaves...really don't want those roaming around or getting into my bedding...
Yes, my trents pole are install between the inner and outer so i can't use this method.
Your method is great for neatness. However, I am 76 and have been camping since I was 5, and that is the last way i would pack my tent. I fold it similar to your way, but it will never go in my bag first unless I have a tarp to put over my pitch area first to keep the area dry. Your method looks good in a perfect world. 😊
I've NEVER put a tent inside a backpack.
Must be a perfect world then since this method has been a go-to of mine for a looong time
I agree that you will run into rain on an extended hike or thru-hike. With this method and this pack, one would have to take everything out and set it in the rain while digging out the tent. Hikers often have to dry their tent while on a break so once again, they unload the pack to get to a wet tent.
This is another one of those trendy larper videos made by someone who camps beaide their car. Nobody that has ever camped for days or weeks at a time in the back country would pack their tent this way. This dude is a fool, id put it less nice but RUclips would autodelete my comment.
@@whiteyfisk9769 well put.
Thanks for showing the folding/rolling method. But I do agree with previous comments about carrying/strapping your tent outside your pack. Here on the East Coast; lots of rain and moisture and doing so will keep the inside of your pack cleaner and drier. One other thing that I would change is not placing your wet fly directly over the mesh portion of the tent prior to rolling and folding. Perhaps fold the tent first with the mesh ( the inside of the tent) on the inside and then before rolling, add the fly so that it only touches the outside floor portion of the tent; then roll and place inside the stuff sack. And of course if hikers do want to pack it inside the backpack, make it the last thing in your backpack on top, because it will most likely be the first thing out at the end of the day.
Here in the UK where its basically perpetually wet, I generally seperate my inner and outer into two seperate bags to keep the inner dry!
I completely forgot that some people have separate outer and inner tents. I have only really used tarps for the last 5 or so years, so I just figured tents would be the same
Using the Durston X-Mid has made it so much simpler to do this. I can now have the outer and the 4 or 6 tent pegs in a separate drybag and very easy to get to AND I can have it in a easy to reach place in the backpack.
This has been very useful as one day, for example, we had to take shelter from a thunderstorm. The outer was up in 2mins and 4 of us hid in inside until the storm passed.
Your tent is literally the last thing you pack, especially in bad weather. By then, your backpack is filled with all the rest of your gear. For this reason it stays on the outside of my pack and if wet, it can dry out and does not leak in my backpack.
Makes sense to me! I am curious though how you get the tent to dry being on the outside if it's rolled up?
Yeah unless it’s hanging out by a corner the math ain’t mathin
I love a good question that stumps the "expert" opinions.
I agree. I've always packed my tent outside of the pack for that very reason. I roll it up in the foot print and strap it on the bottom. I don't even use the storage bag.
Amen to that😊
Thank you for sharing how you fold/roll your tent. I've always just attached it outside because of how it comes packaged.
With eight months of constant rain, it's usually better to keep the wet tent outside the pack. The tent is most often the last item packed so everything in the pack stays dry under cover, and the first item set up in camp. But it makes little difference in dry periods.
Yeah I’m learning more than ever with the comments here that the environment you hike in dictates a lot of your process. A wet tent isn’t very common for me.
That said, packing a wet tent does can change things, and in that case, do what works best for you. Thanks for your comment!
@@BackcountryExposure Maybe a video series exploration of how you tailor equipment and packing, maybe even clothing choices and hiking practices, to different environments. You could visit a variety of locations and tailor hear/practices to each location and/or season (a content map for years!). Also, this would expose your audience to many different manufacturers with products performing in different settings. Just a thought 🤔
@@memathewsI love that! I’ve added the idea to my running list. Thanks!
Mathew giving out business/content ideas. Guess that’s what you get for being nice to commenters
For the same reason, in wet weather I put my tent on top of my closed pack and set it up first. Then my gear can go straight under the fly or in the tent as I unpack. If its wet when I pack up in the morning, I can put my gear in the pack, then add the tent and fly last.
Love the tent rolling! That pretty much exactly how I do it too. The only difference is when it is wet, then it does not go inside my pack. Never rains in Utah though, so you’re lucky there!
I only camp in the snow here in Australia (yes we have snow). I have a Hilleberg one man tent. I stuff it into a small Sea to Summit compression sack and keep the stakes and poles separate and just slide them in my pack. There are only three poles, 8 stakes so it is pretty easy.
Great tips. My favorite setup was stuffing the entire wet tent in the huge side pocket of the Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60. Didn't need a bag for it. These days I'll fold & roll and stick it near the top of my current pack.
I like it. One exception. I always put my tent on top or in the top (last item in, first out). Happy trails from CO.
Yeah I know in the video the tent was all the way at the bottom of the pack. The point was to just show the size of the tent rolled fitting in the pack as intended. 😁
Exactly how I do it. Wish I had this video before I started and found this out on my own.
Such an often overlooked skill! I can tell you work with new backpackers. It’s one of those “wait, how do you do this?” tasks that everyone forgets about until they try it!
I fold and roll freestanding tents the same way. Except the fly either gets laid on the tent after folding and before rolling (so the fly doesn’t get the inside of the tent wet) or separately, if it’s really wet or the bottom of the inner is dirty.
One of the things I love most about nylon/poly trekking pole tents is not having to fold/roll. With my GG The One, I leave one stake in a corner, then just start stuffing the other end into the bag. Takes 30 seconds.
My new X-Mid Pro is still a bear for me to roll up correctly. Dan needs a whole video on packing that tent up!
😂 "Butt" it feels so good to have the tent bumping my behind the whole hike.
Super idea, I'm going to try this. I do carry my 2 person tent inside my Osprey Eja 58 pack, but I place it vertically next to my BV500 and it I still have a little room to spare on top. But using your method I foresee space savings to allow a better fit for items I normally put on top of my tent and bear can. I stuff my quilt into a nylofume sack and place it on the bottom of my pack, everything else goes on top. I use another nylofume sack for my clothing. If my tent is wet, after placing it in the tent sack I just use a regular trash bag to put it inside of.
Thank you for sharing. I've found keeping my shelter on the outside generally works for me as its the first thing I set up. I have it strapped to one side and to help balance it out I put my cook kit on the other. 🤘
Interesting about tucking the stake points and cords back in to your roll towards the end. I have always done it your way up to that point because it is so easy to expel the trapped excess air within the roll out the ends of zippers and such but I always ended up stuffing that mess into the tent bag before putting it into my pack. I'm going to try this out, I already bought a 12 pack of those Velcro cinch straps! Thanks! Jeff
The velcro straps are nice. Use them for several of my gear items, like my sleeping pad too.
Yeah, give the roll a try and see if you like it. :)
This video was a game changer for me and my pack. Following the method you showed in this video resulted in a much more efficient use of the space in my pack. Thanks for your assistance.
I wouldn’t suggest putting the fly inside the tent when folding it. I would stuff the tent in the pack to better conform to the space and utilize every inch. Also moisture from the fly (obviously dry it the best you can) would be best to pack separately so it doesn’t creep into the tent body and get you wet on the second days set up. You can also access it easier to dry it completely during a lunch break if the sun is out
I like the idea. A tent is always a relatively heavy and bulky equipment and I don't like to carry it tied to the bottom of the backpack. But it's often wet and muddy here so I would definitively pack it in a trashbag before I put it in the backpack. I guess I would have to use other trashbags to protect other equipments that must go out of the backpack while I'm raising the tent... Maybe it would be easier with a backpack having multiple openings to the main pocket but I don't have one. I'll try your method some day. Thanks for the tip.
I have always done this ever since I watched this video. It's a great mystery unlocked for me. Thanks
Looks like an excellent method for long-term storage
Ha ha ha! Except I wouldn't and don't do this for long term. I keep my tents rolled a bit looser and in the factory bag for long term. :)
Wow, something to consider when packing my backpack. I figured it was going to be on the side. You have given me another way to pack my tent. Thanks for sharing this video!
Same thing I do (fold + roll in a dimension to the width of pack), except I keep the rainfly separate. At best, the fly is dirtier. At worst, it's damp from rain. Either way, I don't want it sitting on top of my mesh tent. But, absolutely I fold it and roll it in a very similar way as was shown. The tent goes inside my pack, but near the top. It's the first thing I'll need, so I don't want to have to pull out my clothes, mess kit, or anything else to get down to my tent ... particularly if it's raining or dark.
The fly either goes under my tent (if dry), since I'll need that *after* my tent, or it gets lashed to the outside of my pack, if wet. I usually store my stakes and footprint in the same bag as my poles and on the outside as shown in the video.
The key is to keep dirty/wet separate from clean/dry + making sure that my gear is presented to me in the order I need it when I arrive at camp. Nothing frustrates me more than when I'm digging through layers of my gear to get to the stuff I need.
I did read a lot of negative reactions.. but.. I repacked all my tents ( 1 person, 2 persons, tarp) like this now. I love it! I put it in or on the outside of my backpack, depends on where I'm going and for how long.. but that was not what this video was about I think. The best way to PACK your tent... (and sorry if my English was bad.. I'm Dutch 🙂)
Don't know if this was a response to Dixie's video the other day or not, but this was clearly much better advice even if dropping the tent in the bottom of the pack kind of spoiled it. As mentioned in several other comments - the tent is the last thing into the pack except for food and clothing needed during the day and the first thing out when you get to camp. Exactly where to put it in the pack depends on where it will fit best, but it certainly should be possible to get it as one of the first items. For example, if the length of the pole sections match well with the rolled tent I have the poles in the roll and pack it vertically, if not then I pack the poles separately as shown in the video.
Personally I always pack the tent in the pack - even when wet, but I do see that there are advantages of packing it outside too if wet. It would have to go on top of the pack though. Outside at the bottom is the worst place possible IMO. Anything outside the pack can snag on branches, throw you off balance if you bump into something and the lower it is, the higher the risk of something happening. Outside and at the bottom is also the worst place possible for weight distribution.
In Dixie's defense she mostly hikes with a one-pound tent and on well-maintained trails so for her it can work OK. Many tents weigh 2-4 pounds though and in that case you'll be putting one of your heaviest items as far away from the pack's center of gravity as possible and maybe even have a roll that's wider than the pack itself. Far from ideal if you ever go off-trail, go through narrow spaces, bushwack etc.
No, it wasn't a response to her video. I don't actually know which video you're referring to. Don't take the tent being at the bottom of the pack 100% literal. Even though I don't always put my tent at the top of my pack, personally. But I agree with you too on the placement being outside on the bottom.
@@BackcountryExposure "Things I won't take again" and it was about packs not having bottom stow straps. I see those as ok for foam pads, but I worry about tents there.
@@BackcountryExposure Here's Dixie's video (btw - I think most of her advice is well thought thru). ruclips.net/video/2Twvx857qQk/видео.html
Nice, thanks for creating this video. I use rubber bands / straps to hold my tent poles in a tight bundle when I carry in the outer pocket, I have the same back pack too.
Thank you so much for doing this video my family are doing our first backpacking trip we pack our pack and I was like how should we pack our tents and tents poles.😊
ooh that fold technique....game changer....I do exactly as you do, but don't fold in half and do have problems with the roll.
I've done various ways to get a tent into a stuff sack and into the backpack. Nylon/Poly I'm more apt to stuff. But DCF I was told to roll. Nowadays I'm a fan of a TarpTent long DCF sack and having it go on the backpack side pocket, especially if it's wet.
Makes sense to me. Especially with a lot of the cottage brand packs having such large side pockets, it's easy to get a narrow tent bag into the side pocket. Love it.
Inner first tent
Pack the fly sheet separately as it will be wet from rain or condensation
Pack a dry tent with a wet fly gets the inner wet
Packing a tent, fold the outside edges to the center and then fold the wet base on itself so the wet never faces in inside
Also you can pull the wet fly out at a rest stop and dry it without disturbing the inner tent
Fly first leave the footprint attached and fold the tent as discussed above
Only the wet footprint folds onto itself
Pack into a waterproof dry bag to keep the rest of your gear dry
Tent up or down ?
If split with fly and inner, the dry inner can go inside the top flap and the fly in a back stretch pocket
Poles in a stuff sack on the side of the pack BUT clipped on the a carabiner so the don’t fall out
Love the idea of using the carabineer to secure the tent poles! I do use the sack for my tent poles and carry them in the outer side pocket and they're tall enough for two side straps to secure them, but clipping them on for redundancy is an even better idea. Thanks!
I like your roll up method. I’m gonna try it. Also, love the Flash 55 debut!
Ill have to give this a shot. I typically do the fly and the inner separate and put into the retail stuff sack. For me it just carries perfectly next to my bear can in the backpack and that works just fine for me, but always open to more efficient methods! I think this also would allow me to center the food in the bag as well. I guess 2024 will be the year for experimentation, when does summer start?
Give it a try and see how you like it. If it doesn’t work, try something different.
"When does summer start?"🙂 That's the question me and my backpacking friend are contemplating for the upcoming season, trying to guess what the weather will bring this year.
Yeah Ultra Rainbow! Always liked to see that. Thanks for the tips.
Newbie to backpacking here. Great tip!! Even worked for my Elixir 4P. Thanks!!
Thanks for sharing! I love the tip of folding in half before rolling. I’ve always rolled from one end to the other but I want to try your method next time I’m out!
How do you fold the Durston X-Mid? Do you unclip the inner before folding or do you keep it attached to the fly?
Thanks Devin 👍You're absolutely right!
We get 'trapped' in the bag the tent cames in. 😳
We even get happy if the bag is bigger so everything fits back🤭
Let's take the tent out of package and pack it has you will...
It's sounds so silly like that!....
Well, you make it sound less bad 😊
Random: Telos TR2 is just the best luxury-light-tent on the market. Love this thing!
Yes, a quality tent!!
Good rolling technique 😂
Finally a YT-bet that can pack things well
I pack mine flat like a pancake. And keep on the outside of the pack liner. Inside the pack. Or outside the pack rolled up in a Ridgerest closed cell if it's wet.
I agree with your opinion on the roll v stuff for tents. Most, if not all, tents come rolled from outdoor companies. If rolling is bad for tents than why would companies store their tents that way at their warehouses for months and maybe even years, depending on how fast their products move. I have a 15 year old Coleman tent that is used a handful of times per year by my family and we’ve always rolled it. No issues with seams or waterproof
I roll the foot end of my Hilleberg Enan toward the Head end. This way when I ready to unroll it I can position the tent so that the "head" end will be faced into the wind/rain. I want wind/rain to blow "across & over" the flap covering the zipper. The wind at my back actually unrolls the tent. I add the 2 stakes into the rings/head end then go to the foot end & add the 2 stakes into those rings. My tent won't blow away as I continue the pitching process.
Warm Regards from nearby Reno, Nevada.
I have the same tent with the UltraTNT fabric and this method work so well for me! Thks
Dixie seems to like strapping it to the bottom. Do what works for you. Some tents (mids) I put on the bottom. Some I pack inside.
Totally, at the end of the day, this is just my opinion and one way to do it. It is my favorite method, but may not be the preferred way for everyone.
One reason Dixie likes to lash her tent on the outer bottom of her tent is to add stability to her pack when she sets it down on the ground so it doesn't fall over. However, I still prefer to carry mine on the inside. For Dixie's method for balance, a foam/closed-cell pad could serve the same purpose.
Great video on folding the tent to eliminate the bulk👍🏾thanks 😊
This is very close to the way I have packed my tent. Instead of a roll, I fold the rain fly, the tent, and the footprint into separate squares that sit/fit nicely on the top of the open pack. On top and in that order because when I reach camp, the first thing out of my pack is the footprint. Then the tent. Then the rainfly. Then all the other stuff that I will need to set up camp.
Right on!
I have a Teton Explorer. Repurposed the bottom “sleeping bag compartment” for my tent, rain gear, sleeping pad, and pillow.
I like your method and will try it. I see other commenters grilling you for throwing the tent into the bottom of the bag. I understand that this video was about packing your tent and not your bag and you were just showing the tent size to backpack ratio as a reference. 😊
Thanks for noticing that. Glad you enjoyed it.
Your method is great, exactly what I am looking for.
that's perfect for my marmot tungsten 2p tent, thanks
Fair enough on the way of rolling it up without pegs and poles i learnt that a while ago it just makes sense
I use a tarp, roll it up and strap it to the bottom. Way more versatile and saves space in the pack.
Real world advice, thanks for sharing!!
Thanks!
I stuff mine into a Hillsound PackStack. It fits perfectly into a bag as its a U-Shape design. I don't roll it, I just stuff it in there taking up all the space
Love this step by step instruction, thanks
Glad it was helpful!
I use a 25" solid foam pad, so I just loosely fold the tent a couple times then roll it up with the pad, and strap to the top of the pack!
OK, I like the fold. if you roll from one end it usually deviates and requires adjustments along the way.
I use my tent always on the outside because it's the first thing I pitch when I go hiking and the last thing I pack and if it's raining it's a good thing and I avoid getting mud inside my bacpack
My point in showing the tent inside the pack was to show that this rolling method makes it easily fit inside. Not to be the literal placement of the tent inside the pack.
If I have a wet tent, I put the wet tent in the bottom of the pack, then put my pack liner in (no wet tent inside the pack liner). Of course it's difficult to unpack if you want to dry the tent mid-day. For me, I like to get to camp in the afternoon and have enough to dry out my tent before evening.
I'll indeed keep my poles and stakes separate.
The tent goes in last though, in case of rain at the camp destination and it's the first thing I want to do anyway at the end of the day, to set up my tent.
That is almost the exact way I package my tents out on the trail. Thanks for the video.
❤ Love it. Thank you Devin.
The main reason why I have stuck with tarp tint brand tents for years, is the inner tent is attached to the fly. That way when I have to set my tent up in foul weather it has been very very rare that it ever gets wet inside..
That and my tent never goes inside my pack.
It actually fits very comfortably in a side pocket, or on top.
Apart from the wet tent thing that many have mentioned, I am also very wary about have poles in an open topped side pocket. Imagine running down a hill, bouncing up and down, stumbling about etc. getting to where you want to set up, amd finding the poles have jumped out somewhere.... 😮
One small thing about the rolling, I find it better to roll all the way to the end, as that squeeze the air easily our through the mesh, and the just unroll one turn, tuck any bits in and roll back up. I don't like potentially squuezing air through the flysheet fabric.
Hey I have a quick question. Just bought the
The North Face Stormbreak 2 Tent. What size tarp do you suggest i purchase? I’m new I this entire camping thing.
NIce methodology! what gloves are those?
Great tips. Thank you for sharing
@backcountryExposure - What gloves are you using there in the wintertime video?
I like that backpack. But the 3 season tent in the winter is an air-conditioned deep freeze. 4 season for me for anything under 50°. Is this guy cold blooded?
So quick question, I’m facing homelessness soon and I’m scrambling to prepare. What tent would you suggest? I plan to carry a camo/leaf mesh over it for saftey reasons.
That was so good. Thank you, and thank your dad
Great info Devin! A fellow roller! 🤙
Thank you for the tips!😊
What gloves do you use?
Thanks for the great tips. What I don’t understand is why you would put anything on the outside of your backpack? I find more random items on the trail when I go day hiking and watching other RUclips videos, it seems that more stuff falls off and is pulled off backpacks when you are walking and crawling through bushes and branches. It seems much safer and less stressful to pack everything inside your pack or the zippered pockets. By the very design of a backpack, you could lose dangling items easily unless you are constantly stopping and looking behind you to check for dropped items. For example, you won’t know if you dropped your tent until you get to camp. And that seems like a huge safety issue and a huge pain to have to retrace your steps to try and find it. I would be interested in your thoughts on this as I am taking my kids on our first family trip and I am already stressing about how I can keep the losses to a minimum. Thanks!
I am not a fan of gear being loose or bulky on the outside of my pack. The more that's inside, the better it's going to carry. Also here in Utah, especially in the desert your gear will get wrecked bushwhacking through brush and rubbing on rock. I don't think ask much gear falls off packs as you're referring to, but it is something to keep in mind.
so if its very windy or rainy? - a small trick is to leave one stake in and then roll your tent towards it - both does it keep the tent from flying away in hard wind - but makes the rolling much easier. If its not a DCF tent i just use a wp compressable stuffsack (sea to summit nano or other) both can you make it smaller - but if its so big you pack it on the inside, other stuff doesnt get wet. If a DCf tent, 1-2p - if wet i usually pack on the outside - both because for setting up and taking down, packing on the outside is an advantage. but for drying while hiking (and making it easier to dry in breaks)
That is a great tip!
The thumbnail which says don’t do this. Is exactly how I do it 💀🤣. I feel called out
All from a place of love! :)
Outside of pack for tent. I pack it correctly and get to it it easier when sudden storm arises. Tent up, gear inside tent. To each his/her own
I usually roll up my tarp and attach it to the bottom at my pack. Not really because I think it will dry. It won't. But because it doubles as a water barrier. Stops my pack from getting wet on the inside when it's standing around.
Thanks for this video. 🐻🥾
Thank you for this video 👍
Eu gostei da tecnica de enrolar a barraca. Sobre onde guardar a barraca, se tudo estiver seco, ok pode ir dentro da mochila, se não, vai num saco estanque do lado de fora mesmo. O saco estanque é pra nao molhar ainda mais. Geralmente, quando acampou, coloco uma tenda por cima da barraca pois, se chover, tenho uma chance de poder guardar tudo seco ou menos molhado na mochila... ai a tenda e o footprint vão juntos do lado de fora.
Good video. Thanks for posting. 👍
1:42 as for not folding a tent the same way even the most fastidious folder of a tent would be extremely hard-pressed to fold any tent the exact way over and over. I have yet to find or see a tent that is regularly shaped to make folding straight forward, and often the fabric is pretty slippery to it wiggles around and making creases impossible.
Fold and roll is good idea. But, put tent stakes in their bag and when you start rolling tent, lay bag with staked in with tent and roll them with tent. Actually makes rolling tent better. If damp tent goes in backpack, then every thing inside will get damp too. Secure tent outside pack and it will dry next setup. I carry mine on top of backpack, so if I take break and don't take pack off, makes pillow. I secure on bottom if wet. And wher do you put or carry your ground cover? Hope not inside pack.
that’s OK packing your pack like that when you’re heading out on the trail but after a night or two of wet rain, I wouldn’t advise shoving it in your backpack everything inside the pack that’s not in a dry sack gonna get wet the best thing to do actually is pack all your stuff into your pack get out of your tent, roll your tent up and shove it on the outside of your tent to dry in the meantime everything inside your pack stay nice and dry that’s the way I do it been doing it that way for about 30 years got me started doing that was about 35 years ago and Boy Scouts. We went out camping and it rained and rained we packed up our gear to move on one night got to camp, pulled out my tent, and everything inside. My pack was soaked, every since then I put my tent on the outside of my pack
What did you do with the ground cloth?
I fold that up separately.
100% agree - and personally - it’s one of the first things I want out and to set up - why in the world would anyone put it, quite literally, at the very bottom of the pack…(?)
My point in showing the tent inside the pack was to show that this rolling method makes it easily fit inside. Not to be the literal placement of the tent inside the pack.
I prefer to keep the wet fly separate from the dry inner, then I pack the tent minus the pole in a bag vertically down one side of my pack,sleeping bag then clothes down the other. The the poles between them inside the pack away from my body. This allows heavy food bag etc up high. Poles inside the pack stops them catching on things or making sounds. Since my tent etc are in my pack, I also wear a belt with survival and hunting essentials. If I ever get separated from my pack I have backup for a emergency.
I prefer to pack my tent on the outside of my pack .
I live in a area with lots of rain or snow . With the wet weather , it is much better to pack poles and tent on outside so my stuff in pack does not get wet .
Is that tent loud af in the wind?
Not once you've got it pitched and tight. :)
I’m gonna give it a try.
Hey! What is the name of the gloves you have? They look like a really decent glove!
Yes, great gloves! They are the Diablo Tec gloves from Outdoor Designs.
Thanks!! I’ll definitely look into them! Great videos keep up the good work brother!!🤘😎👍
Nice insights 👍❄️
Love it !
After rolling the tent, I place the tent in a compression sack. That helps with inside fit.
Great video, thanks!
Fold and roll is better for more compact storage of the tent.
Fabric weakening and failing from folding is largely a myth. It may be a concern with waxed canvas or oilcloth. I’ve never seen gear failure from repeated fabric folds. I fold my clothes the same way over and over again and use them way more than my backpacking gear, but I’ve never had shirts or pants fail on fold-lines.
I'm feeling doubtful that I'd be able to fit my sleeping bag, tent AND mandatory bear can in my pack. Have you done that before?
Do you pack your footprint separately? Why not roll the footprint together with the tent?
Finally a good video regarding this subject! 🎉