Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Gear Questions, Information, Reviews and Competitions => Topic started by: Revsi75 on September 25, 2013
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Ok guys,
I have a question regarding packing a tent.
I've a banshee 300 and at the moment I'm packing it inside my pack.
But to create more space, I'm considering packing it on the outside. Granted it does come with it's stuff sac, but I'd be afraid of it snagging in forests etc.
But which is better... Inside or out?
Also when you fold your tent, are creases ok?
love to hear everyone's views on this.
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I normally pack mine on the outside as I tend to overfill my rucksack, even the 85 litre one :o
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If I take a tent I pack the material part inside the pack. As you say it can get snagged, plus if you have a major downpour etc you could well end up with a soggy tent inner. The poles/pegs stick em outside to save space etc.
As for creases and folding only the really cheap tesco/argos tents will suffer. If you are only cramming it like that for a couple of days then it will be fine. Just be sure to open it out and hang up if you can when going for long term storage.
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I normally pack mine on the outside as I tend to overfill my rucksack, even the 85 litre one :o
I've a 65l and the tent takes up almost 3/4 of the pack, and that's me placing it upright inside. Don't get me wrong for a 2-3 day camp I can, just, about get away with it.
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I'm of the belief that if it can't fit inside then you've packed too much...
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It's outside for me more room for goodies but I think if I was heading out without the wee fella I could probably stuff it inside.
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I Usally pack my tent inside my rucksack using a compression sack,everytime I get home I always remove it from the compression sack & let it air for a day or two before packing it into the normal stuff sack.wee tip I picked up a few years back was to throw a few tumble dryer scented sheets when i'am packing it up again.
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Mine gets stuffed in a xs drybag and squeezed. No folding just pure stuffing.
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Mine gets stuffed in a xs drybag and squeezed. No folding just pure stuffing.
Do you take it out if you're not using it for a while?
I was messing around with my pack last night and may have found a way to pack everything. But I'll need to pack clothes and food to do like a dry run.
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I let it air for a bit then straight back in the drybag. Been like that the last two years and seems no worse for it.
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Ok guys,
I have a question regarding packing a tent.
I've a banshee 300 and at the moment I'm packing it inside my pack.
But to create more space, I'm considering packing it on the outside. Granted it does come with it's stuff sac, but I'd be afraid of it snagging in forests etc.
But which is better... Inside or out?
Also when you fold your tent, are creases ok?
love to hear everyone's views on this.
I would always try to pack all kit inside rucksack because:
There is less chance of the tent getting rips/tears from the surrounding environment.
There is less chance of the tent ending up sodden in heavy rain.
There is less wind resistance.
There is little or no chance of the tent being lost en route (i.e. tent comes loose and drops off rucksack unnoticed).
There is less chance of accidentally bumping other walkers when passing on narrow trails or bumping yourself when negotiating stiles.
If space is a problem - look very carefully at your kit - do you absolutely need everything for the length of venture your planning?
You could take tent out of the stuff sack, put it in a light bin bag (esp if its going to be wet) and just stuff it into the spaces in-between the rest of your kit in the sack, pegs also, and then lash the poles onto the exterior of the rucksack (thou poles should also be able to fit snugly upright down the side of the inner rucksack compartment without too much hassle).
Never had any problems with creases in the many years using tents. Always dry tent properly after your trips so it doesn't go all fusty and moldy when packed away till your next trip. If possible store unpacked tent somewhere dry in the house.
I hope this helps Bud.
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I have kit packed for a two dayer coming up ,carrying a Vango Tempest 200 inside a Berghaus Freeflow 35+8 includes my maggot , food ,fuel change of clothes , self inflating , food and booze. You maybe carrying stuff you really don't need
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All kit packed inside a bag, I hate things being strapped on the outside of bags. as for packing it away just cram it in like a sleeping bag. Continually using the same creases with wear along the line resulting in splitting long the crease.
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I agree with Kilimanjaro that tents should be packed inside your pack to protect them and to keep the weight as close as possible to your spine. The further away items are from your spine, the more your centre of gravity shifts which can lead to a loss of balance when walking over difficult ground.
If you are struggling to find room in your pack for your tent then your first course of action is to ruthlessly review everything you put in it to see if you can remove items completely or replace them with lighter or more compact items. If you still can't get your tent in your pack then you need a bigger pack (or a smaller tent).
When backpacking, my tent separates into two colour coded exped waterproof stuffsacks. This allows me to separate a wet flysheet from a dryish inner. These are then placed at a high level in the pack (below food, water and waterproofs) but above sleeping bag and cook gear. This means it is one of the first things to come out of the pack at camp and one of the last things to go in.
I've always felt that stuffing was the was to go with tent packing. It's quicker and there is less chance of crease cracking of the PU as it ages. Once home and dried my tent is rolled loosely and stored in the hot press.