Tent pack up

[SaltyBowman]

I have a couple questions regarding the tent pack up process when spike camping on a hunt or simply through hiking an area in the off season. How many of you guys roll your tent up every morning and stick it back in the factory bag and how many of you keep your poles and stakes separate and stuff the tent it in a compression sack? The second question stems from a recent hike with my son on the AT.... every morning the tents were pretty dang wet and early starts mean packing it up that way. What is the solution to keep it from getting funky over the course of a week or two in the backcountry? FYI I’m using kuiu mountainstar and Hilleberg tarra. Thanks for the input!

 

[GunsAreFun]

If you put it away wet, the only thing I can think off is to take it out during lunch and let it sit in the sun. Even in a breathable bag, water is going to get trapped between all the waterproof layers.

If your tent is treated with a water repellent, you should be able to shake off a good amount of moisture before putting it away.

 

[mtnrunner260]

A small shammy or whatever those towels are called can be used to wipe a lot of moisture off then strap towel to outside of pack. You'll still want to lay tent out during mid day breaks etc.

 

[Jimss]

I'd agree, get it set up ASAP if the weather permits to help dry it out. It may gradually get wetter and wetter with time if not given the opportunity to dry out. If you hunt from the same location for a couple days it may also help.

 

[mlgc20]

If I’m using a tent with poles, I keep them separate and put the tent into a stuff sack. I can store the poles in one of my side pockets. And the tent will compress down much smaller.

As far as your second question, there are a few things you can do. As mentioned before, its a great idea to wipe down the tent to remove moisture. If my tent is wet, I will often get it out during lunch and set it in the Sun. It will dry out pretty quickly. If you are setting up your tent every evening, it shouldn’t get too funky, even if wet.

It’s also a good idea to start thinking about moisture management when you setup your tent. Things like:

• Setup so there is a breeze running thru the tent (if it’s not too cold).
• Don‘t bring wet clothes into the tent.
• Don’t setup your tent near the water or a low lying area.

 

[*zap*]

Just wipe off moisture with shammy/sponge and hang it for a bit before you pack up. rolling up a wet tent day after day is not a good idea.