Tent's and compression sacks...

[busere]

I was watching a video, if I remember right it was on the REI website about packing your backpack. One of the thngs that I noticed was seperating out the poles from your tent, and using a compression sack for the main body, fly and footprint of your tent. What are your opinions on this? From a lot of experiance with Gortex gear (in the Navy), we are always told not to fold Gortex because you end up folding it the same every time and the Gortex will wear out at the folding points. We are taught to stuff sack it. Can this be the same case for a tent?

[Shadow]

Re: Tent's and compression sacks...

I was watching a video, if I remember right it was on the REI website about packing your backpack. One of the thngs that I noticed was seperating out the poles from your tent, and using a compression sack for the main body, fly and footprint of your tent. What are your opinions on this? From a lot of experiance with Gortex gear (in the Navy), we are always told not to fold Gortex because you end up folding it the same every time and the Gortex will wear out at the folding points. We are taught to stuff sack it. Can this be the same case for a tent?

I thought most tents these days were made from nylon, not goretex. Anyway, I don't see how it would hurt to stick the tent in a compression sack, other than maybe introducing a few more wrinkles in it. I might look into finding a compression bag for my tent and give that a shot. My sleeping bag came with one, so I have never actually had to shop for compression sacks.

[immortal_ben]

Re: Tent's and compression sacks...

It will not hurt a modern tent to stuff it. However, for the backpacker who cares about weight, a stuff sack is quite a bit heavier than the sack provided by the manufacturer of the tent. The only thing I stuff is my sleeping bag, and that is just for space.

The backpacking trip I took LAST weekend saw me head out with a 35lb pack. Lightest I have ever done so far.

[Shadow]

Re: Tent's and compression sacks...

My friend stuffs her tent. Not sure if I will for mine or not really.

[immortal_ben]

Re: Tent's and compression sacks...

The only reason I even put mine in anything at all is to protect it from whatever else is in my pack. If I had a pack with a separate sleeping bag compartment in the bottom, I would likely use that space to stuff the tent.

[kurzi]

Re: Tent's and compression sacks...

I stuff my tent and I stuff my sleeping bag too for the same reason.

[busere]

Re: Tent's and compression sacks...

Yeah...the funny thing is, with my Mountain Hardware Flip sleeping bag...my tent is the biggest item in my pack.

[Robert.R]

Re: Tent's and compression sacks...

I stuff both my sleeping bag and tent into military surplus compression sacks (link at bottom) then cram them into my sleeping bag compartment. The bag has 9 straps (3 around the width, 6 around the length) I can get my Timberline 2 down to the size of a small basketball and my 3 in 1 sleep system, the army gave me down to the size of a large basketball (in the winter, when I use it all, in the summer it gets down to the size of small basketball). I lash the poles and stakes to the frame of my pack. I have to use a external frame from an old broken collar bone injury so I make due and lash what I need to the metal frame.

(http://www.amazon.com/Military-Sleep...2947948&sr=8-2)

[kurzi]

Re: Tent's and compression sacks...

I guess I didn't read the original post exactly properly. I have a stuff sack for my tent and my sleeping bag that I use.... but I stuff them into the sacks, I don't fold them. I do that for the reasons above.... Sorry for the confusion.