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jtcarn1
member (7)member
  
01/13/2019 10:53PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
I've seen several posts on where people pack their tent, like outside liner, under liner, etc. but I'm curious if anyone just folds their tent and tarp and lays in the bottom of their pack? I'm trying to save space so I'm thinking of folding the tent the same size as bottom of pack, putting in garbage bag between bottom of pack and liner. Then doing the same with Nemo tarp on top of pack. This would save dead space and lumps due to compression packs. Anyone do this with their "soft" stuff? Even pads/sleeping bags?
 
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HowardSprague
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01/14/2019 09:19AM  
I guess that could save you a little space. For me, the downsides would be:
1)access. When I get to a campsite, I like to have immediate access to my tarp and tent without removing all the other contents of my pack.
2) Though I know many people pack their poles and tent body/fly separately, I like having the poles protected in the middle of the rolled up or folded tent inside the bag.
 
01/14/2019 09:33AM  
While I use a 3200 ci internal GG Nimbus Trace framed pack, the idea may work for portage packs also. I use 4 rectangular bags from 11 to 18 Liters apiece laid side to side across the width of the pack.



The GG pack stuffer bags shown are not made anymore but, Granite Gear and CCS make rectangular bags and other sources may also.

I have used this method over compression bags for years now and stack from bottom up in the pack sleeping system, clothes and camp gear, food and cooking stuff, shelter and tarp on top.

butthead
 
mjmkjun
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01/14/2019 09:34AM  
Those dead spaces or gaps are often filled with stuff in my packs.
a coil of rope
handle of hatchet
fillet or camp knife
tent poles w/stakes
First thing I do is set up my tent. Easy to reach for that sack the way I pack it. Of course, you could always place folded tent body & tarp on top with your Nemo. If you tend to basecamp then I suppose it matters little since everything will come out to be set up for the duration.
An advantage of having it all fit into a pack liner is that your stuff doesn't get wet from water that accumulates in the canoe/kayak from paddle drips and wet footing. Commercial grade black liners from Lowe's do a decent job and they are huge.
I'm not an ounce counter and confess I often overpack. I like 'stuff'. :-)
 
01/14/2019 09:39AM  
This works just fine as long as you have a barrier between your tent and your other gear (otherwise your tent will get everything wet and dirty). I'm not a big fan of compression bags for anything. They make for awkward and uncomfortable packs and you often end up with dead space between them.

I especially don't compress my sleeping bag because it works so well to fill voids and protect fragile items (and your back). Plus it lofts up much nicer when you get to camp when it hasn't been compressed to a brick all day long.
 
01/14/2019 09:59AM  
Like Howard, I roll mine up with the poles inside (manufacturer's recommendation) and put in the stuff sack (not compression). It slides in one side of the pack and conforms to space somewhat. It's readily available there without unpacking everything else. I can't see any significant weight advantage to using a garbage bag and it would be less durable.
 
tpothen
member (25)member
  
01/14/2019 10:30AM  
I like to be able to set up my tarp and tent before anything else so I roll them up in the stuff sacks and put them outside of the main pack but under the top. This way all I have to do is un-clip the bag top and have the tent and tarp out without opening the bag. Hope that makes sense.
 
Savage Voyageur
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01/14/2019 10:42AM  
I put my tent and tarp back in the storage bag they came in. Then they just fit as needed in my Duluth pack between items. I like to protect the items that protect me.
 
OCDave
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01/14/2019 11:40AM  
My shelter is on top; last thing packed, first thing deployed.
 
wetcanoedog
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01/14/2019 01:23PM  
tent and tarp outside the pack liner in over sized stuff sacks.
I found the sack that comes with my tent made a hard bread loaf shape
and it was hard to pull the flap straps down tight.with the bigger sack I end
up with a flatter lump on top.same with the baker shelter.
 
AdamXChicago
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01/14/2019 06:10PM  
OCDave: "My shelter is on top; last thing packed, first thing deployed. "

+1 Using bags that came with tent and tarp
 
TheGreatIndoors
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01/14/2019 09:11PM  
A tent and poles rolled into a long burrito slides nicely into a big cylindrical dry bag. Several of my standard pieces/gear are long cylindrical shapes, so I just pack them side by side in a cylindrical dry bag until I can stuff no more and the dry bag is turgid.
 
01/15/2019 08:32AM  
How much do your stuff sacks weight? Just wondering if that's really the highest potential target you have for saving weight and space?

I like having my tent and tarp enclosed in their bags. I like having everything (poles, stakes, guy lines, repair kit), and the shelters go on the top of the pack for easy access. Helps keep water from spreading if put away wet too.
 
Tomcat
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01/15/2019 12:03PM  
 
Minnesotian
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01/17/2019 11:48AM  

Sleeping bag I put in a waterproof sack of some sort and it gets packed first, so it is at the bottom of the pack. With all the weight on top of it compresses it throughout the day. Plus, that soft pad at the bottom can take shock loads and cushion the rest of my gear. I do the same thing with my clothes sack.

Tent and tarp both have their own waterproof sack, not to keep them dry, but to contain all the wetness and not get any of my other gear damp. Both get packed at the top of my pack, with my tarp being the last thing packed, or first thing out of the pack. This makes it so that if I show up to camp in a downpour, I can quickly get the tarp out and a good shelter up to keep out of the elements. My tarp is big enough to assemble my tent underneath with the rain fly on, then move my tent where I need.
 
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