Monday 2 October 2006

Tips 7: Taking down your Tent and Packing it

Freshly arrived tent
Start by sweeping out all dirt from the inner tent. Close all zippers.

Pull up all ground pegs except the ones at the end facing the wind.

Push out the pole from behind! Do not attempt to pull out the pole because the sections will separate from each other making it difficult to get it out!

When the pole has been taken out pull up the possibly remaining pegs, fold and roll up the tent around the pole and peg bags.

Make sure that while rolling the tent, air is gently escaping from it. You can also simply stuff the tent into its bag and pack away the pole and pegs bags by themselves.

To reduce condensation if the outer tent is wet on the inside detach the inner from it before taking down the tent. Otherwise inner and outer should remain linked and everything can be packed together.

Pole and pegs should not be packed right on the inside of the stuffbag but rolled up inside the tent before it is being placed into its bag. Otherwise you risk damaging the stuff bag.

[source: Hilleberg Akto pitching instructions - 2.42mb file >> download pdf version.]

The tent pegs and pole goes into their respective bags, and then the peg bag fits into the pole bag. That gets stored in the backpack separately from the fabric.

I haven't used a stuff sack for the fabric, other than the one that Hilleberg provided. I've been told a Granite Gear Stuffsack size 4 is suffice. I'll give it a try later. I find that the standard sack is okay for putting it into the base of the rucksack, or pressing the fabric flat and storing it against the back of the rucksack. If you have a large side pocket, you might find that you can store the fabric in there.

I've never yet had to detach the outer from the inner.

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