Should you roll or stuff your tent?

I've always heard you should stuff your tent into its sack. I remember one of those videos that backpacker magazine put on youtube a while back showed the editor stuffing his tent into the sack with reckless abandon. I just read on backpacker.com that you should roll your tent instead of stuffing it like a big nylon bratwurst. What is the accepted common wisdom on this matter these days?

I just stuff it.

I'm inclined to agree with the guy from Mountain Hardware in the backpacker.com article. I think folding and rolling is easier on the coating.

The instructions that came with my Sierra Designs 'hyperlight' tent cautions against folding the tent up the same way each time and suggests rolling it up in a different direction each time you pack it. I tried stuffing it, like a sleeping bag, once and it didn't work very well for me. I guess the main thing is to avoid the 'folded-map' syndrome that creates weak points.

Depends on the tent fabric.

The polyurethane coated fabric should probably be stuffed.

Fabrics like silnylon, Epic, ToodTex, etc. can be either stuffed or rolled.

Yes, you should definitely roll or stuff your tent, whichever way works best for you.

On this topic I don't think there is any commonly accepted wisdom.

The tent-stuffers contend that rolling will make creases, which will weaken a tent along the crease over time. I have never seen any evidence for the truth of this contention.

I roll my tent because it is more compact that way, because it seems both easier and neater, and because it just suits my style. Rolling has never given me any problems.

Do what you like best. I don't think there is any substantive reason for doing it either way.

I don't think it really matters either way as far as tent durability. I have an old Clip Flashlite that I folded for years and years, including an AT thru, to no ill effects. I also have a tent that I only stuff, and it seems to be in just as good shape.

I will say I think that if you are packing up a wet tent, folding and rolling seems to keep the inside part of the tent a lot drier. At least in my experience.

One benefit to stuffing for me is that I can then compress it. Rolling it and then strapping the tent on the outside of the pack doesn't work for me. I like to put the heaviest items as close to my back as possible and by stuffing it and then compressing it in a compression sack, I can then put it next to my clothes or food (which ever is heaviest) inside my internal frame pack putting the poles and stakes in other more strategic places. A disadvantage here, however, is that you might leave the poles or stakes behind. Rolling helps to make sure that everything is together (although there is no guarantee that everything WILL be together).

I guess you could roll it then compress it, but having done that, it doesn't come out very well (compression sack is way lopsided).

There are really no abuse or wear issues with either rolling or stuffing. Having talked to our tent guy, Terry, at MSR, he doesn't believe that one is better than the other in terms of maintaining the tent's materials. I think the 'myth' that rolling will effect the coatings based on the crease created isn't really viable in middle to high end tents. Perhaps those you buy at Wally World, etc. may need a little more tender loving care. The coatings on all MSR tents are very durable and will last through whatever way you feel fits your style.

The only issues I have with stuffing (and especially compressing) is it can damage the no-see-um netting if not done right (especially when using clip-style tents) and, if the tent sack or bag gets hot, can cause the shiny sides (polyurethane coated side) of the material to stick together (rolling generally keeps this from happening). It's also super wrinkly when you take it out. Rolling allows for the tent to breath a bit better and to be less wrinkled making it easier to work with.

With my Tarptent Squall and Rainshadow, I fold and then roll them because of the built-in horizontal pole over the door. For my SMD Lunar Solo, I stuff it because it contains no poles and is smaller. (Don't ask me how I ended up with 3 tents; the answer is far too complicated!) It seems to take the same amount of time to get the tent in and out of its stuff sack either way. One argument for rolling is that if you always roll with the door on top, you know before you unroll the tent which end is where, making setup a little quicker. The SMD tent has the door on the side, so it doesn't make much difference. For winter storage, I fold or roll loosely and store the tent outside its stuff sack.

\ I don't know if rolling a tent to get it into a stuff sack will damage the materials, but I do know that "folding" it will, especially if you fold it the same way every time. Stuffing would be a much better option than folding. Hope that helps...Happy Trekking...sabre11004...

The first step that you take is one of those that will get you there !!!!!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I presume you know that folding can damage a tent because you have damaged a tent by folding it. Could you give us a few more details? I'm curious, because this has never been a problem for me, and I have folded, then rolled up, my tents for several decades.

Where is the proof of this? Hilleberg recommends either stuffing, rolling, or folding. According to them, there is no issue with folding (except maybe with Eureka tents, at least I may have heard that somewhere).

The proof I have is from experience years ago of folding my tent the same way every time to get it into the stuff sack easily. Over time it developed "fold scars" where it was folded every time. Hope this helps...Happy Trekking...sabre11004...

The first step that you take will be one of those that get you there !!!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

What was the brand and model of this tent?

For every expert that says you should fold, you can find one that says you should stuff. I always stuff my tents and they have never suffered any ill consequences.

A stuffer I have been, a stuffer I shall be. It's stuff'n or noth'n for me! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I'm a rollup kinda guy. Absolutely no science behind this, but I feel like I can get more air out and create a smaller package by rolling. Not that the smallest possible package is important to everyone.

Also....If I'm not using a ground cloth and the ground is muddy, I can control where the dirty underside of the tent goes by rolling. If I stuff, the mud is more likely to be transferred to the tent walls.

For me it depends on the tent. For my Tarptents I stuff them. That sil-nylon is just to darn annoying to try to fold or roll. For my Akto I roll it even though it technically is sil. The reason I roll it is beacuse it has the 4 short stays on the ends, which makes stuffing it not really an option.

Sung to the tune of Farmer in the Dell? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Because my big purchase of this year will be a new tent, I'm following this thread carefully. I haven't had to buy a new tent for a very long time. I will keep an open mind, but I have the feeling that rolling is the best way. I'll let you know what I find!

With all this diversity of opinion, I suspect that as long as you avoid what mockturtle calls the "folded map syndrome" by not folding it in the same place each time, and if you store the tent very loosely (not in its stuff sack) at home, it probably doesn't matter--whichever method you find most convenient for you. I never had any problems with a polyurethane coated tent (Sierra Designs) in the 11 years I had it, using the "fold and roll" method. The home storage method is probably more important than how you handle it on the trail, unless, of course, you're out in the tent more than you're at home.

OM, you are right. I want to retract my original answer. My first tent in Boy Scout tent was canvas with a wax coating. That one did leak in the creases. Thirty years ago I had a cheap tent and it delaminated starting at the creases.

However, I have a Sierra Designs Jupiter that is about 12 years old and it is showing no signs of the folded map syndrome. Folding is not a problem with modern fabrics.