I have tried to find how to fold a Kalahari 10 to get back into the bag.
All I can find is instructions on how to pitch it, which is a simple process anyway. Does anybody know where I can some instructions on packing it away, PLEASE!
------------- Tiger
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Tents, awnings, porch awnings, canvas, tarpaulins, air beds, party tents............
Done it all, most never fit back into the bag !
The only tent we have ever had that actually packs away neatly in the bag is a Khyam Excelsior XXL, everything else was folded and stacked, or I made a new larger bag.
Most problems with not being able to get a tent back in it's bag is because it is being folded and rolled wrongly, although some bags are simply too small. They are packed under pressure at the factory and once the tent has been taken out the chances of getting it back in again are slim. The only thing to do then is to buy an oversized bag.
Obviously, when you fold a tent up you need to get all the air out of it. If it has a sewn in groundsheet and you leave all the doors shut then you will be battling with a big balloon.
My method is to open all doors including the inners. I fold the tent in half lengthways so that all the pins are on the outside. You don't want the pins rolled up in the middle as they could cause damage.
How you fold it from then depends on the length of your tent bag but always fold lengthways (keeping the pins on the outside) until the tent is just narrower than the width/length of the bag. Lay the bag next to it so you can see how wide the tent needs to be.
You then start rolling from the back to the front. Not only does this force all the air out of the front door of the tent but when you come to erect it again you will know where the front is.
Roll as tightly as you can tucking in anything that slips out the side as you go so that the roll always remains neat and just shorter than the bag.
Usually all the air will be dispelled out the front door and you will only need to roll it the once but if you are having an off-day (it happens) you may have to unroll it and try again. The second time will be easier as most of the air will have escaped. Don't let the wife/kids jump about on the tent ahead of the roll trying to dispel the air because all that will do is force the air back into the rolled up bit again...let the air escape naturally as you roll.
Do not try to pick it up and stuff it in it's bag because it will quickly unravel before your very eyes. Leave it on the ground and take the bag to it. If it is a stuff sack type of bag then carefully slide it on one end of the roll and work it along until it is over half-way before raising it off the ground and shaking the tent down inside.
If it is a zipped bag then lay the bag over the top of the rolled tent and fit it inside as much as possible before rolling the whole lot upright and zipping up.
Incidentally...when you buy a new tent it probably has everything packed into it's bag...poles, tent pegs etc; and it will weigh a ton! I always pack the poles separately and don't try getting those back in the bag with the tent again. Apart from being a lot easier to pack the tent if the poles aren't present, two lighter bags are better than one heavy one...but don't forget to take them with you on your next trip! Tent pegs shouldn't be packed in with the tent because they can damage it.
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To stop the tent unravelling if you want to lift it into the bag, just get a couple of ties to tie the roll. Our Kampa came with these already, makes getting the tent in the bag a doddle and also act as a couple of handles to lift the roll with!
------------- May 2015 - Arrow Bank 4 nights
July 2015 - Manorafon 4 nights
August 2015 - Piccadilly Caravan park 3 nights
August 2015 - Wheal Rodney 11 nights
I picked up that tip re not having the R&P's squashed up in the middle, from here. (To be fair, I've picked up everything I know from here!) Makes sense to have them all down one side, draped clear of the fly sheet.
I've never had anyone push down or roll on the flattened tent, and not had a problem*. And that includes a 7m x 4m polycotton tunnel weighing c. 35kg (from memory).
My latest tent does get folded with each side going towards the middle (Actually off centre, but the same theory), but there are no R&P's to worry about on this tent, so not a problem.
*Still trying to perfect my bagging-up process with my latest tent though... 2 fails and 3 successes so far, but the last two have gone in, and bag fully zipped, so hopefully the fails are all behind me now... he say's, with fingers crossed!!
Quote: Originally posted by RichJean+Ellie on 08/5/2015To stop the tent unravelling if you want to lift it into the bag, just get a couple of ties to tie the roll. Our Kampa came with these already, makes getting the tent in the bag a doddle and also act as a couple of handles to lift the roll with!
Unless it's an end-loading/stuff sack type bag, there should be no need to lift the rolled up tent to put it inside a floppy, fluttering bag.
As Bob says, I'd recommend leaving the tent tightly rolled on the ground, and take the bag to it. The tent may well be heavy. Some of course, ridiculously so. The bag won't be. It's far easier to stretch a floppy bag over a tightly rolled tent, than vice versa. Once it's half on, roll the whole thing over (again, don't lift!) and pull the bag up and around the roll.
Also, because you're not lifting, this can all be done with you on your knees/haunches, (as opposed to being stood bent double), if anyone's got a problem with a dodgy back!
When it does come to finally lifting it, you are (hopefully) using a nice strong bag, with sturdy handles made for the job!
No harm in still tying the roll up though, of course. Although both my Kampa's came with ribbon like ties, but must admit, I never used them, once I'd removed them the first time after delivery.
Each to their own Mucker, personally I find it easier to lift into the bag, but then the Kampa bags are decent oversized ones.
Point taken about the stuff sack though!
------------- May 2015 - Arrow Bank 4 nights
July 2015 - Manorafon 4 nights
August 2015 - Piccadilly Caravan park 3 nights
August 2015 - Wheal Rodney 11 nights
Sorry I'm a late-comer to this topic, I was just googling the same thing!
The problem with the Kalahari is that the doors are in the middle, so squashing the air out becomes difficult.
We fold it up perfectly to the width of the bag (leaving doors unzipped) but no matter how careful we roll it all pops out and we end up squishing it all back in and/or re-rolling.
Had the tent a year and it's not gotten any easier. Any tips greatly appreciated!
I think with tents like the Kalahari you are better off folding the ends in towards the middle then rolling so the air can escape out of the doors so basically fold it 90 degrees to the way you are now
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Topic: Packing a Kalahari 10 into its bag
