Can we talk about how people pack their tents when they leave a site?

I was at a state park in Michigan last month and saw at least four groups just shove their wet tents into the bag, like cramming a sleeping bag. It hit me that maybe they don't know it's a huge deal. A wet tent packed tight can get moldy in just a day or two, and that smell never really comes out. I learned this the hard way a few years back when I ruined a decent Coleman tent. Now I always take the extra ten minutes to at least shake it out and loosely roll it, even if I have to dry it fully at home. Has anyone else found a good trick for dealing with a damp tent when you have to pack up in the rain?

2 comments

2 Comments

oliver29d ago

That Coleman tent story is a tough lesson. I always hang mine in the garage over a big plastic tarp as soon as I get home, even if it was just dew. The airflow is key. If I'm stuck packing wet, I'll loosely stuff it into a big mesh laundry bag for the drive so it's not sealed in plastic.

the_betty9d ago

Hanging a tent every single time sounds like way too much work for me. My old tent got packed away damp more than once and it's still fine after years. Sometimes you just need to get home and deal with it later, @oliver2. A quick wipe down and letting it air out the next sunny day has always worked for my gear.