I got large mesh laundry bags for all my sleeping bags and smaller mesh bags for my tents. Helps make sure things can breathe in case there is any residual moisture. Also, after pretty much every trip my tents get hung up on hooks I put in the ceiling of the garage to hang dry them. In the Pacific Northwest its often raining at home after a trip so having way to dry out my tents is crucial.
I had a really expensive backpacking tent that got ruined due to not being aired out during storage. I stored it in its tent bag in a closet. Apparently the PU coating off gases and gets trapped and dissolves the rest of the PU coating on the nylon. Result: sticky floor and loss of waterproofing and the seam tape disintegrating. Hard lesson to learn.
I've stuffed tents for the past 20 years, of all brands and all price-points, and never had an issue with a tear along a fold line. Not saying that it won't happen (I'll probably take more care of my 2lb backpacking tent), but I don't think the logic of pulped paper and modern backpacking tent materials really holds true. When I stuff my tent, I can't imagine it folding at the exact same point multiple times, and once it is in the bag it doesn't move (and, I think, doesn't stress the fabric further). I've also ridden with these tents for 60-70k of motorcycle trips, which in theory would aggravate any creases or folds. I should probably mention that after every trip, we air out the tent/s for a full week or so before packing back down again I already have a down bag/quilt/headgear/socks wall, don't think the wifey would approve of a closet full of lightly stuffed tents! Good points otherwise
Yeah, modern silnylon shouldn't be that susceptible for this. The issue is more pronounced with laminated materials like Goretex and other membrane gear where you're forcing two different materials to curve tightly along the folds. It's thus usually recommended you either roll or stuff such garments into their storages rather than fold.
Really liked the bleach solution for the water filters! Definitely going to start doing that! In my gear storage area, I also just never close the lid of my filters/bladders/bottles container. I just leave the lid off so try to avoid mold issues.
Super late reply here, but for my bladder & attached hose, I stuck an air pump on one end of the hose and blasted air through it for a few minutes to get the last drops out of the hose and hopefully dry things out. Also, leaving a rolled paper towel sticking partway out of the unsealed bladder keeps the walls separated and the end open just to be extra sure the thing can breathe and dry out completely.
Thanks for the tips! I never knew I wasn’t supposed to keep things in stuff sacks so I’m definitely gonna get some mesh bags to store my gear between outings. But… who folds a paper plane like that?! Keep up the great content, brother.
My self inflating air mattress are inflated and stored in the bed room. The quilt is loosely packed in a oversized pillow case. The backpack is air dried , cleaned and keep in the bed room on top of a storage bin. The others in the bedroom closet. Everything is cleaned after a trip , checked for any damage and readied for the next trip. Only items stored in the backpack are the ones that do not require what I call , breathing room. Such as the Hammock , the rain fly , cooking gear and personal items.
When Winter Camping, your poles can freeze together, making it extremely difficult to fold them and put them away. I sprayed my pole ends with a squirt of WD-40 before heading out. They don't stick at all, making easy folding.⁹
When you need to use your water filter after drying it out you’ll want to let it soak over night before hand. I tried using mine for the first time after letting it dry over winter and it was plugged completely up. It had mineralized the elements. After soaking it in water for 24 hours it was back to normal but by that time I was well off the trail and back home. At least I didnt get mold this year, though!
Also, it helps to give it one final rinse with distilled water to displace all those minerals. I still soak mine before a trip, but I've had the same sawyer for about 4 years and it still flows like new.
My sleeping bags came with two bags, one for compression, one much larger for storage. Tents have always been stored and carried in the sack they came in. Never had a problem. I have an MSR Guardian water filter and the instructions mention running bleach through it, however it says the fibers, once wet, should NEVER be allowed to dry out. Put the cap back on the bottom and it's good for months or up to a year according to MSR but in reality you need to run water through it on occasion. It's the same technology as the Sawyer so I wonder what's up with that?
I’ve switched to shoving/stuffing my tent into the compression sack. It goes completely against my mild ocd of having everything neatly folded and rolled, but I’m giving this new approach a shot.
great video, we stow most of the gear in 2 large storage containers. the other thing we always do is hang out the sleeping bags and tent after every trip to air out.
I'd like to give you the greatest compliment in my arsenal. I'm also a backpack and don't require as many of the tips you throw out for beginners but I watch anyway. I'm also a bit of an artist and maker...how things look and are presented mean everything to me. Your video's just seem to have it...can't put my finger on it but there's just something extra. The compliment: I actually watch commercials to see what you've got going on....youtube commercials are like waterboarding to me. Good stuff. You're instincts and editing are spot on. cheers. PS thanks for including your lovely wife in the last vid. It's fun to see a more complete story.
Thank you! Regular viewers like you are exactly what I hope to attract with these videos. I really appreciate the consistent comments and how you add to the conversation. You help make my little corner of YT a community and I appreciate it more than you know.
For drying a bladder, I cut the bottom of a mater bottle of and stick that in while hanging upside down. Dry in a day. Remember to take off the quick connects and mouth piece.
Here’s another tip. Store tent poles assembled. It takes pressure off the elastic rubber bands that pull it together. Imagine a rubber band being stretched for weeks/years. Eventually it looses it elasticity…
Good tip, but maybe store them half over against themselves, at least for the longer length ones, otherwise you're back out in the garage for some of those and how long they get. Have one point of the elastic bent over instead of multiple points has till gotta be really effective.
@DJ Ness been looking at non-freestanding tents that use trekking poles. My biggest concern is condensation because they are single wall tents. I’ve got a really nice UGQ down quilt that I’d like to not get wet. What do you have and what’s been your experience?
To dry camelbak put the hose in the bladder to pop it up and let the air in. For a tent, the cheapo ones are great. If you're okay with condensation I never had that issue with wrinkles. But saving over 300 bucks, is a good trade off. I have some pretty cold night and just put my empty pack on the tiny top mess hole and it worked great.
I used a tent a couple of weeks ago,that has been packed away since 1996. It was fine apart from the rubber rings on the fly sheet where the tent pegs go. I simply replaced them for new ones. Should be fine for another 20 years or so.👍🏾🏕
Great and logical tips. Thank you. Might you consider loosing the underarmour t shirt and wear a more hike oriented merino wool shirt or a custom top ?
I had a really expensive backpacking tent that got ruined due to not being aired out during storage. I stored it in its tent bag in a closet. Apparently the PU coating off gases and gets trapped and dissolves the rest of the PU coating on the nylon. Result: sticky floor and loss of waterproofing and the seam tape disintegrating. Hard lesson to learn.
I bought steramine tablets for cleaning my filters and bladder. I also will stick some paper work in the bottom to make sure the bladder stays dry and exposed to airflow.
I use this to clean out water bladders Bottle Bright (12 Tablets) - All Natural, Safe, Free of Odor and Harmful Ingredients - Water Bottle & Hydration Pack Cleaning Tablets Clear If you’ve ever gargled with H2O2, spit it out and take another mouthful. Push that through the hose of the bladder
I do all the correct things you mentioned except the thing about the tents. I may take them out of the stuff sacks as it makes sense. For water bladders that have a small opening, I use an aquarium air pump with a small tube going into the water bladder. It dries them out quickly. I have a video about it on my channel a few years back......Take care, Bluefin.
with sleeping bags, both synthetic and down, are there advantages to hanging them versus storing in bag? I have the room in my 'gear closet' to hang them.
I have a 1st edition. It is ridiculous to think a tent would fold along the same creases. Who ever made that statement has never stuffed a tent in a stuff sack.
0:18 - .....uh,,, yeah, I definitely DID know that.... **runs to un-stuff sleeping bag** Seriously though, I did learn that just a few weeks ago from another youtuber. Are you familiar with the military sleep system? Is just leaving the stuff sack fully un-compressed good enough, or should it be taken out completely?
Hm interesting I had no idea people stuffed their tents. I’ve always been a fold and roll it up kinda guy. Maybe why I take forever getting ready in the morning haha.
BTW, if I ruin something after a few years, buying more gear is never bad Or I’ll just buy something different anyway because the other isn’t what I thought it was going to be
We keep our water bladders in the freezer. Keeps the mold from growing. We dry it it after use, then put them in an open bag and into the freezer they go. Not filtration, but just water bladders like a camelbak
I always shave my Beard (and cut my hair) before going on a big walk.. hiking with a beard is like when ladies put on fake tan to go to the beach. I want the authentic hikers beard grown out of lack of a bathroom.
I still stuff my tents. Always figured that was better for the tent and easier for me than rolling the same way over and over again. Many sit tightly rolled up and creased in their packaging for long times in storage and on the shelves before they get sold and set up. At least stuffing doesn't recreate the same creases over and over again and most of them feel semi-loose in the bags the come with that way anyway. I bet a DCF tent rolled the same way over and over again will develop pin holes along those creases far before a nylon tent stuffed over and over again. But stuffing DCF can be even worse for it and not recommended, hence the "loosely rolled" recommendation you're getting at.
I'm the opposite, I get frustrated with slow talkers. I sometimes adjust the playback speed by turning it up, so maybe turning yours down to 0.75 would be helpful. Click the settings button on the video (especially helpful when binge-watching a specific channel). Peace!
