How to carry a tent in Mt hikking...

How to carry a tent in Mt hikking...

I'm currently having trouble deciding the best way to carry my tent in a Mt hiking trip,
Should I put it inside the Bag,
On the side strapped,
Under strapped
or Top strapped.

Any Ideas...:thinking:

In the pack. Sleeping bag on the very bottom. Heaviest stuff on top of that, close to the back. Lighter stuff packed around/on top of that.

You don't want stuff strapped to the outside of your pack. It will just throw your balance off.

So how long are you going for, and what lights are you bringing?

Depends on the bag and the tent. External Frame? Internal? 3 man/4 season tent or solo bivy style tent?

On an extrnal I used to strap it to the top, but my old Jansport D2 had a shelf up there to support the weight. The main compartment was divided into two sections so it wasn't big enough to hold the whole thing inside. It also kept it up out the way so it was less likely to snag on something and spin you around.

Some Internals are usually big enough to hold it inside, but you could also consider separating the components and strap the poles vertically on the side while carring the main body of the tent inside. This allows you to reform the shape of the tent body to make it more space efficient inside. Just depends on what's more comfortable.

Souptree nailed it in my opinion as long as you have room in your pack and if not, look into a heavy duty stuff sac that is abrasion resistant. Personally, I like the Outdoor Research Durable stuff sacks that have the daisy chain on them so you can thread the straps through the daisy chain for added security and pack the poles securely in your bag. I have found the 15 liter size to be spot on for my solo tents.

Keeping your balance is crucial, try to have nothing swaying or flopping around if at all possible.

souptree said:

In the pack. Sleeping bag on the very bottom. Heaviest stuff on top of that, close to the back. Lighter stuff packed around/on top of that.

You don't want stuff strapped to the outside of your pack. It will just throw your balance off.

So how long are you going for, and what lights are you bringing?

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My Tent barely fit in my current backpack but my Uncle will be giving me a new one next week, He's coming over from Atlanta, Hopefully that will be a bigger one.
It's just an overnight trip and I'll be bringing my Solarforce L2 R2, Quark Mini AA neutral and Cool white, ITP Titanium A3, and Headband for my Mini AA.
I'm still thinking if that will be enough.
I still have more than a week to decide since the trip will be on the 16th.

InTheDark said:

Depends on the bag and the tent. External Frame? Internal? 3 man/4 season tent or solo bivy style tent?

On an extrnal I used to strap it to the top, but my old Jansport D2 had a shelf up there to support the weight. The main compartment was divided into two sections so it wasn't big enough to hold the whole thing inside. It also kept it up out the way so it was less likely to snag on something and spin you around.

Some Internals are usually big enough to hold it inside, but you could also consider separating the components and strap the poles vertically on the side while carring the main body of the tent inside. This allows you to reform the shape of the tent body to make it more space efficient inside. Just depends on what's more comfortable.

Click to expand...

Its a two person tent, I think I'll try your suggestion of separating the components and the poles on the side of my pack, I'll just have to wait for my new backpack if it will replace my current one.

I always pack my tent and poles separately. Not only is it more efficient space-wise, but it allows me to better protect the poles. A tent with broken poles is (often/nearly) useless dead weight.

You will have more fun hiking if you carry less or carry a bigger pack. Taking a too-small pack with stuff lashed to it is definitely do-able, especially for a single night, but it's a lot more fun to hike with the right pack for the gear you're bringing.

Take less than you are planning. Look for places to cut weight, even if it's only a half ounce (they DO add up!!). You probably won't use everything you bring and you'll have more fun carrying less bulk/weight. And if you omit something you actually do wish you had brought, you'll survive without it. (Don't omit the boots or sleeping bag, LOL.)

Have fun!! Post pics if you can.

I would be tempted to skip the tent and just bring a simple cover for rain / snow - such as a plain piece of ripstop or tarp you can roll up in. Bringing in extra food / fire making / emergency radio is more important than a full tent IMHO.

I go outside the pack, usually on the top, if I am going with a smaller pack.

The big pack is huge and everything goes inside. :thumbsup:

HarryN said:

I would be tempted to skip the tent and just bring a simple cover for rain / snow - such as a plain piece of ripstop or tarp you can roll up in. Bringing in extra food / fire making / emergency radio is more important than a full tent IMHO.

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I forgot, I will be bringing the bigger tent for our group, a 4 person tent.
I don't have tarp but I have two tents. Now I have to think on cramming my bigger tent on my pack:thinking:

Is this going to be an internal or external frame pack? For an external frame pack, I'd get a large compression sack (cheaper one for synthetic bags, costs about $10). Then I'd roll the sleeping bag around the tent, stuff both into the sack, and strap it to the top of the pack. If you have a foam sleeping mat, that straps to the bottom of the pack. With an internal frame pack, they usually aren't made well for strapping stuff to the top of the pack. Anything you strap to the top will usually crush the items in the floating lid pocket, and the top pocket and anything strapped to it tends to shift around a lot (requires straightening out a lot). These packs often have daisy chains running down the back of the pack so stuff can be strapped there, but anything heavy in this location will throw off your balance and mess up your back. I wouldn't strap anything heavier than a closed cell foam sleeping mat there (or maybe the tent poles). The bottom of internal frame packs often have a spot to strap a sleeping bag or tent. This is the best place to strap something to the outside of an internal frame. However, because of the location and because the plastic strap patches are fighting gravity to avoid breaking, you aren't going to want anything heavier than 5 or 6 lbs. in this location. For an internal frame pack, the best location for any heavy gear is inside the pack. Most internals are best for one or two person tents stored inside them. Any larger of a tent, and I suggest you stick with an external frame pack with the tent strapped to the top.

Does anyone use an external frame pack who hasn't been hiking for 40 years?

Since you are going with 4 other people, have somebody carry the fly, you the tent body, and someone else the poles. Screw carrying a 4 person tent all alone unless that is all that you are carrying for the group. Divy up the weight and don't be cavalier about carrying an extra pound or even ounces because you will be cursing yourself later.

Carrying three or four flashlights is overkill and way too heavy for my style, personally one headlamp, and one small lightweight efficient and powerful hand held is plenty. Be aware that all pack suspensions aren't created equal, many packs out there are good for forty five pounds if you are lucky so gather your gear early and load up your old pack to get a sense of the weight or use a fishing scale.

Ian2381 said:

I forgot, I will be bringing the bigger tent for our group, a 4 person tent.
I don't have tarp but I have two tents. Now I have to think on cramming my bigger tent on my pack:thinking:

Click to expand...

I hope it's a group of pygmy children, or it's going to be mighty cramped in there. A 4 person tent is going to take up most of the room in your pack, so split the load among 3-4 people if possible.

souptree said:

Does anyone use an external frame pack who hasn't been hiking for 40 years?

Click to expand...

I still use one occasionally , in fact the pack might be as old as I am. Just gotta know how to pick the right gear for the job.

Another reason I like to store the poles separately is so they don't damage the tent or the inside of the pack. You don't to unpack all your stuff only to find the poles poking through your tent floor, or your sleeping bag, or your pack. For an overnight trip it shouldn't be that critical, just pack it or strap it however you want.

InTheDark said:

split the load among 3-4 people if possible.

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Before we leave, we get together to plan who will pack what. We decide who's equipment is the most appropriate, and split the common load evenly. That way no one can complain. People tend to get grumpy around the 7 hour mark.

souptree said:

Does anyone use an external frame pack who hasn't been hiking for 40 years?

Click to expand...

Many still do. They're a mission specific item and ideal for carrying and tying down unconventional loads. Pack hunters love them. Also, they're wonderful for hot climates and allow abundant airflow between the wearer's back and the pack itself. I have a feeling they're here to stay.

I use an internal frame pack and if it is a smaller tent, I pack the body and poles right in the middle against the spine (on top of the sleeping bag in the bottom) and then pack the stakes and ground cloth in a separate bag lashed to the outside somewhere to keep it from getting everything else dirty. A larger tent needs to be split up with the tent body folded to fit more efficiently in the pack. I try to resist using the bottom lash points on an internal frame pack because it throws you off balance if you keep anything heavy down there and it is hard to sit or kneel down with the pack still on.

For lights, I would say in order of priority: headlamp, photon microlight, handheld flashlight.

yeah, totally a use for external frame (bumping heavy packs short distance, aiming for sledges and boats, pre-positioning gear) Long walks through woods usually indicates internal frame.

1) load could be %25-40 of body weight for average hiker.
2) excessive loads ruin trips. Think of a bunch of children running around a park playing: they're having fun. If you strapped a 60lbs pack to each child, they wouldn't be running and playing. Want to have fun? Don't strap a huge load on your back.
3) Never will you return from a trip and hear someone say 'I really should have carried more weight.'

As many have pointed out, divide up the common gear amongst group members. Usually bigger people carry a heavier share of the gear.

*headlamp is irreplaceable. I'd totally recommend warm tints for the woods (and a high-powered incan for fun) and that's it. 3 is plenty, the lights you have are so uber high quality that any one of them has enough modes to be perfect for most situations. Practice some discipline cutting down the lights and it should carry over through the rest of the gear.

souptree said:

Does anyone use an external frame pack who hasn't been hiking for 40 years?

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I do occasionally. They are great if you have to carry a heavy load or bulky items. They make more sense if you have a synthetic sleeping bag. I have a 15 degree down bag, but any colder, and I go with a cheaper 0 degree synthetic bag. Not all of us can afford a cold weather down bag, warm ones don't really save any weight, and down bags lose warmth when wet. In winter, you can't really go ultralight. Even with some light gear, I have been on winter trips with 50+ lbs. External frames carry the weight better. The other three seasons I do go ultralight. My last trip up Mt. Whitney, I carried no more than 25 lbs, including the fuel sized bear canister and 8 flashlights. By the way, I'm in my 20s and when I started backpacking, external frame packs were a lot more popular than now.

souptree said:

Does anyone use an external frame pack who hasn't been hiking for 40 years?

Click to expand...

Exactly what I was thinking, I think John Candy in "The Great Outdoors" was the last person to use a external frame. I haven't used a tent in a while, I like my ENO ProNest and ProFly way to much, but if and when I do use my MSR Hubba I separate the poles from the tent itself, the poles go inside on the sides of the back, close to my back it adds a little extra structure to the pack, and the rest of the tent goes in the bottom compartment with my sleeping bag.