Im new to this site, well posting anyway as I've been lurking for a few months now. I used to camp every week-end with my parents 20 odd years ago and loved every minute of it. I'm married now and got my own children who are 3 and 1 year old, we've only been away a handful of times but they love it....... such a great feeling.
Anyway, my question is perhaps a silly one but when taking down the tent, do you leave the doors zipped close or leave them undone ?
If the tent has a sewn in groundsheet then you need to leave the doors partially open in order to expel all the air inside, otherwise you will end up with a balloon. Likewise when erecting it, to let the air in again.
My tent has a SIG and I also leave the bedroom pod fitted and erect it as one, so when taking the tent down I leave the door zips open by about 12" at the bottom, and the bedroom pod door as well. This keeps the doors and the fly netting from flapping around loosely but still allows air to escape or get in at the bottom.
If the tent has a loose groundsheet then the doors can be zipped up fully.
Quote: Originally posted by Fotogen on 31/5/2010
Maybe I'm a sad case but I took a series of photo images which I printed off and put with tent and instructions.
good idea
thanks for all your replies, our Vango really 'balloons' up when dropping it. We've tried it both ways but will carry on with zips undone and see if gets better with age !
Depending on how you may have to fold the tent to get it back in it's bag, try folding it so that the doors are at the outside edges rather than tucked inside the mass somewhere. The air can escape easier then.
When collapsed my tent is a big rectangle. I fold it completely over from one long side to the other. This puts all the rings and pins on the outside and the side door on the edge. I then fold it again in the same direction leaving the rings and pins and door still on the outside edge. I am then left with a thin rectangle which I fold in half then start rolling from the folded side. This pushes all the air towards the edges where the open doors are.
When you take it down I am guessing you take the pins out the bottom of the poles and let it collapse as you pull each pole out the sleeve.
Try this, unzip the front door.
Get OH to hold the front and unpeg all but the 2 pegs holding the back bottom corners.
with one of you at each side gather up the tent keeping it upright and walking towards the back like closing an accordion
when you get to the back lay the tent over on its back so all the air leaves out of the open door.
Now take out your pins from the poles as its flat on the floor and remove the poles.
pull the tent back out ready for folding, take out the last 2 pegs and fold it but dont roll yet.
Do every thing else you need to do, like pack the car, collect pegs, put the poles away. This gives it more chance for the last of the air to work its way out.
Last job is to roll up.
------------- July 1-9 Nantcol Waterfalls meet Sept naturist week Sept SVR w/e Oct Secret meet Nov hopleys meet
Always been taught that from when young and still do it now, thought it was to do with strain on the zips?? if left open. I did DofE and was a venture scout, OH does the same and he was a cadet, maybe that's something to do with it???
It should not make any difference if they are closed or not as long as it is able to get into the bag again. When folding the tent away just take your time and not to force the air out too hard!
I find that the poles are the same size of the tent bag so if you can role up your tent with the poles in the middle,then it should fit back into the bag again.