I've a Kampa pendine 8 and have always struggled getting it back into the bag. Its got a sewn in groundsheet and the doors are only in the middle. I leave all the doors open and fold it along the width to the width of the bag and then roll from both ends into the middle.
No matter what I do it ends up balooning and we struggle to get it back into the bag without two people laying all over it to get the air out.
Folding in thirds seems to work for me. Spread it out fold one side over two thirds of the way then fold the over side over all the way. That probably makes no sense so best of luck! 🤪
When I bought my ESVO Bedouin 340 Dutch Pyramid tent, I had a bag made by Bags for Everything as there was no way I could have rolled it up and pushed back into its own bag.
Not too expensive, and it was worth it IMHO.
DK
------------- * Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest And Play! *
- 2025 - inc. FR & DE
- 2024 - 10/56 inc. FR & NL
- 2023 - 48 inc. FR
- 2022 - 49
- 2021 - 34
* Ex-tenter & solo female camper *
* Treat life events like a dog: If you can't eat it, play with it, or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away! *
The problem is not actually getting it in the bag but getting it rolled up in any form. Air gets trapped and I can’t get it rolled into and reasonable size. Once the air is eventually out, fitting in the bag is not a problem.
I have never had to roll a tent with central doors. I have always had tents with a front door and a side door so I leave those open...including the doors on the inner tent...fold the tent from side to side and then roll from back to front and that seems to expel all the air out of the doors.
The only thing that might help is when you drop the tent, leave it pegged at the four corners and walk away and get on with packing other stuff. You will find that much of the air inside will come out of it's own accord and the tent will flatten out. Then fold it and roll it.
If you drop the tent and then immediately start trying to roll it up there will still be loads of air inside and with doors in the middle both ends will be like a balloon...don't forget to make sure the inner tent doors are open also. It sometimes helps to unclip the inner tent(s) from the groundsheet at the bottom thus removing a lot of the tension, which also helps when erecting it again.
Once I’ve folded the tent into 1/4s lengthways I use a conveniently provided small boy and ask him to roll along from one end to the other. If you have middle doors then rolling from each end to the centre might be better. This pushes the air out very effectively.
Of course if you're in a hurry - such as rain or need to leave quickly rolling up the tent goes from bad to awful!!
We use the rule of thirds AND leaning over it to push out the air. When you think it's ready unroll the last few folds/rolls and re-roll and fold. It then fits in the bag easily (well easier) and you wonder what all the fuss was about.