Anybody who’s ever been tenting is aware of all too nicely how irritating it may be to fold your sleeping bag up and get it again in its stuff sack.
The wrestle is actual.
However let me allow you to in on slightly secret: it doesn’t should be that troublesome.
Actually, by following just some easy steps, you’ll have your sleeping bag folded and packed very quickly, with out pulling your hair out within the course of.
Able to learn to fold a sleeping bag shortly and with none meltdowns? Right here’s how:
- Step 1: Shake it out
- Step 2: Zip it up
- Step 3: Fold it in half
- Step 4: Roll it up
- Step 5: Stuff it in
Yep, it’s THAT simple. However we’ll go over all of the steps intimately and with photographs within the subsequent part.
How To Fold A Sleeping Bag In 5 Easy Steps
The important thing to success, while you’re folding a sleeping bag, is following these 5 simple steps: shake, zip, fold, roll, and stuff.
Right here’s what that you must know.
Step 1: Shake It Out
To start with, lay your sleeping bag out flat on the bottom.
Give it , thorough shake to eliminate any dust, crumbs and the rest you may need left in there. Subsequent, run your arms throughout the floor of the sleeping bag to get as a lot air out of it as potential, and get it good and flat.
Observe: should you’ve obtained a sleeping bag that’s wind or waterproof, it’s a good suggestion to show it inside out. This may make it simpler to get all of the air out of it and roll it up good and tight.
Step 2: Zip It Up
Subsequent, zip your sleeping bag up.
Zipping your sleeping bag all the way in which up will make it a lot simpler to maintain it straight and even whilst you’re rolling it up.
When you’re pulling the zipper up, push as a lot air as you possibly can out by means of the highest of the sleeping bag.
Step 3: Fold It In Half
Fold your sleeping bag in half lengthways, ensuring all of the corners and edges line up completely.
That is necessary, otherwise you received’t have the ability to roll it up as tightly as that you must so as to match it into your stuff sack.
Step 4: Roll It Up
Lastly – the second of fact!
Beginning on the open finish of the sleeping bag, begin rolling the sleeping bag up as tightly as you possibly can.
As you’re rolling it up, proceed to push as a lot air as you possibly can out of the sleeping bag. You should definitely push down on the sleeping bag along with your knees whilst you’re rolling it. This may assist push air out and hold every part good and tight.
In case you’ve adopted all of the earlier steps to a tee, you need to find yourself with a pleasant, compact little bundle.
In case you’re nonetheless having a tough time with this step, attempt rolling the sleeping bag round a tent pole or comparable merchandise. This will make it simpler to roll it up tightly and evenly.
Observe: In case you’ve obtained straps of any variety, both connected to the precise sleeping bag or separate, use these to lock your bundle when you’ve rolled it up. If the straps are close to the pinnacle of the bag, start rolling it from the underside upwards, as an alternative of the opposite approach round.
Step 5: Stuff It In
Lastly, it’s time to get your sleeping bag into its stuff sack.
In case your sleeping bag is mounted with straps, this half ought to be a bit of cake. Simply slide the rolled sleeping bag into its storage sack the identical approach you’d put a pillow in a pillowcase.
In case you don’t have any straps to lock your bundle, it is likely to be a bit trickier getting it again in its bag. Right here’s my suggestion: attempt turning the stuff sack inside out.
From right here, you possibly can place the sleeping bag on one finish of the stuff sack, and begin pulling the sides of the sack up and round your bag. Finally, the stuff sack will likely be proper aspect out once more, and your sleeping bag will likely be utterly packed!
Suggestions and Methods for Folding Sleeping Baggage
Listed below are a couple of suggestions and methods to recollect when folding up your sleeping bag.
Clean out air pockets whereas rolling
As you roll up your bag, ensure to roll rightly and easy out any air pockets.
The tighter your roll, the simpler it will likely be to get your sleeping bag into its stuff sack.
Use a groundsheet or tarp to fold on a clear floor
Nothing could possibly be worse than folding up your bag, solely to seek out out you’ve got dust and different particles hanging out in your sleeping bag.
To keep away from this, I ensure to fold our sleeping baggage contained in the tent, earlier than we take it down. This manner it’s away from any dust and particles.
But when for some cause you forgot to try this, you possibly can at all times use a groundsheet or tarp.
Cling and air out your sleeping bag for twenty-four hours while you get residence
Be sure that to air out your sleeping bag for twenty-four hours while you get again out of your tenting journey.
Between campfire smoke and your sweat and physique odors, this can assist let it breathe and in addition guarantee.
Retailer your sleeping bag uncompressed, in a cool, dry place
An excessive amount of compression is definitely dangerous in your sleeping bag in the long term.
It doesn’t matter whether it is down or artificial, each will lose their lofting capacity over time when compressed.
That’s the reason it’s greatest to hold up your sleeping bag in your closet, or another cool, dry place when not in use.
FAQ
Can I nonetheless fold up my sleeping bag if it’s moist or soiled?
So long as your sleeping bag is just not soaked by means of, you’re capable of pack it up with the folding method we’ve lined above. The identical goes for if it’s soiled.
Nevertheless, within the occasion of an (even barely) damp sleeping bag, it’s necessary to dam out a while for it to dry out within the solar both earlier than you break camp, or while you’re organising camp for the night.
Do I would like to make use of a groundsheet or tarp when folding my sleeping bag?
Not essentially! You’ll be able to pack up your sleeping bag in virtually any atmosphere.
Nevertheless, most campers will pack up their baggage of their tent earlier than they break it down, to allow them to use the area inside for folding and stuffing – and keep away from any pointless dust.
What’s the distinction between a compression stuff sack and a daily stuff sack?
A “common” stuff sack is only a common storage bag to maintain your sleeping bag in. Most sleeping baggage will include considered one of these included.
Alternatively, a compression sack, nicely, compresses your sleeping bag additional! This kind of stuff sack makes your sleeping bag as compact as potential.
Compression sacks are helpful for backpacking, as decreasing the scale of your sleeping bag as a lot as potential means extra room in your backpack. As each backpacker is aware of, each final inch of area counts.
Ought to I hold my sleeping bag folded at residence after I’m not utilizing it?
No, you need to at all times unpack your sleeping bag and dangle it as much as air it out while you get residence. After a interval of at the least 24 hours, you possibly can fold your sleeping bag up loosely and retailer it, or go away it hanging in your closet whereas it’s not in use.
Maintaining your sleeping bag rolled up over lengthy intervals of time will cut back the effectiveness of the bag’s insulation, whether or not it’s down or artificial.
What are the advantages of correctly folding and storing a sleeping bag?
Correctly folding your sleeping bag on the path, and storing it nicely at residence will hold your sleeping bag in fine condition for longer!
In case you care for your gear, your gear will care for you – and also you received’t have to be available in the market for a brand new sleeping bag for some time.
Does the folding course of change if I’ve a mummy sleeping bag as an alternative of an oblong sleeping bag?
With a mummy bag, you’ll wish to begin rolling it from the underside, ending up on the prime.
Apart from that, the remainder of the process is precisely the identical, so you possibly can observe the above steps with each mummy formed and rectangular sleeping baggage.
Does it make a distinction if my bag has down insulation as an alternative of artificial insulation?
A down sleeping bag is simpler to compress than an artificial bag. Down is understood for its excellent compressibility, whereas an artificial sleeping bag received’t compress practically as nicely.
Some baggage are full of a down-synthetic combine, which compresses higher than artificial does by itself, however nonetheless not in addition to a down bag.
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See? Not so laborious in spite of everything, proper? Simply shake, zip, fold, roll, and stuff. That’s all there’s to it!
Now that you know the way to fold a sleeping bag, you’ll have the ability to pack up camp in a matter of minutes. No extra pointless hassles on the finish of a soothing tenting journey.
Thank goodness for that, am I proper?
