storing gear

[squeezebox]

I know about not storing insulated stuff stuffed tight. But what about tents, pads? My hiking clothes share a drawer with my cycling clothes. Not sure what kind of conversations go on in there when I'm asleep. I'm sure the clothes that do both think they are superior, and the bicycle shorts are asking the underwear "what are you doing in here". But anyway I was thinking my tent, ground sheet, pads and other fabric things might be better off loosely packed. I'm thinking tight creases causing a break in coatings. Put them in pillow cases tie shut and into the closet. Pretty easy to do "just in case". I'm just saying , why not?


Hey!! Lighten Up!!

[jdc5294]

This is going to me 100% from personal experience, I could have been committing backpacking gear high treason for the last 4 years but someone will have to correct me.

With sleeping pads I've always kept them rolled up with no air inside, and they've always been fine. Even with something like a neoair xtherm there's no insulating material that's susceptible to becoming worn out so I think you're fine. Same with a tent, maybe taking it out once every few months and letting it air out and re-sealing the seams? I haven't used a tent in a while, I went to a bivy sack which is a lot simpler but that's my thinking.


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[Maui Rhino]

I store my tents and groundsheets loosely folded into a rectangle, and laid flat under a futon stlye couch, along with my sleeping pad, in a cat-free environment.....I don't need the cat sharpening her claws on my pad. Synthetic quilt is also loosely stuffed in a large bag so that it is not compressed.

[SkeeterPee]

Good topic, I have now accumulated enough gear I have to organize it. It can't just be spread around the extra bedroom or there may be a mutiny in my future.

[Hosh]

I have some floor to ceiling cabinets in my basement with sliding drawers. I always make sure my stuff is very dry before storing, not hard in arid Denver. I like to store tents folded, same with air pads. I thought I had read that air mattresses should be stored with the valve open. I never inflate the mattresses with my breath, I've always thought the moisture inside with eventually become a mold problem. Sleeping bags and quilts are hung in the cabinets via loops or draped over some wooden dowels. Base layer clothes are used year round, hiking in the summer, skiing in the winter.

[Feral Bill]

I dry the tent or tarp for several says, then stuff or roll. My self inflating pads are left unrolled with valves open.

[Vegan Packer]

I have a the equivalent of a foot locker trunk. I store everything loosely folded inside of the trunk.

[Heliotrope]

I have a industrial kitchen style bakers rack in my dry basement. I store my quilts in large drawstring bags Tarps and net tents are stored loosely folded out of stuff sacks after thoroughly drying. Inflatable pads are also loosely folded with valves open. Packs, and clothing outer layers I hang. Merino wool is kept together with cedar chips to minimize moths. Water bottles are stored with caps off. I like having it all in one place so I can put together a trip quickly.


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[Lyle]

For me, and mostly, just because it makes sense to my way of thinking:

Sleeping bags, naturally, stored loose - no questions about that.

Sleeping pads: If foam filled, store expanded, with valve opened - allows SOME moisture to escape. If strictly air filled, store rolled up - no particular reason, but I do inflate with a bag, not breath, so I worry less about moisture left inside.

Tents/tarps: Make certain they are fully dried, then pack away in their stuff sacks.

Clothing: Stored folded on ventilated shelving.

[Bronk]

If you use a water filter you want to make sure the filter element is dry before storage. I put mine away wet one time and several months later when I opened it the filter was full of black mold.

[saltysack]

If you use a water filter you want to make sure the filter element is dry before storage. I put mine away wet one time and several months later when I opened it the filter was full of black mold.

Guess that's why sawyer recs flushing be bleach water...


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[Coffee]

Sleeping bag hangs from a nail driven into the top of my bedroom wall and serves to taunt me for not getting out enough. Pads are stored loose in a closed with valve open but minimal air inside. Tent and other cuben gear is stored loosely folded in large USPS priority mail boxes in my closet. Clothes are stored in boxes or in my closed. Down jacket, wind jacket and rain gear double as everyday garments and hang in my closet.

[squeezebox]

Guess that's why sawyer recs flushing be bleach water...


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My guess would be about 10% bleach. ??

[4eyedbuzzard]

Guess that's why sawyer recs flushing be bleach water...


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My guess would be about 10% bleach. ??

I always cleaned EDIT - platypus bag with bleach and water, yeah, maybe 10% +/- - I didn't measure carefully. Some store platy bags in the freezer with good results.

[saltysack]

I always cleaned mine with bleach and water, yeah, maybe 10% +/- - I didn't measure carefully. Others just store them in the freezer with good results. I've gone back to bottles though.

Store what in freezer? I'm talking about flushing sawyer mini/squeeze. I assume your talking about storing platty bags in freezer...not sawyer I hope.


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[Feral Bill]

Speaking of mold, make sure all cooking and eating gear is absolutely clean and dry. The horror!

[4eyedbuzzard]

Store what in freezer? I'm talking about flushing sawyer mini/squeeze. I assume your talking about storing platty bags in freezer...not sawyer I hope.


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Yes, platy bag - sorry!

[Bronk]

A surprisingly small amount of bleach will purify water...too much bleach I would think would damage the filter element.

[squeezebox]

While we are talking about diluted bleach water and mold, anything else to clean with it?

[theoilman]

The Sawyer instructions call for a cap of bleach (cap of bleach bottle?) in a quart of water. Far weaker than 10%.