Skip to main content

How to pack a tent in a backpack: A pro guide for beginners in 6 easy steps

Tents take up more room in your pack than almost anything else. That's why knowing how to pack one is key

Big camping green backpack and yellow tent in the mountains.
Ann.Gumovskaya/Getty Images

When you’re out for an overnight hike in the wilderness, you need to be amply prepared for the experience. At a minimum, that means having a map for self-navigation, plus packing water, food, a good tent, your best hiking boots — you get the picture. You’ll also want to make sure you pack things properly so you don’t create an overly cumbersome pack, which can lead to a miserable slog along the way, or worse, injury and strain that can bring your planned outdoor adventures to a sudden end.

Learning how to properly pack a camping backpack is just as important as what you put in it. And learning how to pack a tent inside a backpack will allow you to focus on the things that really matter, like spotting wildlife along the way, not tripping over tree roots, and keeping your Instagram stories fresh with new videos from the backcountry. Here’s the low-down on how to pack a tent in a backpack like a pro in six easy steps.

Hiker with a backpack in front of a mountain lake background.
Lilkin/Getty Images

How to pack a tent in a backpack (internal frame)

Step 1: Selecting a backpack

Most backcountry campers agree that a backpack with an internal frame is the best way to go. Internal frame backpacks are roomier, and the extra volume makes it easier to pack a tent inside. If you haven’t purchased a backpack or tent, make sure the sizes are compatible before buying. If you already have a tent and it’s on the larger side, you can use a compression bag to make the tent as compact as possible inside your pack. 

Step 2: Preparing the tent

Before packing your tent, make sure it’s bone-dry since packing and carrying a wet tent is very cumbersome. If you’re unsure if it’s completely dry, set it up in your backyard or somewhere with lots of sunlight to let it air-dry for an afternoon.

When you’re finally ready to pack it, lay out the tent to its full length on a flat surface. Keep the tent poles in the bag, and place them alongside the tent. Adjust the tent so its width is the same as that of the tent pole bag.

Step 3: Rolling the tent

Place the bag of tent poles onto the tent, and begin rolling up the tent and bag together into a tight “burrito.” Use the poles to keep the rolling tight, and make sure everything stays in line, so the tent poles don’t start to jut out above the tent and vice versa. After a few rolls, add the tent peg bag and continue rolling. Go slowly to ensure you keep things as tight and squared off as possible.

Step 4: Packing it in

Take the completed tent roll and stuff it inside the tent bag. The poles and pegs in the center will keep things compact and add central support. 

Step 5: Preparing your backpack

Leaving the tent aside for the moment, pack some of the other items you’ll be carrying inside your backpack. Place the heavier items towards the bottom and the lighter objects toward the top. 

Step 6: Packing your tent inside the backpack

Aim to place the tent in the middle of the backpack. Placing it in the middle puts the least strain on your back since your tent is one of your heavier items. Ideally, your sleeping bag should be at the very bottom of the pack, and your tent should be just above it.

In general, you can pack the tent vertically or horizontally. A vertical position allows for easy removal of the tent when unpacking, while a horizontal position allows you to pack other items on top of the tent. The best placement is whichever feels most comfortable for you.

Man rolling tent.
Image Source Trading Ltd/Getty Images

How to pack a tent in a backpack (external frame)

Knowing how to pack a tent in a backpack with an external frame is similar, with a few subtle differences. You’ll still roll and prepare the tent in the same manner as you would using an internal frame backpack. The main difference is the tent’s placement in your pack, or rather on your pack. Ideally, place the tent on the exterior. External frame backpacks are specifically designed for this. The best placement is at the bottom of the backpack, as this ensures less stress on your back when you’re walking.

Just bear in mind that keeping the tent on the outside exposes it to extra risks — snagging on tree branches or saturation if it rains, for example. There’s also the danger of the tent falling off the backpack, leaving you in a bad situation. Make sure you tie a secure knot from your backpack to your tent to avoid it falling off and being left stranded.

One green backpack on a brown wooden log in the woods.
Ali Kazal/Unsplash

Miscellaneous tips for mastering how to pack a tent in a backpack

If you’re really looking to take your “how to pack a tent in a backpack” expertise to the next level, consider splitting up your tent components between hikers. If you’re hiking with a partner (and plan to sleep in the same tent), divvy up the parts so one person is carrying the tent and rainfly while the other carries the poles and stakes. This helps distribute both your loads.

For minimalist ultralight hikers, fastpackers, and anyone looking to “go light,” consider skipping a stuff sack altogether for your tent. If you’re a featherweight packer, there’s a good chance you’re hiking with a small, streamlined pack anyway, and a loose tent will likely fit perfectly wedged between your other hiking and backpacking essentials. If you opt for this route, we recommend tying your tent poles to the outside of your backpack.

Editors' Recommendations

Regis St. Louis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Regis St. Louis is an author and freelance journalist who covered travel, world culture, food and drink, and sustainable…
This revolutionary device might make snorkeling more like scuba diving
Snorkeling will be a lot more fun with the SCORKL 2.0 Electric
Scorkl 2.0 underwater

The ocean's mystique has long captivated the human spirit, and the Australian brand SCORKL is making underwater exploration more accessible than ever before with its latest innovation, the SCORKL 2.0 Electric. This revolutionary breathing device promises up to 10 minutes of underwater breathing time, bringing the magic of the underwater world within arm's reach. Designed to redefine the way we experience the depths, the SCORKL 2.0 Electric presents a game-changing advancement in underwater exploration technology that combines scuba diving and snorkeling. Check out the video below to learn more.

Introducing: 'SCORKL 2.0 - Electric'

Read more
Costco has a secret online store, Costco Next, that any member can access – here’s how
It's just like Costco, only premium - and there are no hot dogs
Ft. Wayne - Circa August 2017: Costco Wholesale Location. Costco Wholesale is a Multi-Billion Dollar Global Retailer X

 

Whether you have a bunch of kids and need that Costco membership for the snacks or are entering your middle-age era and have started shopping for your jeans there, Costco membership holders are die-hard people. There are whole Reddit pages dedicated to how to best shop at the store and plenty of TikToks showing how to maximize Costco hauls. Plus, where else do you get a hot dog and a drink for $1.50 these days? But we all know that staying home and ordering online from your favorite store is where it's at, so get ready to be blown away by how to access Costco Next, Costco's best-hidden feature.

Read more
How to poop in the woods: A guide for when nature calls when you’re out in nature
Bears do it, birds do it, and man did it for thousands of years before the advent of modern plumbing
A wooden outhouse with a crescent moon cutout on the door.

Maybe you’re looking to save the environment one sh** at a time or you prefer to steer clear of danger while doing manly things in the wilderness. Either way, this guide on how to poop in the woods will probably come in handy sooner or later.

Until 206 B.C., which is believed to be when China invented the first water closet system (what we call outhouses today), man was pooping in the woods without a care in the world. But there came a time when defecating among the wilderness creatures indiscriminately just didn’t seem civil anymore. Soon after, pooping in the woods became unpopular because it attracted predators, made it hard to create a community with such waste, and quite simply smelled really, really bad.

Read more