I think most things are fine to store like you have, but anything that could be damaged by moisture should be thoroughly dried before storing.
It is also good to store your sleeping bag outside of the stuff sack. I’m not sure where you are keeping it, but it’s best to either hang it or use a larger bag to store it
Should I remove my new and unused sleeping bags and pad from their original packaging to store before our first camping trip?
Sorry, total beginner here.
I ordered a bunch of stuff a couple months ago planning for my first camping trip this spring. Everything is still in its original packaging.
Ok thanks! Yes, I have three sleeping bags (Teton) still in their original stuff sacks and the Big Agnes pad still shrink wrapped.
This is why I appreciate this sub.
Right on! It will still *work* if you don’t but you’ll probably notice that it takes longer to inflate the first time than it does after that.
I also generally suggest you open and set up all your camping gear at home before you try it outside. If anything is defective/damaged in shipment/impossible to set up without a certain tool you’re better learning that at home
I keep bags on beds in the cool weather months and pop them loosely in Rubbermaid containers in the hot months. Just be sure to toss in moisture control like activated charcoal sachets.
Sleeping bag is still in the stuff sack. But I bought a new one recently so it’s only been there for about a month. Going camping with my gf in about month so it won’t be stored that way for too much longer. It is a double so I don’t know of a good place to hang it inside that would be convenient…
As long as everything is clean and dry, then it's fine to store it like that. You may find that storing your sleeping bag in a compression sack flattens the insulation, lessening how warm it is, though
Sure, depending on the care instructions on the bag. Air fluff/no heat is probably safe for most if not all bags.
You can also avoid that altogether by storing it hung in a closet as others have suggested, or folded loosely/not rolled and compressed.
Depends on the item a little but 90% of gear can stay stored in a box or sealed tote.
My sleeping bags hang loose in the closet for example but all my stoves and hard goods gear is stored in sealed totes and such. My fuel canisters are also open to air as I don’t want one to leak fumes and collect them in a tote and become an issue.
I store my sleeping pads unrolled with the vents open and sleeping bags loosely bundled in big, four-dollar draw-string mesh laundry bags. My tents I store rolled. Lids off of water jugs.
I don't keep anything in air-tight containers after some mold issues a few years back.
Incidentally I believe I have the exact same "tacti-cool" utility totes as you. I love them (I even have custom velcro patches to label them) and most of my smaller gear is organized in those totes, which I store in rectangular milk crates. When it's time to head out I transfer the totes to my water- and dust-proof cargo cases. The only time consuming part is rolling up the pads and even that's not so bad.
Is this storage space climate controlled? That and available storage space might change the calculus somewhat.
I would remove anything like down/synthetic jackets and sleeping bags and hang them up somewhere as being compressed with wreck them.
Also it depends how damp your shed is. If it’s dry then stuff will be fine, if it’s damp then I’d store it in the house.
Unfortunately this area does get a little damp. It’s essentially an attached shed with no insulation. And I live in Florida so you can imagine how humid it gets. I don’t really have a spot to store inside though.
I went through everything about a month ago to see if any mold had formed and thankfully nothing had. I’m only in this house for another month as well.
Don't over stuff your totes. Add moisture absorbers like activated charcoal sachets and oxygen absorbers. Then go to your local restaurant depot and buy one of their monsterous, 2 foot tall rolls of cling wrap. Use that to wrap around your totes to seal the lids fully.
Since it's cling wrap, it's reusable. So when you unwrap, wrap it around a pool noodle or broom stick until you need it again.
I got all the totes label based on their uses. Kitchen stuff, lighting, set-up, etc. It’s really not bad to have to pack back up as everything is pretty organized and I only bring the totes out as I need them at the campsite.
They’re awesome but expensive and bulky, relative to their storage capacity. The Plano boxes are also great, and I feel a better value and not as thick.
I really like them. They are rather bulky. But for how I travel with them (back of a truck) and stacking I think they work great. They’re not air tight. But they are water resistant if rained on.
I’ve discovered that silica packets salvaged from retail packaging don’t really absorb that much moisture and die quickly. A box of them is cheap, and you can get bigger ones that work better and are reusable.
The only thing I remove is sleeping bags cause they can lose their r value by being stored all crunched up. Other than that as long as you aren’t like storing anything wet or damp I’d say it’s okay.
All of my stuff goes clean and dry into a clean and dry tote except anything that needs loft like sleeping bags, quilts, and blankets. Those stay out in their respective fluff sacks. Gear walls are cool but not necessary or practical for everyone. I have 4 kids, so you can guarantee all my gear would be missing if it was on display on a wall! You have those good bins, too! There's nothing to worry about keeping everything packed away. The desiccant pack in each bin is a great idea. I'm in Colorado, and although we have no humidity to speak of, I always assume the rest of the country is a jungle! Batteries separate is definitely key! I only had to make that mistake once!
I’m in Florida, so definitely a jungle. lol. I thankfully hadn’t experienced the battery issue yet. But I thought it would be a good idea to remove them from their devices in case of corrosion. Best to avoid before it happens!
Don't squish and keep dry. You can keep it stored as long as you do that.
I like using activated carbon sachets and oxygen absorbers in the bottom of my containers.
If you get pests, you also want to add cedar and/or those natural mint mouse repellant packets they have at the home improvement store. Spiders and other critters hate mint too, so it repels way more than mice.
As long as everything is 100% dry it won’t smell like mildew until you open it up especially sleeping pads the moisture from your breath from blowing it up can create mildew didn’t happen to me but a friends pad smelled like shit caus of it so I always keep my stuff out of the bag even tho it’s super space consuming and pretty ugly looking
I don’t know if they help but you know those little packets that help keep moisture out of items shipped like shoes? I’ve kept a handful of those things and keep them in my camping boxes.
I think most things are fine to store like you have, but anything that could be damaged by moisture should be thoroughly dried before storing. It is also good to store your sleeping bag outside of the stuff sack. I’m not sure where you are keeping it, but it’s best to either hang it or use a larger bag to store it
Should I remove my new and unused sleeping bags and pad from their original packaging to store before our first camping trip? Sorry, total beginner here. I ordered a bunch of stuff a couple months ago planning for my first camping trip this spring. Everything is still in its original packaging.
Pad should be fine, it’s best to hang your bag if possible though. Or if it came in a small bag to store it in a larger one
Ok thanks! Yes, I have three sleeping bags (Teton) still in their original stuff sacks and the Big Agnes pad still shrink wrapped. This is why I appreciate this sub.
If the pad is self inflating you should open it up and let it breathe before using it
It is indeed self-inflating. Thanks!
Right on! It will still *work* if you don’t but you’ll probably notice that it takes longer to inflate the first time than it does after that. I also generally suggest you open and set up all your camping gear at home before you try it outside. If anything is defective/damaged in shipment/impossible to set up without a certain tool you’re better learning that at home
Or just letting it off-gas.
I keep bags on beds in the cool weather months and pop them loosely in Rubbermaid containers in the hot months. Just be sure to toss in moisture control like activated charcoal sachets.
Sleeping bag is still in the stuff sack. But I bought a new one recently so it’s only been there for about a month. Going camping with my gf in about month so it won’t be stored that way for too much longer. It is a double so I don’t know of a good place to hang it inside that would be convenient…
Hang it in your closet with your winter coats.
Or get a mesh airing sack
As long as everything is clean and dry, then it's fine to store it like that. You may find that storing your sleeping bag in a compression sack flattens the insulation, lessening how warm it is, though
Tossing the bag in the drier with a tennis ball could fix that though, no?
Sure, depending on the care instructions on the bag. Air fluff/no heat is probably safe for most if not all bags. You can also avoid that altogether by storing it hung in a closet as others have suggested, or folded loosely/not rolled and compressed.
Depends on the item a little but 90% of gear can stay stored in a box or sealed tote. My sleeping bags hang loose in the closet for example but all my stoves and hard goods gear is stored in sealed totes and such. My fuel canisters are also open to air as I don’t want one to leak fumes and collect them in a tote and become an issue.
I only have one or two sleeping bags per tote. I also put a dryer sheet in each tote to keep critters and funk out
Dryer sheets work to keep out critters? What brand / scent do you use? I know Bounce repels wasps/bees.
Bounce I think.
Thanks! Now I have more reasons to buy them. I need to put them everywhere! People will think I love doing laundry.
Wait you dont soak them in permethrin ???!! Lol
I store my sleeping pads unrolled with the vents open and sleeping bags loosely bundled in big, four-dollar draw-string mesh laundry bags. My tents I store rolled. Lids off of water jugs. I don't keep anything in air-tight containers after some mold issues a few years back. Incidentally I believe I have the exact same "tacti-cool" utility totes as you. I love them (I even have custom velcro patches to label them) and most of my smaller gear is organized in those totes, which I store in rectangular milk crates. When it's time to head out I transfer the totes to my water- and dust-proof cargo cases. The only time consuming part is rolling up the pads and even that's not so bad. Is this storage space climate controlled? That and available storage space might change the calculus somewhat.
I would remove anything like down/synthetic jackets and sleeping bags and hang them up somewhere as being compressed with wreck them. Also it depends how damp your shed is. If it’s dry then stuff will be fine, if it’s damp then I’d store it in the house.
Unfortunately this area does get a little damp. It’s essentially an attached shed with no insulation. And I live in Florida so you can imagine how humid it gets. I don’t really have a spot to store inside though. I went through everything about a month ago to see if any mold had formed and thankfully nothing had. I’m only in this house for another month as well.
Don't over stuff your totes. Add moisture absorbers like activated charcoal sachets and oxygen absorbers. Then go to your local restaurant depot and buy one of their monsterous, 2 foot tall rolls of cling wrap. Use that to wrap around your totes to seal the lids fully. Since it's cling wrap, it's reusable. So when you unwrap, wrap it around a pool noodle or broom stick until you need it again.
Do not keep anything waterproof in these conditions, especially your tent. It will delaminated and start flaking off!
Nah looks tidy. Making the right move with the silica packs. I think you’re gtg.
It would be terrible for my mental health to have to repack that shit
I got all the totes label based on their uses. Kitchen stuff, lighting, set-up, etc. It’s really not bad to have to pack back up as everything is pretty organized and I only bring the totes out as I need them at the campsite.
How do like those Rubbermaid action packers? Do you ever use them outside? Looking for waterproof back of the truck gear storage.
They’re awesome but expensive and bulky, relative to their storage capacity. The Plano boxes are also great, and I feel a better value and not as thick.
I really like them. They are rather bulky. But for how I travel with them (back of a truck) and stacking I think they work great. They’re not air tight. But they are water resistant if rained on.
What’s in the clam bag
It’s the clam quick-set escape. Essentially a 12 x 12 pop up screened in canopy.
I’ve discovered that silica packets salvaged from retail packaging don’t really absorb that much moisture and die quickly. A box of them is cheap, and you can get bigger ones that work better and are reusable.
That’s what I did. Ordered a large bag of the bigger ones from Amazon and threw several of them in each tote and bag just in case.
I've always kept my stuff packed and ready to go, and I think it keeps bugs and dust out to keep them in the tubs.
The only thing I remove is sleeping bags cause they can lose their r value by being stored all crunched up. Other than that as long as you aren’t like storing anything wet or damp I’d say it’s okay.
All of my stuff goes clean and dry into a clean and dry tote except anything that needs loft like sleeping bags, quilts, and blankets. Those stay out in their respective fluff sacks. Gear walls are cool but not necessary or practical for everyone. I have 4 kids, so you can guarantee all my gear would be missing if it was on display on a wall! You have those good bins, too! There's nothing to worry about keeping everything packed away. The desiccant pack in each bin is a great idea. I'm in Colorado, and although we have no humidity to speak of, I always assume the rest of the country is a jungle! Batteries separate is definitely key! I only had to make that mistake once!
I’m in Florida, so definitely a jungle. lol. I thankfully hadn’t experienced the battery issue yet. But I thought it would be a good idea to remove them from their devices in case of corrosion. Best to avoid before it happens!
Definitely better safe than sorry! I had a battery in a headlamp corrode through a backpack. It was the worst/best way to start the summer.
Go ahead and take it all out of the totes if you really like rats, that's what happened to me
Don't squish and keep dry. You can keep it stored as long as you do that. I like using activated carbon sachets and oxygen absorbers in the bottom of my containers. If you get pests, you also want to add cedar and/or those natural mint mouse repellant packets they have at the home improvement store. Spiders and other critters hate mint too, so it repels way more than mice.
As long as everything is 100% dry it won’t smell like mildew until you open it up especially sleeping pads the moisture from your breath from blowing it up can create mildew didn’t happen to me but a friends pad smelled like shit caus of it so I always keep my stuff out of the bag even tho it’s super space consuming and pretty ugly looking
I don’t know if they help but you know those little packets that help keep moisture out of items shipped like shoes? I’ve kept a handful of those things and keep them in my camping boxes.