>>514898Wading things up into tight balls does not make them pack better.
When I use a tent, I put the under mat in first followed by the tent's rainfly and the tent goes on top of that, all loose. They form a base at the bottom of the bag that acts like a next for the other things I pack. This method also let's it form to the bottom of the pack and wastes the least amount of space.
I then put my sleeping bag in next but that is in a compression sac because it nests in the tent body which is always dry because it was under the rain fly which went in the bag before it did.
I do NOT store the sleeping bag in a compression sack between hikes though, it gets stored in the giant pillow case like bag that came with it.
Lastly, I strap the poles to the outside side of the backpack.
Basically OP, you're doing it wrong.
