To fold a pop-up tent: lay it flat, stand it on edge, fold the circle in half, then twist your hands toward each other so it collapses into a figure eight of stacked circles, and slide it into the bag. If it won't fold, you're twisting the wrong way — reverse it.
How to fold a pop-up tent, step by step
Clear it out and lay it flat
Remove pegs and guy lines, zip the doors closed, and lay the pop-up flat on the ground like a big circle. Closed doors keep it from tangling as you fold.
Stand it up on its edge
Pick it up and stand it on one edge so you're looking at it like a giant coin, holding the top and bottom of the circle.
Bring your hands together and fold
Push the top down to meet the bottom so the circle folds in half — you now have a smaller half-moon shape with two loops at the top.
Twist and tuck — the figure eight
Hold the two top sections, twist your hands toward each other (one rolls forward, one back), and let the tent fold down on itself into a figure eight. It collapses into three or four small stacked circles.
Slide it into the bag
Hold the folded stack together, slip on the strap or band, and slide it into its bag. If it won't fit, you twisted the wrong way — open it and try the opposite twist.
“The whole trick is the twist. Push down to fold in half, then let your hands rotate past each other — it almost folds itself.”
FAQ
Why won't my pop-up tent fold back up?
Almost always because you're twisting the wrong direction. Pop-ups fold with a figure-eight twist; if it fights you, reverse the direction of the twist and it usually collapses easily.
Does the twist method work for all pop-up tents?
Yes — round and rectangular pop-ups both use the same fold-in-half-then-twist principle. The shape of the final stack differs, but the motion is the same.
Can one person fold a pop-up tent?
Yes. Standing it on edge and folding it against your body is a one-person job once you've done it a couple of times. Practice at home before the trip.
Shopping for one? See our best pop-up tents, or start with how to choose a tent.