Folded air bag

An inflatable air bag (10) for helping to protect an occupant (22) of a vehicle (16) has a deflated condition stored in a container (40) in the vehicle and has an inflated condition. The air bag (10) when in the inflated condition has lower and upper sections (64, 74). The air bag (10) has a first portion (60) forming the lower section (64) of the air bag when the air bag is in the inflated condition, and a second portion (70) forming the upper section (74) when the air bag is in the inflated condition. The air bag (10) includes a back panel (82) disposed farthest from the vehicle occupant (22) when the air bag is in the inflated condition and a front panel (80) disposed closest to the vehicle occupant when the air bag is in the inflated condition. The first portion (60) of the air bag (10) is folded into a compact shape and stored in a lower portion (62) of the container (40) when the air bag is in the deflated condition. The second portion (70) of the air bag (10) is rolled into a compact shape and stored in an upper portion (72) of the container (40) when the air bag is in the deflated condition. The second portion (70) of the air bag (10) inflates upward and unrolls in a direction away from the vehicle occupant (22) upon inflation of the air bag so that the front panel (80) of the air bag is presented toward the vehicle occupant during inflation of the air bag. The first portion (60) of the air bag (10) inflates before the second portion (70) of the air bag.