How To Repair Tent Pole

Author'due south Note: Gear Rx is a new cavalcade on F&S.com designed to teach yous practical tips on gear repair, maintenance, and care— so yous can become even more than life out of the stuff you already own.

Fifty-fifty the sturdiest tents demand repairs sometimes, and 1 of the virtually common tent repairs is the poles. If you lot desire to prolong the life of your tent, proper tent maintenance can assistance, simply knowing how to fix or replace broken pieces will help too.

We will embrace how to prepare broken tent poles when y'all are on the trail and when y'all are at home. While repair work tends to be easier at home with access to tools and other materials, packing a repair kit and knowing how to employ information technology volition keep your shelter intact for the remainder of your trip.

How to Repair Tent Poles

Even poles from the all-time camping tents tin can suspension from user error, full general wear and tear, accidents, or even manufacturer defects. The biggest tent pole fix I've ever had was when I crashed while bikepacking. My poles were rolled up in my sleeping pad attached to my bike, and the crash broke a few of the poles along with the shock cord.

Talk near a crash grade in tent pole repair! I had to supersede the shock cord on the wing and set up a few poles.

Luckily, I was close to camp, and I had a repair kit so I could set up them that night. Having a repair kit with you while camping, backpacking, or hunting can ensure that you stay warm, dry out, and protected for the rest of the trip.

The two primary tent pole repairs you may run into are:

1. Replacing a stupor cord
2. Splinting a broken pole

The type of tent pole you accept significantly influences the durability, how you perform repairs, and what needs to exist stock-still most oftentimes.

Tent poles can be made from:

• Steel: Not as flexible equally other materials, but very durable. They are heavy and strong, typical for foursquare or framed tents. Although a break in a steel pole is uncommon, you may have bends. Steel is also prone to rusting if the materials are not appropriately coated.

• Glass-Reinforced Plastic (GRP): These are made out of strands of glass held together in a resin; GRP poles are also known every bit fiberglass poles. Even though they aren't all glass, the materials tin splinter and break. If you lot have fiberglass poles, breaks and replacing shock cords will be a common repair.

• Aluminum Alloy: Aluminum is very flexible and comparable in flexibility to GRP poles. The main difference between these is aluminum poles are much lighter. Aluminum tent poles are commonly used in backpacking tents considering they are lightweight and relatively inexpensive. The principal repair y'all'll see with these poles is bent poles and replacing shock cords.

• Carbon Fiber: potentially the strongest and most durable tent pole material, carbon cobweb is lightweight, flexible, and strong. Information technology is excellent for backpacking, but the primary downside is the loftier price. Mutual repairs for carbon fiber include replacing shock cords and the occasional bent pole.

Instance of some tent pole repair supplies

What to include in a tent pole repair kit :

• Actress daze cord
• Tent sleeve
• Duct record
• Optional: guidewire, washers

Other items similar a lighter, multi-tool, and even super gum tin can come in handy for tent pole repairs, merely these are likely items yous already have packed for other purposes.

We recommend having a complete nylon tent repair kit if you're packing a repair kit. These include items for tent pole repair and mesh screen and fabric patches. Buying a premade repair kit can piece of work, only double check information technology has the proper size tent sleeves, ferrules, and long plenty cord.

Replace a Shock Cord

Information technology is easiest to repair a tent shock cord at home when you take access to more tools, but information technology can besides be done in camp. If y'all are at home, here are the items you need to replace your tent pole's shock string:

• Sharpie or other marker
• Scissors or knife
• Lighter
• Shock cord
• Optional: locking pliers, metallic wire, washers, and tape

Whether the elastic cord has simply worn out with time or broke, replacing it is relatively like shooting fish in a barrel. Most tent poles will have the same diameter shock cord, but they require different lengths. In one case you have a replacement carte, first past following these steps:

1. Lay the tent poles out and characterization each section with a marker or record. Practise your best to keep the poles in the same order during this process.

2. You lot have 2 choices, pending the situation– you can either remove the one-time shock cord or necktie the new one to the finish of the onetime string.
   • To remove the stupor string, have off the stop cap and cutting the knot at the end of the cord and pull it out on the opposite side.
   • If the full cord is however intact, we recommend keeping the cord inside the poles, removing one pole tip from the poles and the cord, and looping the new cord through the old 1 to connect them. This won't work for all tent pole designs. If this does work for your poles, skip to footstep 4.

3. Mensurate the new shock cord against the sometime string or the tent poles. Connect the poles and mensurate about a foot longer than the poles. If you lot're using the old cord with no elasticity left, the new cord can be cut about 8 inches shorter than the quondam i. Mark the measurement on the cord, but look to cut information technology until y'all know what the next step should exist.

I like to mark near the end of the poles first and and so marking once again shorter or longer depending on the situation.

4. The following steps for feeding the cord through the poles volition depend on the type of tent poles you have.
   • If you were able to attach the shock cord ends together, and then with the poles fastened, remove the other pole tip. Pull the string through the tent poles until y'all've reached the knotted end. Attach the pole tip to the new string, but the one-time cord off, and put the pole tip back onto the end. Skip to pace six if this worked for you.
   • If you had to remove the stupor cord and have fiberglass tent poles, use a metal wire the length of the poles to pull it through. Shove the wire into the end of the shock cord almost ¼ inch and tape them together to thread them through the poles. Tie off one end of the string with a pole repair washer to forbid information technology from pulling through when you tension the other end.
   • If neither is an option, cut the daze string to the measured length and tie a knot in i end to prevent information technology from being pulled through. Restring the daze cord through the poles in the advisable order one at a fourth dimension until you get to all but the last pole.

5. After you've threaded the daze string through all but one of the poles, create tension in the stupor cord to go along all of the poles continued. Employ a pair of locking pliers to agree that tension in identify.
   • With fiberglass poles, you lot can thread the wire through all tent poles, add tension, then accept the pliers concord the cord in place. You lot will want to utilize a repair washer for this end, so slide the washer onto the end of the shock cord, tie a knot in the string, and get the washer as close to the pliers as you tin can.
   • Alternatively, with the string stretched to the extended length and locking pliers in place, feed the rest of the shock string through the last pole section. Tie the end of the cord to the pole tip, and and so unclamp the pliers.

6. Secure the other end of the cord nonetheless it works best with your tent poles. If the cord is besides loose, create slightly more than tension, tie a new loop, and attach the pole tip. Exist careful not to over tension the cord. You desire them to be able to fold upwards to fit in the tent handbag still.

7. Remove some excess cord but leave a little in case yous demand to retie the knots at any point. Rut the trimmed ends with a lighter to prevent fraying.

How to Replace a Daze Cord in Camp

The process yous follow to replace a shock cord when hiking or camping is essentially the same as at abode. We recommend having most of what you demand to replace the cord with you in a repair kit, merely you may demand to improvise a little.

For instance, if you have a multi-tool, y'all can apply a knife to cut the cord instead of scissors. You may also be able to use the pliers on your tool to clench the string in identify.

If all else fails and you lot exercise not even have an extra shock cord, you can use a string or null at all. I've gotten by with no shock cord in my tent poles for a night or 2 in a pinch. It makes for some extra difficulty when setting up the tent, but it should stay in place through the night in one case it is set upwards.

How to Splint a Cleaved Tent Pole

While it may seem more dramatic to accept a tent pole break versus the stupor string, it is an easier in-field fix. A tent pole break has a few temporary fixes meant to sustain you until you accept a chance to replace that section of the tent pole.

All you need to accept to repair a cleaved or bent tent pole is:

• Tent sleeve/splint or tent stake
• Duct record or other durable, sticky tape

Splinting tent poles works best when the pole breaks away from connecting points. Yous can splint the ends of two poles together, making it harder to carry.

How to Utilize a Tent Sleeve/Splint:

1. The sleeve should be large plenty in diameter to fit over the pole and not move around besides much. Well-nigh tent companies provide at least i tent sleeve with the purchase of a new tent, but you lot can as well purchase a tent sleeve separately.

2. Find the broken or bent department of the pole. If the pole is broken, line upwardly the broken area to be equally flush every bit possible. If information technology is bent, bend it dorsum to be direct.

3. Slide the tent sleeve over the broken or bent area.

4. While holding the sleeve in place, wrap duct tape around each end of the sleeve until it is secure. Other heavy duty tape volition work for this likewise.

Makeshift splint using a tent pale

How to Use a Tent Stake every bit a Splint:

1. If you don't have a tent sleeve, yous can employ something else to splint the broken pole: a tent stake. Metal tent stakes work the best, simply all yous need is a stiff straight object (even a potent stick works) to provide structural integrity to the broken expanse.

2. In one case you have your materials, line upwardly the broken sections of the pole or bend the pole to be straight once again.

3. Line the tent pale upwardly middle with the broken section.

4. Starting on one stop of the stake, attach the pale to the pole using duct tape or other heavy duty tape. You may demand to wrap it a few times to ensure it is tight and will not move or slide.

Whether you accept a surprise repair due to an blow similar I did, or your tent poles just need a petty extra dearest to last longer, tent pole repairs can be made easy with a bit of practice and the proper repair equipment. If there is one piece of advice nosotros tin can give folks, information technology is to be prepared. Packing a repair kit with yous is the all-time way to ease the stress of damaged equipment on the trail. Hopefully, you won't have to utilize it, just you'll be gear up if yous do.

FAQs

Q: What kind of tent pole is the nigh durable?

Carbon fiber tent poles are among the best materials for tent poles considering of their immovability and ultralight construction. Many professional guides and outdoor athletes utilise them, but they have a high toll point.

Aluminum alloy tent poles are far more affordable while still existence durable, lightweight, and flexible. They concur upward well in most conditions, but they will corrode quickly if yous camp or travel near saltwater. If you lot look strictly for immovability, steel tent poles will be the strongest. They are very heavy and don't work well if you conduct your gear.

Q: Can you lot purchase replacement tent poles?

Yes, you can buy replacement tent poles. Most tent manufacturers sell replacement poles if you cannot fix a broken tent pole effectively or want to supervene upon the i you've splinted. In that location are also universal poles sold, but make certain they are the same materials and length. You can purchase a whole set or private sections.

Q: Are there gear repair shops that set tent poles?

Yeah, local gear shops or big retail shops may repair tent poles or have replacement parts in stock. Contact a local outdoor gear store to larn more than about their services. Many backpacking tents have some kind of repair or replacement tent pole plan. If you lot have an MSR brand tent, tent pole repairs autumn under a limited lifetime warranty and tin can exist replaced. Other tent brands may take repair policies and warranties, and nosotros recommend contacting the tent company directly to see if they tin repair or replace the tent pole.

Q: What is a tent pole repair sleeve?

A tent pole sleeve is oft provided with your tent and is the fastest mode to repair a broken or aptitude tent pole. Information technology is meant to exist a quick set on the trail until you can get back to a identify for a permanent fix or replacement of the pole. It tin too exist chosen a splint and looks similar a short tube that fits over the cleaved area of the pole to make it usable again.

Q: How long should a tent pole shock cord be?

Utilise your tent poles or the former shock string to measure the appropriate length. Always measure slightly longer than the tent poles and shorten it afterwards. If you are using the onetime shock cord every bit a guide, be conscientious not to cut it too long or brusque. If the elasticity of the old cord is gone, it won't be easy to become a proper measurement, and using the poles might be easier.

Source: https://www.fieldandstream.com/outdoor-gear/how-to-repair-tent-poles/

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