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Use of Carbon Fiber Poles w/ Shelters


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  • #1296486
    Kenneth Jacobs
    BPL Member

    @f8less

    Locale: Midwest -or- Rockies

    I'm wondering how people feel about using carbon fiber trekking poles with shelters that use them. Aside the added benefits of less weight and not being lightening rods, are there any down sides to using them with your shelter? Are you more at risk to break a pole in high winds or with a super taught pitch with CF poles? In other words, are the stresses put on carbon fiber poles by a shelter something that increases their likelihood of breaking after already suffering the abuses of the trail? I hear about carbon fiber poles breaking 10X more than aluminum and they seem to break in the situation of minor trail nicks followed by a high stress incident.

    I'm asking these questions because I'm considering swapping out my Black Diamond Alpine Ergo Cork Trekking Poles for a set of Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork Trekking Poles.

    Also, anyone that owns the aluminum Black Diamond Alpine Ergo Cork Trekking Poles and uses them with a shelter…do you have any issues with them due to the 15deg. tilted grip?

    TIA!

    KJ

    #1931298
    Raymond Estrella
    Member

    @rayestrella

    Locale: Northern Minnesota

    CF poles will conduct electricity quite well.

    That said I have used mine for many, many nights supporting shelters like Tarptents and the NEMO Meta 2. I am using a Brooks Range Propel tent next month that will use them too.

    I better edit this to say that I use CF poles, but not the ones you have.

    #1931302
    Kenneth Jacobs
    BPL Member

    @f8less

    Locale: Midwest -or- Rockies

    "CF poles will conduct electricity quite well."

    Huh! Didn't know that. Learn something new every day.

    What are you preferred CF poles?

    KJ

    #1931704
    Kenneth Jacobs
    BPL Member

    @f8less

    Locale: Midwest -or- Rockies

    bump

    #1931708
    Hiking Malto
    BPL Member

    @gg-man

    If you break a cf while using it with a shelter then you are like having bigger issues than just your poles. The strength of a collapsed or partially collapsed pole is much stronger than other parts of the system like stakes, guy lines and tarps. Most cf poles get broken by being stepped on or by putting the tip in a crack and pushing forward.

    #1931711
    Cayenne Redmonk
    BPL Member

    @redmonk

    Locale: Greater California Ecosystem

    The BD alpine carbon poles are very burly, I wouldn't worry about them being a weak point in your shelter.

    #1931712
    Jake D
    BPL Member

    @jakedatc

    Locale: Bristol,RI

    Yep, depending on the shelter i'd think the fabric would rip or the poles would tip over before anything snapped.

    #1931715
    Kenneth Jacobs
    BPL Member

    @f8less

    Locale: Midwest -or- Rockies

    I guess I'm more so referring to the stresses put on them by a shelter (perhaps similar to a "prolonged" fall catch with the pole…if you will) adding to their likelihood of breaking at any point in time…even though I did mention concern for high winds and a taught pitch being a possible cause for breakage.

    Either way, it's sounding like the ones that I'm looking at, this issue should be nonexistent.

    KJ

    #1931717
    Jake D
    BPL Member

    @jakedatc

    Locale: Bristol,RI

    They use carbon fiber to make masts and booms for racing sailboats. it is strong stuff.

    #1932041
    Dan @ Durston Gear
    BPL Member

    @dandydan

    Locale: Canadian Rockies

    "The BD alpine carbon poles are very burly, I wouldn't worry about them being a weak point in your shelter."

    + 1

    The BD Alpine Carbon Cork poles are ultra beefy for a carbon pole. Short of severe user error (ie. have no overlap between sections), you're extremely safe with these. I'd suggest going with a lighter pole personal. Locus Gear has some new flick lock poles coming out that weigh ~12oz (vs. 16oz for the BD ACC poles) which should be a nice compromise between the gossamer gear LT4's and something beefy but heavy like the BD ACC's.

    http://locusgear.com/products/trekking-pole/cp2

    The GG LT4's are great for holding up a shelter too. I've snapped a couple during off-trail mis-haps, but I continue to use them because they are so much nicer to hike with and short of me landing on them, they hold up just fine. I would like flick locks though and I can see the benefit of a 10-12oz set of poles for off-trail/snow use.

    #1932045
    scott rebello
    Spectator

    @scottrebello

    Still using my MYOG CF poles. My wife and I have combined about 2000+ miles on our original pairs. 185 grams per pair. $30 and 10 minutes of work.

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