Poles for tarps??

[darren stephens]

G'Day
I'm just getting into tarp camping, Firstly with a pu coated nylon tarp, then a silnylon poncho and ill soon be making a spinnaker tarp like in 5yards to sul.
My question is about poles. Hiking poles aren’t popular here in Aus and as I do a lot of off trail hiking they are not suitable. I currently use sticks to hold my tarp up which are fine but in some wilderness areas such as in Tasmania this cant be done.
I have looked on the net at fiberplex poles and while they are light I doubt they would be stiff enough for a single vertical pole.
Does anyone have any suggestions or experience with this problem?
Thanks

[Gabriel Rice]

Well, the best thing I can suggest is to try some of the Gossamer Gear poles they have for their shelters.

[Roger Caffin]

> I have looked on the net at fiberplex poles and while they are light I doubt they would be stiff enough for a single vertical pole.
Bendy.
Have a look at carbon fibre kite spars, about 8 – 9 mm OD.

[Bill Fornshell]

darren,

I made a set of trekking poles out of hunting arrow shafts. They have (Possible profanity detected: "_____") inserts in the point end and two can be joined together. To make the pole stronger find another arrow shaft that will slide over the other ones. This works great for my trekking poles and I use them also for my tarp.

My arrow shaft Trekking poles but without the duct tape weigh 3.2 ounces each and that is with the grips and tips. The arrow shafts are light and very strong.

[Caleb Wininger]

you can also buy supplies from quest outfitters to make your own collapsable poles using easton aluminum .433" dia. for about $10 you could make a single 54" pole that would be more than sturdy enough for your tarp. i made two and they handled my 12'x12' PU nylon tarp just fine. granted, a little heavier than the gg's or the kite thingies, but not much. cheaper and more packable, too.

quest outfitters

[darren stephens]

Thanks for the help.The GG carbon poles are made by fiberplex so they will probably be to flexy. The alloy ones ar a bit heavier but they are still lighter than trecking poles.I currently searching the net for kite and arrows.
Thanks again

[Dale Wambaugh]

What do you call a boomerang that doesn't come back?

A stick. Or in this case a tarp pole :)

I've wondered about using fishing poles.

As to off-trail hiking and trekking poles, they are still useful to keep you stable and help negotiate obstacles, wade streams, knock down spider webs etc, etc. My shelter uses just one pole, so I have been ummmm… leaning towards just hiking with a single staff, which is also easier to get through the brush.

A nice section of bamboo would be good too. I made one using the bottom section of a broken trekking pole mounted in the bamboo, so it has a carbide tip and the ability to accept baskets. Not a bit lighter though.

[Mike Clelland]

I recommend just using a plain ol' stick.

If you are hiking and it's gunna be time to set up camp soon, just keep an eye open for a good stick BEFORE getting to camp. Maybe a half an hour BEFORE you stop.

And – If you are gunna be camping ABOVE tree line, get the stick down low, and carry it up with you. THe hiking staff size is easy to travel with.

I do NOT hike with a trekking pole, it just doesn't work for me. And – – – the "find-a-stick-thing" works just fine. And it adds ZERO weight to the pack.

(and) If you camp below tree line, you can usually find a spot to tie off between trees.

– – – A L S O – – –

If I'm in a place without any sticks (High alpine or the desert South West) I bring 4 segments from an old tent pole with the bungy removed. Three segments in the front, and 1 for the tail.
I made a small tie down point for the string using duct tape (the string will slide down the pole without it).

The weight of 4 aluminum poles sections: 3.4 oz

[Brett .]

I haven't made the leap to tarps, but for those SUL 'freaks' :) who recently have, here is an amazing variety of ways to pitch it.
http://www.equipped.org/tarp-shelters.htm
Forgive the intrusion into this 'pole' thread; I didn't want to start a new thread just for this; and maybe it's old news here..

[Vick Hines]

Brett,
True, there are at least a score of ways to set up a tarp. However, it is better to have one or two bomb-proof setups that you can do when exhausted, beat to your socks, near hypothermic, rushed by rain and in a high wind – stuff like that. Something that you can do without having to think about it and get under shelter quickly.

[darren stephens]

Thanks for all your help. I'm going for .340 aluminium poles for times when there will be no sticks or you shouldnt be using them.
As far as hiking poles go, ask any kangaroo, if you have a good set of legs, you dont need your hands.

[Channing Sze]

i'd second mike's "find-a-stick" approach.

it may depend on where you hike, but usually there more than enough sticks. :)

[James Pitts]

I have homemade trekking poles that I built from unidirectional pultruted CF rods. They are not adjustable but very light. At first I struggled at being able to use these to set up my tarp. For example, when the weather gets rough I like to pitch my tarp closer to the ground. That's something that you can't do without an adjustable pole.

…or can you?

I found a simple solution. I got a little piece of bicycle inner tube rubber, enough to wrap around the shaft of the pole. Then I would wrap this around the pole when I pitched my tarp at the point where I wanted my tarp tied off. Then I would attach the tarp line via a clove-hitch around the rubber. The rubber added enough friction to hold the clove hitch in place quite nicely.

Added bonus: The rubber makes an excellent fire starter. I carry a few 1cm square tabs in my fire kit. They are very light and once lit will not go out. Think "burning tires". It does make a litte smoke 'n stink! :)

[paul johnson]

James, nice dual use for the rubber. BTW, did you try using tape instead of rubber to prevent the guyline from slipping down the pole? If so, how did you find that it worked cp. to the rubber? Tape is an old tried and true method recommended by some of the Gurus of UL.

[James Pitts]

I wanted something that could be removed from the pole. I am not sure why I wanted that, but that's what I wanted at the time… you know how it goes. :)

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