Duplex unattended without poles

[Patrick O’Neil]

Hey everyone heading out tomorrow on a four day hike with the duplex. Got two days of day hikes. I was going to leave the duplex and gear unattended. I will need my trekking poles and may not be able to find sticks to replace them.

Anyone have problems just staking everything out tight and putting rocks on the tent? Will it wet through if it’s in contact with my gear? I’m guessing not only condensation would be a problem and that only seems to happen in long heavy rains. I would most likely just skip the day hikes if that’s the case.

Any insight appreciated.

 

 

[Pedestrian]

I’d be concerned  about leaving a shelter out in the sun for an extended period of time. Further, consider the abrasion of the rocks against cuben…..might not end well if the winds pick up.

Why not just pack up the shelter and put in the pack?

 

[Patrick O’Neil]

It would mean taking everything with me. Sleeping pad, bag etc. With the notch I would bring the extra poles and leave everything inside. On occasion I even left the notch with rocks on top, no problem.

Is this thing a vampire? A couple of days in the sun will burn it?

[Kenneth Keating]

What’s the weather where you’ll be hiking?  Dry, with no possibility of rain?  Or is rain a good possibility?

[Patrick O’Neil]

Scattered showers Tuesday only chance 30%. Good weather until then.

[David Wiese]

The sun won’t be a problem for just a few days. These shelters see much more sun than that on any thruhike.

Your biggest risks are critters and other people who might want some new gear.

 

[Nick Gatel]

Do you really need the trekking poles since most of your will be at your campsite?

[Patrick O’Neil]

Yeah Creek crossings. Heading out now. Let you know how it went when I get back!

[Kenneth Keating]

If it rains and the tent is flat, there’s a possibility of items getting wet within the tent.  If were me I’d bring along a large contractor size plastic bag and put the tent with all items in the tent inside the bag for peace of mind. And with my luck, at least that way I’d know it won’t rain!

[Jenny A]

You don’t say where you are hiking, but one of the big concerns here in the Colorado mountains would be afternoon rainstorms and the often-accompanying wind.  I would never leave my Solplex collapsed with rocks on top – that seems a recipe for wet gear at best and a tent with multiple holes and abrasions at worst.  I have found the accessory carbon fiber tent poles to be an excellent investment – no worries about tent being blown around or having to set up again at the end of a long day.

There is also the possibility that some well-meaning hiker might investigate your collapsed tent and think that your gear was abandoned and either call SAR or “clean up” your camp for you.  Neither of those scenarios would be fun to come back to.

[Erica R]

I am subscribing to this thread.  I just remove my poles from the Hexamid twin and leave it set up and ready for my return all the time. It has about a 2′ tall profile that way. I do put the sleeping bag in the waterproof stuff sack. Food of course is hung separately. Despite keeping the food separate i do now have a small (repaired) mouse hole in the netting. What could possibly go wrong ;)

[Patrick O’Neil]

Hello everyone, finished the hike. It was at Slim’s river west in kluane. In the end I left it unattended only for a day and the campsite was pretty sheltered and I found sticks that worked. No rain thankfully. I’ll probably buy the accessory poles from zpacks but they are pricey.

Hi Erica how exactly does the hexamid stay at two feet high while you are away?

[Erica R]

Hi Patrick,

One downside of side entry tents is the low headroom. So, I always use the pull-outs to increase the headspace. i can put up to 50′ of Z-line on the pull-outs to reach nearby supports. These give more headroom than using stakes.

I think it is these pull-outs that keep the tent from collapsing completely when I remove the hiking poles.

Erica

[JCH]

I’ll probably buy the accessory poles from zpacks but they are pricey.

ZPacks may have changed their poles since I purchased a pair several years ago, but I was quite unimpressed with the ones I got (I have purchased a LOT of gear from ZPacks and these poles were the only thing I have ever not been completely pleased with).  The materials and construction methods used were simply IMO not up to their usual standard.

With very little effort you can DIY some poles that are far superior.  I have been very happy with them and will DIY any simple poles I need in the future.  It is similarly easy to DIY adjustable poles using the BD flick lock available separately.  Long since departed from this forum, and much missed, Bob Moulder produced a completely professional trekking poles with this piece.

[Ross Bleakney]

I’ve done it with other (similar) tents, but only in really good weather. It would be pretty easy for rain or dust to get in there. You suggested putting rocks on it, which is a good idea. That would prevent it from flapping around and getting dirty. But if I thought there was a decent chance of rain I would probably disassemble it, put it in a bag (with the fly on the outside) and then turn the bag over and set it on a surface that can drain. Same with the sleeping bag and pad. You could also just carry a big bag and put all the stuff in it, twist it up nice and neat, then hang it. Of course the big drawback is setting up the tent every day (you lose one of the nice things about base camping).

Another alternative is to just get one tent pole and use it. I bought a pair years ago for a TarpTent Squall 2 (when I didn’t carry poles). They only weigh two ounces a piece. Now I just carry one if I’m doing a lot of base camping. I can set up my Refuge X using one pole. It looks weird, and I wouldn’t want to sleep with it like that, but it is off the ground, and would handle a rain just fine (keeping everything inside dry). When I get back to camp, I don’t need to re-stake, but just adjust the lines a bit and put back the poles (I sometimes just leave the tent pole on one side with the trekking pole on the other).

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