35 miles of day hikes in Olympic National Park...

[sudden]

The Leki Wanderfreund poles I've modified and cut off the "cane" portion of the handle because it serves no purpose(more harmful to wrists than useful!) and I use those poles a lot in my tent-making.The poles are nice because they have a nice loop for tying line to and also a small hole above the loop that will fit a smaller fiberglass standard tent pole section.I can solidify two poles into an arch about 12"-24" and spread the bottom of the poles out to almost 45 degrees if needed,creating a front end of a tent.By using those I can eliminate quite a bit of weight in the tents I make and I always carry them anyway..or at least one..if I pack a smaller bivy style tent that only needs one.
My tents only require a maximum of about 12-16" of real tent poles,about 1oz..other than the trek poles,which weigh 8.5 ounces each(minus the rubber tips also).
The poles were a thrift store buy at $2 each..

I paid full price for them. To find a set for $4 was a steal.

I'm not ready to cut off the cane portion because I need a cane sometimes. Also, I was thinking it would make a good hook for grabbing limbs or roots when going up something steep although I haven't tried it.

Nice idea to double their use as tent poles. I was looking at bridge hammocks and thinking the same thing (could they be used a the spreaders on each end).

[realityguy]

I think some of the bridge hammock makers suggest using trek poles for the ends..why not!
The 'cane' handles are more of a nuisance when used for tents than anything and I found that I would count on them for getting up and down sasquatch sized steps on trails and ended up with sore wrists after hikes..so whacked them off and haven't had that problem since.
Those poles can be held several different ways now anyway and hiking down Hurricane Hill I just placed my palms over the tops and used my arms to relieve some of the pressure on my knees.

Just for reference..this tent uses a 11" fiberglass pole placed in the small wrist strap hole(very tight!) and you can see how much flex is in the setup to get the bottom of the poles out of the way of the center entrance of the mesh curtain...

[zelph]

Just for reference..this tent uses a 11" fiberglass pole placed in the small wrist strap hole(very tight!) and you can see how much flex is in the setup to get the bottom of the poles out of the way of the center entrance of the mesh curtain...

I got lost on the 11" piece placed in the wrist strap hole

[realityguy]

I got lost on the 11" piece placed in the wrist strap hole

look at the handle of the leki trek pole..it has a small 5/16" hole for a possible wrist strap.Then take an 11" long piece of fiberglass pole and shove it in that hole at one end.Take your other trek pole and shove it on the other end of the 11" piece of tent pole.Flare out the bottom points of the poles to 4' wide.You know have the tent's arch at the midpoint,12" on top and almost 48" at the ground point..look at the front ARCH of the tent at the bugmesh-door line..two trek poles with an 11" piece of tent pole between them.There are two small velcro straps connected to the tent that wrap around the handles at the top of the arch so it can't go anywhere or fall out.Capiche?

I also have the two GERRY Yearround tents that use two aluminum poles and a strange thick wire connector thingy that has a couple loops and go into the top of the poles to create the same arch.the tents weigh in at 4.5 lbs but I can eliminate some weight by using the trek poles and the same homemade arch piece and save probably 12oz to a lb...by leaving their support system at home.Notice the top ends of these two tents without the flies on..showing the wire arch pieces and poles..I can eliminate those on the trails by using my poles and a small piece of tent pole across instead...


One more picture showing the leki arch--->


This arch is about 48" at the bottom and 26" at the top.The total "pack" weight of the arch support for a tent (not counting the trek poles)is 15-1/2 GRAMS..using an aluminum arrow shaft which fits nicely in the two holes.Figure a 12" arch at the top would be a measly 7-8 grams to carry... .Figure normal fiberglass poles in this size weigh about 1oz per foot.If i needed the entire arch of fiberglass poles..figure 9 or 10' or 9-or 10 oz of pack weight..verses the 7-15 grams.

AND..one more way to look at this..If I redo the tent "poles"(1-11" and 1-15") for that green tent above,cutting one of these arrow shafts.I can get the entire pole system for that tent from one shaft.therefore my entire pole system for that tent will weigh in at 15.5 grams...can you beat that? For my smaller tent(1-12" pole,7grams) and the "larger beach chalet"(still need to work on that someday,the weight of the poles is zero...using trek poles for the major support...

[Ridgerunner]

Way to use existing resources,Cuz. Not only save weight but pack space. The hiking poles work great with that particular type of tent.

[zelph]

I got it now, I got it now thanks for the photo and explanation. clear as crystal

[realityguy]

One reason I avoid dome tents is that the weight of the poles is ridiculous.This weekend I found a good size camo coated nylon dome tent fly like new...I'm thinking I might cut it back into sections,cut off the arches into a slight cant cut instead and sew in back together again as a single "Golite shangrila" style tent..using two trek poles end to end as the center pole..and a small 4-5" long aluminum sleeve between the two points as my "pole" weight.Keep in mind that that tent could be used poleless with only a single tie point on top and leaving the inside wide open.I'd be including a new 7' across hexagon floor with a perimeter of mesh for completing the tent...single wall,two person in camo...
I've got another idea I want to try also..but I'll keep you in suspense on that until I complete the project...

[zelph]

What's your thoughts on this tipi type tent?

http://www.wyominglostandfound.com/

[realityguy]

That's basically what I'm thinking of in a hexagon,same as the tent was... but adding a floor with bugscreen on the perimeter for a couple reasons;of course to keep the bugs out;but also for an easier pitch(stake/stretch out the floor and just raise the center pole in place) and you can raise the tipi off the ground for better ventilation with the bug mesh holding it secure.I've had problems with setting up tipi type tents without an integrated floor..set it up and then you just gotta keep adjusting the sides of the thing,moving stakes to get the layout right.. until things get tight because there's nothing to signify where the stakes should be to make everything just right.If you have a floor connected to the tent..stretch out the floor that would be attached to elastic bands at the points to correspond to the seams on the tent.Crawl inside,place/stretch out the centerpole until everything is tight(or hoist a tie-off rope from over an above branch and tie it off) and you're done..no more adjustment needed.
Without a floor,the stakes need to be eyeballed or the tent setup and held upright by just the centerpole(and someone holding it),then go around it a few times to get things right..too much fiddle-faddle.
In better weather with the integrated floor,the tent sides can be stretched upward to allow a perimeter of air with the edges 4" off the ground and the mesh exposed keeping the bugs out.If the weather cools,drop the tent about 4" and batten down the stakes,takes about 1-2 minutes..
I could add a "Stretcher" hexagon of small 12-16" poles that would correspond to some tie-offs near the ceiling that would stretch out the single peak point to more like an umbrella inside,adding more headroom in the middle and adding the minimal weight of 6-small aluminum poles held up in space inside the tent(or outside)..and couplings at the corners.

It's too bad that website has so many pop-up windows..makes one want to leave FAST!

Also..I would think sewing one from a dome tent fly would be pretty simple.The exterior bottom corner stakeouts are usually already on the fly,and so is the zipper in place.It's just a matter of slicing the seam areas,and resewing those six new seams,reinforcing the middle top point for a pole point,maybe adding a couple vents of mesh near the top on two sides(or only one)with a cover from the material removed.Once that is pitched right and tight for testing,it's easy to measure for a floor,make it up to specs, and sew it just inside or to the bottom edge to keep water outside the mesh.Rain should just roll down the mesh even and stay outside the floor area which would probably be a little "bathtubbed" by the tight mesh.

[Ridgerunner]

I can't wait to see your camo TeePee, Cuz. I like your ideas but I think you need to make the floor a couple inched bathtub sides as I am not sure how water proof it would be with the bug netting in a serious downpour like you had a couple trips ago.