contrail tent poles

[leprechaun]

I'm planning on using my Tarptent Contrail for my 09 thru, and now I am looking at trekking poles. Has anyone used fixed length poles with the Contrail? I like fixed poles slightly better, but I'm worried about alternate pitches for different weather conditions with the fixed length pole. I like the way I hike with fixed poles, but I really like to be able to be more versatile with my shelter, any thoughts?

[Quoddy]

With a "normal" Contrail height of 45" it's possible that you'll be using poles close to the length you'd usually need. If they're longer it's no problem since most of us Contrail users angle the pole slightly for better access anyway. Check the length of your poles and determine whether they'll be useable or not. Obviously you need only one, unless you dual pole the front. I actually like an angled single pole better with the tip into the grommet.

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/1/6/6/8/2Pole-1.jpg

[garlic08]

I used adjustable poles for hiking, but I always used one at the same length every night to pitch the Contrail (about 3 cm shorter than my preferred hiking length). I never wanted to adjust the pole length for different conditions or terrain. If your pole is right length, there's no need to have an adjustable one for the Contrail.

[Franco]

Leprechaun
Another not obvious advantage of adjustable poles is that if during the night the tent sags a bit due to rain or lower temperatures, you can re-set it from the inside just by lifting the pole up. Another way of doing this, but less secure, would be to put something like a boot under the pole .
Franco

[BrianLe]

I agree with Franco about it being nice to be able to tighten up the tent from the inside by raising the peak point (where the pole goes in). But if your fixed-length pole is long enough, you can do this by just shifting the base to make it stand up straighter. I have adjustable length poles, but I almost always max out the length of one pole for the night so as to use it at an angle, and when I later want to raise the peak a little, I never bother to adjust the pole length --- much easier to just shift the base of the pole towards the middle of the tent opening.

I expect that something like a boot under the pole base would work fine too, if sufficiently stable, but if your pole is (or can be) sufficiently long then no need.


Brian Lewis
http://postholer.com/brianle