View Full Version : My pole is icy.
Could use some cold weather tricks. The tent pole sections got iced, and had to melt them apart with the fingers. Seemed like a good way to lose some skin, if it had been a tad cooler. Must be a better way.:) Anyone tried a Bic?
Good tricks for dealing with the 5lbs of frost on a tent fly? (When you break camp early. Waiting for sun is not a viable option for me.)
Could use some cold weather tricks. The tent pole sections got iced, and had to melt them apart with the fingers. Seemed like a good way to lose some skin, if it had been a tad cooler. Must be a better way.:) Anyone tried a Bic?
Good tricks for dealing with the 5lbs of frost on a tent fly? (When you break camp early. Waiting for sun is not a viable option for me.)How about at the end of a day of hiking when you set camp and turn in that you break down the poles and place them in your sleeping bag with you?
brooklynkayak
09-23-2009, 10:10
How about at the end of a day of hiking when you set camp and turn in that you break down the poles and place them in your sleeping bag with you?
Break down the tent poles before you go to sleep?
warraghiyagey
09-23-2009, 10:44
Nothin worse than an icy pole. . .
How about at the end of a day of hiking when you set camp and turn in that you break down the poles and place them in your sleeping bag with you?
I think the OP was implying collapsing tent poles freezing up, but that would be a good solution for trekking poles TOW.
brooklynkayak
09-23-2009, 11:55
Nothin worse than an icy pole. . .
Get your mind out of the gutter;)
Let me rephrase. Broke camp at 26*F. Beautiful morning. Might have had the tent fly buttoned up too much, but the poles had a coating of ice. Had to melt the ice at the junctions to collapse them.
Looking for the easy way. If there is one. Because, I will do it again.:)
Gray Blazer
09-23-2009, 12:14
Nothin worse than an icy pole. . .
Which is worse? ED or IP?
brooklynkayak
09-23-2009, 12:28
Let me rephrase. Broke camp at 26*F. Beautiful morning. Might have had the tent fly buttoned up too much, but the poles had a coating of ice. Had to melt the ice at the junctions to collapse them.
Looking for the easy way. If there is one. Because, I will do it again.:)
If you use an alcohol stove, you could try putting a drop of alcohol at the joint. I haven't tried this but it works for frozen locks.
Rubbing the joint with a gloved hand could generate enough heat to partially melt the ice as well.
When I set up and extend the poles they would drag across the snow - and so I would try and wipe the joints down at night with a bandanna. I'm not sure if that helps me but I do it anyway. Logic being get the moisture clear early.
Normally I do as you say and warm the pole joints with bare fingers in the morning - but a couple of times I used a candle and so could keep my gloves on.
Also, if you used a Jetboil, wipe the moisture away thoroughly when done because a little ice does not allow the inner parts to be packed away with such small clearance.
Good Luck!
-bc
Get your mind out of the gutter;)His mind doesn't know there is an alternative! :eek: :p
Doughnut
09-23-2009, 13:45
If I put alcohol onmy joint, I probably wouldn't care if the pole was icy or not??
Dough Nut
Gray Blazer
09-23-2009, 14:33
If I put alcohol onmy joint, I probably wouldn't care if the pole was icy or not??
Dough Nut
Damn....
10 characters
flemdawg1
09-23-2009, 15:03
If I put alcohol onmy joint, I probably wouldn't care if the pole was icy or not??
Dough Nut
Sounds like a way to burn your eyebrows off. :eek:
Break down the tent poles before you go to sleep?
some of us are slower than others, my bad........:o
atraildreamer
09-23-2009, 20:06
You might try spraying the tent poles with WD-40 before you assemble them.
You can get a small WD-40 pen size sprayer which shouldn't add too much weight to your pack.
WD-40 (Water Displacement formula #40) One of the great inventions of modern times! :banana
Blissful
09-23-2009, 20:13
Never heard of tent poles icing - I guess it could if you are caught in freezing rain overnight.
I wonder if it would be possible to rub a piece of candle against the ferrule and get a wax seal around the tent pole to keep the condensation out. As far as that goes, a bit of lubricating wax applied to the ends of the poles may help disassembly in general.
You might try spraying the tent poles with WD-40 before you assemble them.
You can get a small WD-40 pen size sprayer which shouldn't add too much weight to your pack.
WD-40 (Water Displacement formula #40) One of the great inventions of modern times! :banana
This made me think of
I wonder if it would be possible to rub a piece of candle against the ferrule and get a wax seal around the tent pole to keep the condensation out. As far as that goes, a bit of lubricating wax applied to the ends of the poles may help disassembly in general.
this. I would worry about wax grabbing grit. Has anyone tried this?
shelterbuilder
09-27-2009, 10:08
Mudhead, instead of bare fingers, next time try holding the pole joint under your arm for several seconds. Even through your jacket or sweater, there's more heat available from your armpit than from your fingers, and if it's REALLY cold, you'll need to keep your fingers from freezing up, so you can do all of the other camp chores.
Thank you. Fine suggestion!
Tipi Walter
09-27-2009, 11:08
This has happened to me dozens of times. Before winter comes, I coat each pole joint with silicone lubricant that comes with my PUR Hiker pump to coat the pump handle. This stuff works good and stays in place for several long winter trips. WD-40 is a solvent and could wreck the drawcord inside the pole.
If the poles are stuck, I put the joint in my mouth between my lips and it thaws out real quick. Suckin' on a pole joint sounds a little haphazard but it works.
Have you tried wax?
Very thin layer of the silicone lube?
Tipi Walter
09-27-2009, 11:19
Have you tried wax?
Very thin layer of the silicone lube?
Candle wax would be a good field lube as I carry candles with me, but then again I also take a little tube of silicone. The silicone goes on with a little dab and rubbing it around. It works so well you'll be surprised by how the poles snap together and pull apart.
The next important subject in this vein would be: How to pack up a totally ice encrusted and frozen tent back into its tent sack. What fun.
Gray Blazer
09-27-2009, 22:56
I put the joint in my mouth between my lips
Isn't that where you are supposed to put it?
When I used to go ice fishing we would use vasaline on the tips. [of our fishing rods]
Another option would be unscented chapstick.