MSR Hubba Hubba NX - Tent Pole Elastic Cord wear

[Uncle Joe]

So I can count on one hand the number of times I've had my MSR HHNX setup. I took the grand-youngin' camping this weekend and thought I'd use it and not try to hang. When setting it up I found the cord that strings the poles had very little shock left in it. I know they can't last forever but this tent has been used very little and is maybe 2 years old. Anyone seen this with other MSR tents?

[Venchka]

Welcome to the club. Similar age and amount of use. As soon as I find the correct box, my poles are headed to Seattle.
I have a similar set of poles from the mid-90s, also made in Seattle, that still have all of their shock left in the shock cord. If I get any grief from MSR I will mention my older but still functional Seattle poles to them.
Wayne

[Kittyslayer]

Not an MSR tent but I always fold my poles the same way.

First in half, then in half again, then finish up. My shockcord last a long time and I think my method helps with that by not overstretching one part of the shock cord.

I see others who start at one end of the pole and start folding it up a section at a time. By time you get to the end folding over the last section the shockcord is going to be stretched to its max because earlier folds of the pole used up a lot of the stretchy parts of the cord. Like all elastic materials, there are only so many lifecycles in the expand/contract material.

[Uncle Joe]

Not an MSR tent but I always fold my poles the same way.
First in half, then in half again, then finish up. My shockcord last a long time and I think my method helps with that by not overstretching one part of the shock cord.
I see others who start at one end of the pole and start folding it up a section at a time. By time you get to the end folding over the last section the shockcord is going to be stretched to its max because earlier folds of the pole used up a lot of the stretchy parts of the cord. Like all elastic materials, there are only so many lifecycles in the expand/contract material.

That makes sense. The problem is that this tent, like so many modern designs, has a bit of a convoluted pole design with multiple angles. It would take a bit of thought, not to mention a keen memory, to plan out a consistent folding technique. The Hubba Hubba essentially has 2 Y's that converge end-to-end with a single crossbar in the middle.

[nsherry61]

FWIW, my 4 year old BA copper spur pole elastic has pretty much given up the ghost on elasticity with relatively light use. It's poles have always, without exception, been folded from the middle (or almost middle when there in't a true middle) out. My 1995 tent from the Canadian REI (MEC), which has been used much more and is much older, still has fully functioning elastic.

I need to contact BA on this since I don't find this level of failure to be acceptable.

[Venchka]

I just got my 1994 vintage Garuda Atman tent out of the closet. The shock cord in both pole assemblies is good as new.
The main poles are in 3 sections. No middle. There goes that theory.
Wayne

[Venchka]

Ditto on a pair of The North Face tents. One from the 1970s: the shock cord was fine when I returned it to The North Face in the late 1980s because the fly coating was flaking off. The replacement tent’s shock cord was fine a couple years ago when I borrowed it from a friend.
New isn’t always better.
Wayne

[Uncle Joe]

Well MSR has replied with the procedure to send them in. It's something they do as a "service." They didn't give a price so I'm assuming they're comping this. I guess if they bill me I can recoup that money when I sell the tent. Not that I was planning to.

[nsherry61]

. . . It's something they do as a "service." . . .

I'd make sure to ask them if they are going to be restrung with a better elastic or if you need to plan on returning them for service every two years.

[Venchka]

I'd make sure to ask them if they are going to be restrung with a better elastic or if you need to plan on returning them for service every two years.

Along with the rainfly. The 2019 model tents are supposed to have a leakproof seam construction that eliminates the seam tape that is prone to falling. Now they tell us.
It sounds like someone at MSR was rummaging through Bill Moss’s papers and rediscovered his no leak seam process.
It’s always something.
Wayne

[Franco]

I have had two tents where the shock cord failed, one had been used a bit but not often, the other was assembled probably less than 20 times.
The cord failed in a similar manner after maybe 7-10 years.
The pole manufacturer was the same as the one used in that MSR tent and some if not all of the BA tents .

[Feral Bill]

I have read that poles should be stored assembles, limiting cord stretch and wear. Not going to happen.

[rmitchell]

I have read that poles should be stored assembles, limiting cord stretch and wear. Not going to happen.

I had the same thought. Problem is not in use but in storage.

Not practical to store assembled unless you have lot of space. Especially for MSR style poles with the Y shaped hubs.

Likely something has changed in the elasticity of the material. At least it's not a critical failure. Just annoying like worn waistband in underwear.

[George]

not that tough to restring shock cord - less of a PITA IMO than packing and shipping

[j_jones84]

My Hubba NX has also lost the elastic. Was this comped or were you billed?

[Venchka]

My Hubba NX has also lost the elastic. Was this comped or were you billed?

My Hubba Hubba NX poles are boxed and heading to a shipping shop in the morning. I’ll post the outcome when I know something.
Wayne

[Venchka]

My Hubba Hubba NX poles are boxed and heading to a shipping shop in the morning. I’ll post the outcome when I know something.
Wayne

My equipment is on its way back from MSR. I won’t know what they did until I open the box. MSR has not asked for money. More information when I have the package in hand.
Wayne

[TNhiker]

My equipment is on its way back from MSR. I won’t know what they did until I open the box. MSR has not asked for money. More information when I have the package in hand.
Wayne

im betting its new poles.....

[Venchka]

Probably. I couldn’t figure out how to get the Hubba Hubba NX poles apart. I would be excited if they replaced the steel Moss clone Wing poles with aluminum.
It’s like Christmas.
Wayne

[blw2]

not that tough to restring shock cord - less of a PITA IMO than packing and shipping

I was kinda thinking the same thing....based on the poles I have experience with. Maybe these are different though.

Assuming these are user serviceable, I'd rather just spend a few minutes some evening restringing with a much better grade of cord.


My first thought when reading the beginning of this thread was to ask, "is this really a problem? how were the poles stored?" I recon storing them in an attic, for example, the higher temperatures might explain premature failure of the elastomers