rowanw91•5d agoRising Star

My tent pole snapped in half on the Lost Coast Trail last month

I was setting up camp near Big Flat when a gust of wind caught the fly just right. Heard a loud pop and my main arch pole was in two pieces. Had to MacGyver it with some duct tape and a sturdy stick I found, which made the tent look like a sad, lopsided mushroom. Slept that way for two nights before I could hike out. Anyone have a good fix for a broken carbon fiber pole section, or is it just a total loss?

3 comments

3 Comments

kim_davis5d ago

My last tent pole fix involved a chopstick and so much electrical tape it looked like a small animal had attacked it. Carbon fiber is basically a fancy splinter waiting to happen once it goes.

johnson.eva5d ago

Honestly, why even try to fix a snapped carbon fiber pole? That stuff is done once it breaks. Tbh you got lucky with your stick and tape fix, but that's just a band-aid. I'd never trust a repaired section to hold up in real wind again. Just bite the bullet and get a replacement pole section from the manufacturer, it's the only safe call.

blake_kelly195d ago

Hold up, that's not totally true. Carbon fiber can actually be repaired properly, it's just not a DIY tape job. There are companies that do professional splices with new carbon and epoxy. It's a real fix, not just a band-aid, and it can restore most of the original strength. The catch is it costs almost as much as a new pole section. So you're right about the stick and tape thing being junk, but a real repair is an option if you're attached to the gear.