SFP
Member
I am getting ready for my first back country trip of the year, hoping to head out on February 17 and back mid afternoon on Monday the 21. heading up Port Renfrew way on Vancouver Island.
While going through my gear I notice that the trusty Coleman adjustable poles I have been using for over twenty years have pretty much given up the ghost.
I decided I would search Google and Amazon as well as my regular places I source gear from (MEC, Taiga REI, Canadian Tire, Capital Iron, etc). For the most part the Coleman seems to be the go to.
I appreciate 7075 aluminum, titanium and carbon fiber - and hell tech has come a long way since I went looking for a set of poles.
I keep coming across stuff that is three, four and fives times the price of the trusty old Coleman one's. But reviews are not great on any of them. They leak/not great in rain, the plastic pieces brake, locking/unlocking systems fail, cheaper grade aluminum snaps/breaks in wind, etc.
example:
The machinist in me wants to build a kick-****** set, but I don't have easy access to a lathe and such these days, and well raw materials are not cheap these days either. (anyone buy lumber lately?)
I figure, I'd ask you experts what you recommend these days?
I need two, but eventually will grab four. The tarp(s) in question are a 10' by 10', an 8' by 8' and 10' by 8' - most times I tie off to a couple of trees but one doesn't always have trees to tie to. Yes I can tie to my roof rack, but I would rather not. Whatever brand they have to be able to handle rain, and by rain I mean Pacific Northwest rain (aka it may rain for ten days straight). They have to be able to handle wind gusts. A travel bag is handy but no required. Sturdy is way more important. Sometime I use the tarp as an extra layer above the ground tent, other times as a place to sit outside with some rain protection, other times I set up the tarp as a rain shade over the cooking/prep/eating area.
Yes I have thought of a mounted awning on my truck but heck have lived all these years without one, so can't justify the cost at this time. Yes I have seen the how-to's to make a custom set (and may end up going that way yet).
Do I just grab a set of the Coleman's and soak 'em down in machine oil/wax to protect them from the elements (has worked for years but ya can be a tad messy and sand and grim suck)?
Thanks in advance folks.
Scott
While going through my gear I notice that the trusty Coleman adjustable poles I have been using for over twenty years have pretty much given up the ghost.
I decided I would search Google and Amazon as well as my regular places I source gear from (MEC, Taiga REI, Canadian Tire, Capital Iron, etc). For the most part the Coleman seems to be the go to.
I appreciate 7075 aluminum, titanium and carbon fiber - and hell tech has come a long way since I went looking for a set of poles.
I keep coming across stuff that is three, four and fives times the price of the trusty old Coleman one's. But reviews are not great on any of them. They leak/not great in rain, the plastic pieces brake, locking/unlocking systems fail, cheaper grade aluminum snaps/breaks in wind, etc.
example:
The machinist in me wants to build a kick-****** set, but I don't have easy access to a lathe and such these days, and well raw materials are not cheap these days either. (anyone buy lumber lately?)
I figure, I'd ask you experts what you recommend these days?
I need two, but eventually will grab four. The tarp(s) in question are a 10' by 10', an 8' by 8' and 10' by 8' - most times I tie off to a couple of trees but one doesn't always have trees to tie to. Yes I can tie to my roof rack, but I would rather not. Whatever brand they have to be able to handle rain, and by rain I mean Pacific Northwest rain (aka it may rain for ten days straight). They have to be able to handle wind gusts. A travel bag is handy but no required. Sturdy is way more important. Sometime I use the tarp as an extra layer above the ground tent, other times as a place to sit outside with some rain protection, other times I set up the tarp as a rain shade over the cooking/prep/eating area.
Yes I have thought of a mounted awning on my truck but heck have lived all these years without one, so can't justify the cost at this time. Yes I have seen the how-to's to make a custom set (and may end up going that way yet).
Do I just grab a set of the Coleman's and soak 'em down in machine oil/wax to protect them from the elements (has worked for years but ya can be a tad messy and sand and grim suck)?
Thanks in advance folks.
Scott
