Extra poles for Dan Durston x-1-mid tent - modify?

[Joynz]

I’m taking my new Dan Durston x-1-mid tent out for a spin soon.

It’s a base camp and I may want to use my walking poles during the day after the tent is pitched.

In this situation, do people just leave their tent collapsed during the day and reinsert the walking poles at night when they return? Any risks to this approach?

Another approach is to buy a second set of poles. Here’s what I’ve found so far - happy for suggestions:

1) Backpacking light has 49 inch fixed length carbon fiber poles (52g each costs AU $60 each).But the tip on these is much longer than the tip on a trekking pole and I think they might damage the tent (there is a backing web above the insertion grommet but it’s not very wide so the longer tip could easily slip out). I found a rubber grommet at Bunnings that could work to shorten the length if slipped over the end, though.

2) Ruta Locura has adjustable poles - recommended by Dan Durston. They seem to have a trekking pole type tip - but they end up being a bit heavy/pricey (95g each for a 42 inch pole with adjuster, costs AU $86 each before postage)

3) Zpacks have 48 inch carbon fiber (71g each costs AU $42 each before postage) but don’t have a trekking pole tip.

4. Tarptents has 48 inch Easton aluminium (119g each costs AU $23 each before postage). A bit heavy also mentioned by Dan Durston.

5. Ali Express has various carbon fiber poles but they don’t seem to have trekking pole tips (rather have much larger/longer ends for 3f type tents as far as I can tell).

[Warin]

A cheaper option?
I have some walking poles off ebay -'enkeeo' 112g each with the rubber tip no baskets. ~$65 for the pair... and will do as a spare pair of walking poles if you break yours.

[coimon]

Any risks to this approach?

I've no experience with this approach but, depending on circumstances, would be wondering about what happens if the wind comes up or if wildlife make their way into the tangle of fabric. Tents are designed to shed wind when pitched, and a panicked animal might make a mess of a tent lying on the ground. Seem like fringe cases, though.

2) Ruta Locura has adjustable poles - recommended by Dan Durston. They seem to have a trekking pole type tip - but they end up being a bit heavy/pricey (95g each for a 42 inch pole with adjuster, costs AU $86 each before postage)

They are expensive, though I don't consider them heavy perhaps because I'm not a walking pole user. For what it's worth, I have a pair with adjusters for my Stratospire Li and have found them to be great once you manage to forget the price tag plus shipping.

[slparker]

Drop the tent during the day when you leave it but insert more pegs on the perimeter and/or some rocks on the perimeter and centre to stop flapping.
Alternative is to strike the shelter during the day if you’re really worried.
A second set of poles seems to negate the main advantage of a UL tent.

[keithy]

I'm in a similar situation to yours, Joynz.

I got X-mid 1 the other week and have decided to bring it to Patagonia with me. There will be a few days I will leave the tent and my gear at camp and daywalk.

With my other hiking pole tents on previous trips, I have improvised with branches. I had a windy day in the Azores on the island of Graciosa when I was heading to a campsite I was using as a basecamp. I found two bamboo poles that I whittled down to the right size and used them for 2 days.

Not sure relying on branches will work in Patagonia, so I've raided my other tents and have two poles of about 1.16m height that weigh about 78g each.

I was wondering if just bringing one pole along and setting the tent up with one pole for the day would work. Then on return I would set it up properly again with my poles.

[Joynz]

I’m not sure how stable it would be with one pole. Removing both poles and putting a small rock etc on top might work.

On the other hand, the Six Moon poles are very light and the grommet fix looks promising.

Another option is to get a cheaper pole without the point and use one of the ‘trekking pole cups’ that Zpacks sell so their tents can be erected with a trekking pole handle up. This means that you can use the poles with a blunt end. (You could also make one.)

Or use one six moon pole and one Rotu Locura adjustable pole to adapt to uneven ground and split the weight difference. Showing before and after with grommet added:

[keithy]

I was thinking like Dan's setup:

https://i.imgur.com/EpDrbQw.jpg

If I get the rectangle right both sloping sides should be pretty taut. and my main pack and gear will be inside as well.

Good idea on the grommet. I was going to use the rubber protector ends of my trekking poles and some tape to hold it together. Might pop in to bunnings with my pole and get one before I leave.

[Joynz]

Here is a picture of the grommet.

[Joynz]

I didn’t end up using extra poles for the tent - just took my hiking poles out and left it collapsed with a rock on it for the day. My biggest worry was that someone would drive over it so I placed a couple of logs in front.

Asked Rota Locura if their adjustable poles can be folded to around 12 inches/30 cm.

They recommended the poles they make for Dirigo - which fold down to around 30 cm long. (Later edit:: the folded length specified in the screen shot (7cm) appears to be a typo as pointed out in a post below).

These poles are 1cm wide and a bit heavy for me - but thought others might be interested:

[Mark F]

7 cm is impossible - just the connectors would be longer. The actual packed length is 33cm - there is a miscalculation from 13" to metric in the details provided.

[Joynz]

Yes, you’re right well spotted. I will edit my post.

[slparker]

For that price you could get a pair of BD 120cm carbon z trekking poles which are 300g a pair and also give you a spare pair of poles.

[Neo]

Just stuff the tent back into its sack and put a rock on top, or take it with you.
For the sake of a few pegs and blowing up the mattress, are you overthinking it?

[Joynz]

In the end, I just removed the poles for the day and left the tent ‘collapsed’ until
I got back.

[Bill P]

Hi Joynz,

I managed to explode a sleeping mat when I took a walking pole out and collapsed a tent and went for a day walk. I should have let some air out of the mat. It was a Klymit static v. Daytime temp was in the low 20's.

[Joynz]

Oh no!

Do you think it would have happened even if you’d left the poles in?

I purchased two Six Moon poles - just 52g each. They don’t pack super small (about 40 - 45 cm) but they are light and not too expensive (AU $119 for two).

[johnrs]

And folks
What would we better for the X Mid, 45" 114cm or 49" 124 cm carbon poles?
Thanks
John

[slparker]

124 cm but you will prob have to angle them.

[Ms_Mudd]

And folks
What would we better for the X Mid, 45" 114cm or 49" 124 cm carbon poles?
Thanks
John

Yep, I am with slparker on this one. My own walking poles are 114cm and we had to make carbon extenders to get them tall enough for a good pitch.

I used my X-Mid last night without walking poles for the first time. I bought 2x diy carbon fibre poles from a forum member who had made them for bike packing with his Xmid. I used them for exactly that purpose last night and they held up well. They weigh nothing (well close enough!) and are made with shock cord like tent poles, the person who made them got them just the right length so that they roll with the tent and fit in the bag too. Must PM them and say Thanks.

I was a bit worried as they seemed kinda 'flimsy' if I touched them insitu, but the pitch of the tent seems to mean there was no real pressure on them oddly enough even in some gusty winds as an afternoon storm rolled through.

Haven't spent enough nights in a tent of late, drought, bushfires and all that. Was so pleased to be out in the Xmid again finally.