Pole sleeves vs pole clips.

[bushwalker zane]

Hey happy campers,

A question recently came up in my mind, what is better on a tent, pole sleeves or pole clips? I don't really have a preference, I have used both systems and they both seem good.

Sleeves: They do distribute the tension of the fabric over a larger area of the tent, but are a bit awkward to use and if you have a poorer quality tent, can break.
Clips: Easy and quick to use, but put more tension on smaller areas of the fabric. They are also lighter than sleeves.

So, what do you all think on this? Have you had any bad experiences with either of these systems? Do you prefer one to the other?


I do ever so much love picking at your brains for your opinions
Zane

[Maelgwn]

Roger Caffin has some interesting things to say on the topic. And generally I agree:

http://www.bushwalking.org.au/FAQ/DIY_R ... htm#Attach

Tent Pole Attachment to Fly

I have listed the method of attaching the pole to the fly as a serious design issue, and this needs some explanation. You can put the poles into sleeves in the roof of the tent (the fly), or you can have the poles essentially free-standing. In the latter case the inner tent usually hangs from the poles by hooks, and the fly is thrown over the poles. The free-standing design sounds great and is used in lots of American tents, but it is a disaster in bad weather. If there is a strong wind the poles can slide around, twist into unintended serpentine shapes and let the tent collapse. That is, provided you were able to get the tent up in the first place. But in pouring rain this overall design excels as a rainwater tank. There you are with the inner tent spread out in the pouring rain while you put the poles into place. Only after the inner tent is at least partly up can you put the fly over it all. Now you get to bale the water out of the groundsheet. This design is suitable for some areas in America where they KNOW it is not going to rain for 6 months of the year; it is not suitable for the east coast of Australia.

However, if the poles go in sleeves in the fly all these problems are solved. The poles cannot move with respect to the fly, so the whole tent is far more stable. And you pitch the tent by spreading the whole unit out in one piece, even if it is pouring rain. After all, if the fly is on top, who cares if it gets wet? It is meant for this. Once the tent goes up the water runs off the fly, and the inner tent and groundsheet can be still quite dry.

The poles have to be anchored at the ends. This is normally done by having a 'pole foot' at each end, and this pole foot normally goes into an eyelet which is attached, somehow, to the groundsheet. You sit on the groundsheet, that keeps the poles in place, and that keeps the roof in place. You add guy ropes to stop the poles from moving too much, and to keep the poles down when you are not in the tent (and there is a howling gale blowing). A gross over-simplification of the whole matter, but never mind. It is also normal to tie the edge of the fly down at the pole foot too. Some use adjustable webbing for this; I use bungee cord. Both work fine, but the bungee cord makes it much easier to get the pole foot into the eyelets. If you want the lower edge to be very close to the ground for a snow tent, then you may have to do something different. Ideas for this are being tested.

[mattmacman]

Vaude has a somewhat unique pole system, the fly and inner are connected together and the fly uses quick clips to connect to the poles which are situated outside the fly, i know confusing right? The Vaude Power Lizard is a good example. I like the idea but in reality im not sure how well it would hold up to wind etc.

[bushwalker zane]

Hmm, it is quite interesting. What I've been looking at is a combination of both:


Hilleberg Staika

Down the bottom of the tent is a sleeve, then it clips up. Seems to me to be the best way, you get the strength and the speed. The only thing I can see as a problem with this method is that the sleeves could collect water.