Glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) poles
Glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) – also known as fibreglass –is a popular material for tent poles because it is relatively cheap to produce, lightweight and bends easily around the curves of a tent. It is often found in small- and medium-sized dome and tunnel units or as extra poles (over a porch or similar) in larger ones.
GRP is made from thin glass strands held in a resin. Some such poles are surrounded by an outer wrapping and appear under a brand name, such as Durawrap or Dynaflex. One disadvantage of the material is that when a pole breaks or fractures – and they can do, especially if they are accidentally mis-threaded in a sleeve – the break can have sharp glass splinters.
Steel poles
Steel
Steel tent poles are generally painted, plated or coated to prevent them rusting, and need to remain that way. Steel is a strong, heavy material, so you will normally find these poles in larger tents, and they are not designed to bend around the curves of a tent.
If your chosen tent has steel poles with angled corners, check the thickness of the material at these corners because they can be weak points. An accidentally-bent steel pole can often be straightened, but it will never have all the strength of its condition before the incident.
Aluminium alloy poles
Aluminium alloy
Aluminium is a much lighter metal than steel and it can bend around curves like GRP. For extra strength aluminium is combined with another metal to form an alloy.
These materials are more costly than GRP but the strength and weight saving (over steel) mean they are often sold with lightweight, backpacking tents.
And also…
At the top end of the market, you willfind poles in hi-tech materials. Carbon fibre ones, for example, are incredibly light, strong and perfect for the curving structures of many tents, but command a high price.
Carbon fibre poles
And finally…
One advantage of buying a slightly more-pricey tent from a well-known supplier is that you are likely to be able to buy a replacement part if you accidentally break or tear something. During our tent testing at the Club we expect to break at least one pole every season – so it is not as unusual as we may hope!
Replacement poles, pole sections and end caps (known as ferrules) are normally available from your local camping equipment retailer, or a specialist spares stockist such as www.tentspares.co.uk.
If replacements are no longer available for your particular tent model, you can normally buy a standard piece of pole with the correct diameter and cut it to length.