Treking pole tent while exploring

[sbennett3705]

What's the advice for handling a tracking pole tent while exploring? When I set up a basecamp and then set off exploring for the day, the tent won't have any tent poles since I take the trekking poles with me. I want to leave an established camp, and putting pack in a collapsed tent looks silly and the wind blows it in every direction. Any advice?

[shawnterustic]

I pull the poles, leave all the stakes in, toss inside anything that i'm not carrying for the day, and pop some branches or rocks on top where it might be prone to flapping around - I've never had an issue doing this.

[Wandering Daisy]

If you take out the poles, stuff the sleeping bag and put clothing inside your pack or a waterproof stuff sack, or a big garbage bag. The performance of the tent without poles will always be uncertain. I would hesitate to put sticks on the tent. Smooth rocks would be better. If I may not be back to the tent before rain or set up at a very windy location, I leave the poles in. Almost always I just go day-hiking without my poles. I am usually carrying a fishing pole and do not have three arms. The poles on day hikes also get in the way of photography. I also like to get balance practice. It is important to me to have regular practice of walking without poles. I do miss my poles when I have to cross a stream.

I just bought a free-standing tent after over 5 years of using a trekking pole supported tent. The main reason is that I realized that my choice of campsites became determined by tent set-up issues and, the inordinate amount of time to set up the tent. I found that setting up a trekking pole tent by myself, in a wind or rain, was very challenging. Yes, I now will have to carry 6-8 more ounces. Yet, I doubt I will use my trekking poles day-hiking.

[rayfound]

I mean, The best option might be carrying an extra trekking pole or a dedicated tent pole for trips when this is the itinerary.

[Flamingo]

+1 to @shawnterustic's comment. I've been doing this for years. It's pretty nice to return to base camp, simply pop-in my trekking poles, and then... naptime! When I depart in the morning, I like to attach a note to my gear pile and collapsed tent, indicating the date and my itinerary, so people don't think it's abandoned gear.

And also beware: I noticed that my trekking pole tent has started to delaminate (it's DCF material), likely from UV exposure from dozens of trips. I've been told that leaving my tent under the baking sun isn't the best thing, and I can confirm first-hand its true.

[Gogd]

Yea, UV is an issue with many types of tent and pack fabrics. Ergo why I always cover my pack with a large black trash bag. It works!

If you are concerned with UV degrading your tent, leave the tent stakes in the ground, but pull the lines and roll the tent up to store in your pack. It takes minimal effort to reset your tent when you get back. If you just want to keep it from flapping, pack a lightweight line for securing the collapsed tent. Lace this line back and forth between the tent stakes, across the collapsed tent. That will keep it from getting blown around.

Ed

[shawnterustic]

Oooh - love the suggestion to use extra guyline to keep things from being too flappy when you're away!

[sbennett3705]

I just bought a free-standing tent after over 5 years of using a trekking pole supported tent.

I'm curious what tent you wound up with? Just completed a section of the PCT & Joshua Tree and did struggle a bit with camp site selection.

[Wandering Daisy]

I bought a Big Agnes bike-pack Copper Spur1. I really debated between the regular poles and bike-pack poles. My pack is a woman's small. I cannot pack regular polls horizontally without stressing the pack fabric and cannot pack the poles vertically with the bear can. I doubt anyone with a normal size pack would have those problems. The bike-pack poles are a bit tricky to put together and take apart- wish I had larger hands as the pole segments seem to have a mind of their own! The tent also comes with an extra sturdy bag that attaches to the handlebars of a bike. I am just using my old tent bag. My grandkids are big bikers, so I may eventually give them the tent. I have not yet used the tent but, I had an older CopperSpur1 for years and liked it.

Perhaps there are trekking pole tents out there that would also work better for me, but the Copper Spur was a "known quantity" and on sale at a very reasonable price.

Aside from the tent, while checking old gear this winter, both of my bivy-sacks had delaminated. I still prefer a bivy sack in some cases. There is no set-up and it fits anywhere. I still like to zip up out of the creepy-crawlies so am not inclined to cowboy camp.