Aluminium Pole Tents

What an aluminium pole tent is

This range holds every tent whose poles or frame are aluminium, whether the maker writes aluminium or aluminium alloy. Aluminium is the strongest pole for its weight, which is why it is on most tents you carry. Under a heavy load it bends before it breaks, where fibreglass can crack, and a bent section can often be splinted and used until you get home. The ones whose makers call it an alloy are also gathered in aluminium alloy pole tents.

The kinds in this range

• Backpacking tents: a 2-person double layer tent with aluminium poles weighs around 1.85kg, and a single-person tent about 690g. See backpacking and trekking tents.
• 4-season and hot tents, such as the Widesea winter tent with folding aluminium poles at about 2,500g, and tipi hot tents on one aluminium centre pole. See 4-season tents.
• Family tents: one 5 to 8 person tent with two bedrooms stands on 16mm aluminium rods with iron brackets. See family tents.
• Bubble and geodesic domes on a rigid aluminium frame, for gardens and glamping sites. See bubble tents.
• Roof tents and vehicle awnings with aluminium frames. See car awnings.

Pole thickness and what the numbers mean

Many descriptions give the pole's diameter. A thicker pole is stiffer and heavier. The 2-person tents here mostly use 7.9mm or 8.5mm poles, a 4-season hot tent 10.2mm, and the big family tent 16mm rods. A number such as 7001 is the grade of aluminium alloy, not a size. For a tent you carry, thin poles save weight; for a tent that faces snow or strong wind, thicker poles keep their shape.

Looking after aluminium poles

Each pole is sections joined by an elastic cord inside. Push every joint fully home before you bend the pole into place: a half-seated joint is where poles split. Fold them from the middle out, so the cord wears evenly. Dry them before storing, and carry a repair sleeve: several tents here include one, or a pole repair kit. Spare sections are in tent poles.

Questions people ask about aluminium pole tents

Are aluminium poles better than fibreglass?

For a tent you carry, or one used in wind and cold, yes: lighter for the same strength, and they bend rather than snap. For a summer campsite tent, fibreglass does the job for less. See fibreglass pole tents.

Will an aluminium pole break?

It can, under a hard gust or a slip. More often it bends, and a repair sleeve slid over the bend gets you through the night.

Is the bubble tent frame the same as a pole?

No. It is a rigid frame that is put together once and left standing, not folding poles.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when that tent usually arrives, so check it before ordering for a set date.

More to look at

• Aluminium alloy pole tents
• Fibreglass pole tents
• Backpacking and trekking tents
• 4-season tents
• Tent poles
• Tent repair kits
• Guide: Tent poles: aluminium, fibreglass, steel and air beams