What shopping by poles is for
The poles decide how much a tent weighs, how it stands up to wind, how fast it pitches and how easy it is to mend. This group sorts tents by the frame their makers name in their own descriptions. Some tents mix materials, such as steel poles with fibreglass rods, so they appear in more than one range.
The pole ranges
- Aluminium pole tents are every tent on aluminium poles or an aluminium frame, alloy or not: light, strong poles that bend before they break, the usual choice for a tent you carry. See aluminium pole tents.
- Aluminium alloy pole tents are the ones whose makers call the poles or frame an alloy. See aluminium alloy pole tents.
- Fibreglass pole tents have cheaper, heavier poles that flex well but can crack: fine for pop-ups, the beach and the campsite. See fibreglass pole tents.
- Steel frame tents are heavy and stiff, for big tents that stay put, and for pop-ups on a spring steel frame. See steel frame tents.
- Iron frame tents use iron pipe, bars or brackets, mostly on big, heavy tents. See iron frame tents.
- Air beam tents have no poles: tubes pumped up with air hold the tent up. See air beam tents.
How to choose a frame
If you carry the tent, choose aluminium: it is the strongest for its weight. If the tent goes in the car to a campsite in summer, fibreglass does the job for less, and a pop-up's spring frame saves the most time. For a big family tent that goes up once and stays for a week, a steel or iron frame is stiff and steady, and an air beam tent is the quickest of the big ones to pitch. In winter, aluminium is the safer choice, because fibreglass gets more brittle in the cold.
Aluminium or aluminium alloy?
These two ranges hold the same metal. Every aluminium tent pole is an alloy: aluminium mixed with small amounts of other metals, such as zinc, to make it strong enough. Numbers such as 7001 and 7075 name the alloy. Some makers write "aluminium poles" and some "aluminium alloy". So aluminium pole tents holds every tent on aluminium, and aluminium alloy pole tents the ones whose makers use the word alloy.
Questions people ask about tent poles
Can I replace a broken pole?
Yes. Several tents here come with a pole repair sleeve, a short tube that splints a break. For a new section, see tent poles.
Which poles are best in wind?
Aluminium bends and springs back. Whatever the frame, peg out every guy line.
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.
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