aluminum vs fiberglass tent poles

[Balinor]

I am in the market for a small 2,3,4 man tent maybe a dome unsure at this time but my question is : fiberglass poles better then aluminum any thoughts please.
This is going to be used for occasional camping but could be used for a shtf. ( i am not very outdoorsy but working on it)
I am going with a few people on a practice run in a couple of months and would like some suggestions on tents but i am going to be carring it on a pack so weight is an issue.
Thanks for the ideas.

 

[360]

Fiberglass is lighter, and more durable.

My body is too old to lay on the ground anymore. I need a Holiday Inn Express.

 

[shibumiseeker]

The best quality, lightest backpacking tents use aluminum poles. For a 2-4 person tent of good quality you are going to pay $250-400 new. Paying less than a hundred does not get you anywhere near the realm of quality. The difference comes in weight, longevity, and resistance to weather.

The question you always need to ask yourself when buying survival gear is: "Will the price difference make any difference when I am suffering through a cold wet night?"

 

[Balinor]

any suggestions then on a 2,3,4 man light but good and 400 is my max budget?

 

[360]

I was gonna suggest Winnebago, but I don't think that fits your budget.

 

[shibumiseeker]

any suggestions then on a 2,3,4 man light but good and 400 is my max budget?

That's a complex subject. It's like buying a car almost. Really, I'm not trying to blow you off, but it's got a lot of variables and there's no good answers. I go through this every time we get a new tent (we own like 9 or 10). 3 season or 4? Freestanding or staked? Vestibule? What type of use, how far from the car, what kind of terrain. And so on and so on. Some tents look really good in the catalog and the specs look great and you find out they are not so great in person. My advice is to start your reasearch at REI's website and look through the selection and read through the comments on each one. Then go and see if any local stores have one you can play with (and if you find one you like, please support your local store, even if it costs a few bucks more). Then maybe come back here and ask questions about specific tents.

 

[bigus_D]

I have a great 2-man tent for backpacking... it is a few years old, but is in good shape. I can't remember the make/model right off hand, but can figure that out for you if you are interested.

I have upgraded to a 3-man tent (because my wife & dog didn't fit in the 2-man). And would be interested in selling this 2-man tent... I'm located in Indianapolis and would gladly set it up for you to check out if you are interested.

 

[kludge]

A bunch of our Scout tents are Alps and they are pretty nice. All have aluminum poles I think, the flys come all the way down with vestibules, reasonable prices compared to similar tents from Eureka! etc.

ALPS Mountaineering - Camping Gear

I got a 3-man (not really - 7'x9' - very comfortable for two) from Dick's last summer for my new Scout. It's not as light or as good as the Alps, but it appears it will last, and has more room than the typical backpack tent. The fly is minimal, but if rain is expected we'll hang a big tarp over the top.

I think I paid $30 on sale end-of-season.

Quest Eagles Peak 8 x7 Tent - Dick's Sporting Goods

Looks like they chopped a foot off it to keep the price down.

My son and I just spent Friday night in the tent (13 degrees, 0 wind chill) and the minimal fly was indeed noticeable, but with double layer sleeping bags, foam pad underneath and a ski mask, the only part of me not toasty warm was my nose!

 

[CopperWires]

I bought a Eureka Zeus. I like it a lot but you really have to look at all the specs and find one that fits you. Just like buying a gun.

 

[Ashkelon]

I have a Kelty 2 man with Fibergalss poles that has seen A LOT of miles and adverse conditions in 20 plus years. Zipper on the tent just broke this summer due to a 4 year old's abusing his new "clubhouse" next to the river.

I recently bought a NEMO brand with aluminum poles with lots of mesh but a coonhounds stupidity for not being able to tell when flaps are shut can just play hell with the mesh.

IMO the fiberglass are more sturdy but aluminum is lighter. I find there are more considerations than tent poles when trying to decide. Check out REI and Backcountry.com to help in the selection.

 

[rooster007]

There are alot of good tents out there . Actually bought our last one at Kmart on a year end close out . Full fly seals up very nice , good head room ,re watersealed the bottom seams to to be safe . What every you decide on aluminum or fiberglass , take one section of you poles to the hardware store and get a couple of small close nipplesabout three inches long just big enough to slide over your poles , just in case one gets bent or broken I've even used short sections of copper tube for emergency repairs . Just a quick cheap repair .

 

[quiggly]

I have blown out way too many fiberglass poles. Granted these were all on the cheaper tents.

Aluminum are much more sturdy for me but you do have to be careful not to bend them.
Your higher end tents are usually aluminum poles.

I personally carry a mountain hardware tent or a north face bivy. I always carry a tarp with the bivy just in the case of rain.

My next tent to look at was going to be the msr hubba hubba as I mostly camp in good weather.

As everyone else has said. Its a personal choice. I like the campmor website. They have some good sales. Along with REI, EMS has a really nice online presence. I haven't found the local selection to be nearly as good as the online selection unfortunately.

 

[RandyN2075]

A well taken care of $40-$50 tent from Walmart can beat a $400-$500 tent that isn't properly cared for. I was fortunate to have a family that loved the outdoors but couldn't afford the luxuries of motor homes and 5th wheels. We spent many years in a canvas coleman tent that my dad still has today (some 35 years later)...we never put it up wet, always dried out our sleeping bags and made sure our lanterns only needed fuel the next time we needed to light them.....Buy a reasonably priced tent and take care of it....it should last you a long time...care for your gear and it will be ready when you need it.

 

[shibumiseeker]

A well taken care of $40-$50 tent from Walmart can beat a $400-$500 tent that isn't properly cared for. I was fortunate to have a family that loved the outdoors but couldn't afford the luxuries of motor homes and 5th wheels. We spent many years in a canvas coleman tent that my dad still has today (some 35 years later)...we never put it up wet, always dried out our sleeping bags and made sure our lanterns only needed fuel the next time we needed to light them.....Buy a reasonably priced tent and take care of it....it should last you a long time...care for your gear and it will be ready when you need it.

While the advice to take care of your gear for maximum life is true in general, it's not true that cheap tents are anywhere near good quality ones. I have cheap tents and I have good quality tents. In my life I have owned perhaps 30 tents. Our little family currently owns so many tents we aren't exactly sure how many we have, 9-10 for sure. Ranging from cheap to expensive ($50-300) I also own a company that manufactures outdoors textiles, so I well understand the differences in quality and more important, application.

I use a cheap tent for car camping. Where if it fails the consequences are no big deal. I take my better quality tents out where weight and reliability do matter. All things considered, good quality stands up better to abuse and is less likely to fail when subject to abuse. It's also less likely to let you down when you need it most. Any tent will work well when the weather is pleasant. Cheap tents will NOT work when there is a 40mph driving wind and rain.

I'm a cheap bastich at heart, I don't believe in paying extra just for a name or a fancy feature. But I do believe heavily in paying for quality if you are going to be relying on gear.

 

[CopperWires]

I agree. A cheap tent is great for car camping and possibly light rain. If weight is a factor, or extreme conditions are unavoidable, you can't beat a good quality tent.

 

[hickuleas]

Sierra Designs makes a really good product. They assemble very easy with what they call clip lok. Which allows the clip or hook to clip onto pole instead of feeding through sleeve on tent. I have used fiberglass poles exclusevely for 20 plus years and have never had a prob. The best high end tents i have seen use fiberglass. Reserch the Sirra Designs tents and you will buy one. I am still using some of there tents that are 20 yrs old. To you question you won't break a fiberglass pole unless you slam your car door on it.

 

[Coach13]

Aluminum poles only. Fiberglass are heavy, poorly made, and brittle over time and in any cold.

I used to test gear for Marmot and Mountain Hardware. Trust me, easton alum and full flies only. For smaller packing tents for shft, 3 season convertables like the Marmot Hoot or Swallow are best.

 

[chraland51]

My suggestion would be to find one of the surplus Eureka 2 man, 4-season tents. They come in two bags and would be a little heavy to be carried by one person. I have used mine several times by myself and find it to be of very good quality. I liked this tent so much that I also acquired the Eureka 4 person, 4-season Outfitter tent of the same design only for civilian use. Unless you are small in stature, you would want to halve the number of people that they say can go into these tents comfortably.

 

[Dr Falken]

Quality isn't always out of reach because of price either. Check craigslist and other sites to find better quality, used gear. We bought a 3 person Mountian Hardware tent for $120. It is a great tent, has some wear, but because of the quality of parts and manufacturing, will give us many more years of wear, and will hold up better in a storm, because it was designed for it, with tensioning straps and extra tie downs, and a full fly and vestibule(sp).

 

[den57]

I would go with one of these with a backpack stove.

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