A couple weeks back i broke out my beloved old Kelty 4 season tent and went out for an over-nighter just to make sure the moths hadn’t eaten it and test some other new camping equipment. It was a wonderful night outdoors and out of the house.
Everything worked great but my old tent is showing its age. It’s gotta be coming up on 30 or 35 years old now. The shock cords inside the poles had fossilized and one actually broke. They all need to be done. Modern tent poles are made to come apart so you can replace the shock cords if they get cut or damaged. The old tent poles are not. The come apart on the last segment that fits into the peg outs on the tent…but not the other end. The shock cord is embedded inside the pole on the opposite end with some kind of RTV or epoxy.
I was just going to order new cord and epoxy the running end in the last segment much the same way it was built… but do any of you have any better ideas?
They slot together in the standard fashion… but if
I get the least bit sloppy with the epoxy…
That pole is ruined.
If any of you old hands have a better idea… I’m all ears. I’d hate to throw the tent out. It’s not worth anything and I’m thinking of gifting it to the kid’s club at the li’l chapel out in the country. But it does have lots of memories and sentimental value for me. Back when I bought it hardly anyone did winter camping around here. It was great to get away with the wife, Mort and Macey and we spent many great weekends just hanging out at the campsites. With nobody around I’d break out the .22 and start shooting crackers for targets. They’re biodegradable - assuming the magpies don’t get them first.
Bah. If I don’t hear from ya and I botch the repair I’ll just throw it out. It’s funny, the way a guy gets attached to everyday things that others take for granted. I’ve got a plain, unremarkable 80 or 90 year old enameled tin cup my grandmother gave us. It was in her porcelain tea cup collection where she had fine China cups literally fit for royalty. It was a prideful and elegant collection and I asked her why she had it in with the other stunning cups. She just shrugged, thought about it, and then gave it to me. “I used it to scoop kibble for the dogs, long ago.” Today it’s still on the job. It served Sled Dawg Sally, Macey, Mort and now the Niglet Bed Hog and the Bag Biter! I have no one to give it to so it’ll probly get landfilled too in time I suppose.
Bah! The weather has me down today. In typical March fashion, it’s coming in like a lion. Warm and cold air masses are duking it out in the stratosphere and temps are all over the place. We got beautiful weather yesterday that ended in mid-afternoon with a snow squall. I am so ready for spring…
😞
Just buy a set of replacement poles that you can trim one to fit overall length if needed.
ReplyDeleteCut the ends off at the pin close as possible, re string and knot those ends. Pole will be only slightly shorter, use an piece of repair tube at one end to make up what was cut.
ReplyDeleteChutes Magoo
First, please don’t write or speak publicly about the weather making you feel down (aka, Seasonal Depression). Its been all over the news down here in the States how Canada treated the other fellow who suffered that. And since you don’t seem to have any men from the previous generation in your life to snap you out of it, I’m going to say “Man up!” Than something else motivational about it being worst for some starving kids in Africa and/or having to walk to school uphill both ways.
ReplyDeleteAs for fixing your poles, use a stick to add the epoxy into the first pole and coat the insides. Then insert the second into that. Won’t get all over that way.
Sorry, my inner Biden kicked in and I’m not sure where I was going with all that.
So grab the pups and go for a walk. It won’t solve your problems, but you will end up a little happier. That always works for me.
I hope you have a blessed day!
Better still, try to patch it knowing if you blow it that you then can buy new poles.
ReplyDeleteUsually, the cord only serves to keep the segments as one assembly when the sections are disconnected. There is a bit of utility to the cord maintaining connection during tent emplacement, but it is not normally a necessity. Try it without the shock cord. If all works well, you can color code the segment to their group. Alternatively, you may be able to use an external tether set up if the pole channels allow.
ReplyDelete1. Make some tight sleeves out of the appropriate diameter (snug fit) of poly tubing. Slip them over the joints as you set up. Use some wire to crimp/twist over the sleeves if need be. Best for multi-day setup. 2. Do a search for your tent and see if aftermarket replacements are out there.
ReplyDeleteThis worked for me with my 90's Alaskan guide, new poles and fly (sunburned to hell from winters at Death Valley/Saline Hot Sprgs.) Still camp-worthy after almost 30 yrs.
I feel the same about some of my gear, the older stuff lasts.. new stuff breaks in a year. I have a some items 10+ years old, still going but the new version died in a year and is way more money.
ReplyDeleteExile1981