Trek Poles as Spreader Bar?

[BillyBob58]

Another thing to consider: do you use your hiking poles to hold your tarp edges up as a porch, or for a Baker Hut? Or, something I have done a few times which completely solves the spreader contact with tarp problem: Grip clips on tarp, cord from GC to hiking pole and then down to ground. ( But, if a nearby tree or shrub is handy, you can just tie out to that.

Anyway, you loose these options if your hiking poles are used as spreaders.

[Peter_pan]

Grizz is right I do uses hiking poles.... LekiSport, Firn S to be specific... they are a two section pole that has a collapsed length of 35 inches ... From the basket to mid handle is right at 30 inchs, perfect length...Simply put the tip thru the corner ring and loop the wrist strap over the opposite ring and back on itself...near enough to staight compression that there is no side flex on the poles...FWIW the poles even came with some nice red, easy to see tip covers in shipping that I slip on to ensure there is no damage to my tarp or me if I bump into a tip...Those on the house tour at MAHHA 2010 and MRWH 2011 saw this set up.

Pan

[gnome]

I use ti goat colaps. poles, carbon fiber. epox. a dulled nail in both ends wrap with a couple rounds of dacron twine, with epox. the collapsed poles are about right for a spreader bar. I use the 1/2 inweb for the arcs. burn with a small nail, a hole prec. in the middle of the web where you wish the spreader to be. the small dull nails in the pole fit tightly into the holes in the web. The compression ergo all in line with the axis of the pole seems to work well, no bending or scary bowing. gnome , simple too. I like simple, I believe a pic may be in my gallery.

[finskie]

thanks pan. I'm not going to trade in my bds for lekis anytime soon, so I'll trust the manufacturer on this one. However, I would like to see that setup at the Pine Grove Furnace spring hang if you're in attendance.

[Wags]

i got the chance to see bombadil's BMBH today. it is a work of art!

[G.L.P.]

BomBadil you should do the grizz mod to yours...

[Wags]

Man what a freaking AWESOME hammock this is. Bombadil let me rest in it for awhile when i stepped away from the campfire to call my gf. It was great. Perfect night's sleep for a side sleeper. Totally flat and comfy...

[Mike_O]

I use ti goat colaps. poles, carbon fiber. epox. a dulled nail in both ends wrap with a couple rounds of dacron twine, with epox. the collapsed poles are about right for a spreader bar. I use the 1/2 inweb for the arcs. burn with a small nail, a hole prec. in the middle of the web where you wish the spreader to be. the small dull nails in the pole fit tightly into the holes in the web. The compression ergo all in line with the axis of the pole seems to work well, no bending or scary bowing. gnome , simple too. I like simple, I believe a pic may be in my gallery.

Gnome,

How much does your bridge weigh not taking into account the Ti goat poles?
I have a pair of those as well and love them.

[TiredFeet]

Be very, very careful using any spreader bar that has a curve to it.

The curve will introduce sideways forces on the spreader bar. The sideways forces can break the spreader bar.

In experimenting with bamboo spreader bars, we have broken a few. All of the ones that broke had a slight to pronounced curve. The curve leads to broken spreader bars in many cases.

We are now very careful in choosing bamboo for spreader bars.

[gnome]

Gnome,

How much does your bridge weigh not taking into account the Ti goat poles?
I have a pair of those as well and love them.

It is a cuben bridge, freeeeky lite, I will weigh it when I get back home..... 1/2 in hollow webbing for the arcs, Just be sure the axis of the stix are dead center with the compression of the H. I had no luck just tying the stix to use as spreaders, then they bow from unequal loads, compression is good, off center is not!!! gnome