Emergency Bridge Pole Repair

**hodad** · 03-10-2013, 16:38

We had a bridge pole failure at OA this weekend and made a temporary pole out of two hiking poles duck taped together. This might help you out in a pinch.

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**hodad** · 03-10-2013, 16:41

And here's the happy camper after a good night's sleep.

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**Acer** · 03-10-2013, 16:44

Why, do you think, was the cause of the bridge pole failure? Nice ingenuity in a pinch.

**hodad** · 03-10-2013, 16:51

I was sitting beside the hammock in a sling chair while Quinn was in it and pulled on one side to get up. The head pole just snapped. We need to find a stronger alternative to the stock poles, have been toying around with titanium but have not yet ordered from titanium joe. Will be ordering replacements from Warbonnet in the interim.
Despite the save, Quinn has forbidden his Dad (me) to go near his gear :-(

**hodad** · 03-12-2013, 19:47

Brandon is sending a replacement pole ASAP.
Very responsive.
Kudos on his customer service!!!

**hairbear** · 03-13-2013, 03:28

My home made bridge put alot of pressure on the spreader bar . To help in this area I put four of the insert couplings inside it at equeal distances . This doubles the wall thickness at places the flex would start. If you wanted the security ,while not minding the little bit of spreader bar weight added,you could double the full length giving much more strength.

**gmcttr** · 03-13-2013, 08:30

Originally Posted by hodad

...We need to find a stronger alternative to the stock poles...

Step up from the ~.625" WB spreader bars to the .742" poles at Quest Outfitters.

**egrant5329** · 03-13-2013, 08:44

What is your triangle length? It seems like people often shorten them up and that puts a lot of stress on the spreaders. I have the best luck with the triangle being at least as long as the spreader bar. I have used shorter, but that is how I broke my expensive carbon fiber spreader bars that I made.

I have used to poles and put a line through the sreaderbar tip hole and the larks headed it around each end. This worked pretty well.

**priller** · 03-13-2013, 09:04

Originally Posted by hodad

I was sitting beside the hammock in a sling chair while Quinn was in it and pulled on one side to get up. The head pole just snapped. We need to find a stronger alternative to the stock poles, have been toying around with titanium but have not yet ordered from titanium joe. Will be ordering replacements from Warbonnet in the interim.
Despite the save, Quinn has forbidden his Dad (me) to go near his gear :-(

You pulled on the pole itself? Definitely a no-no.....even looks like your boy is resting his arms on the poles?