I was looking for a simple way connect my trekking poles to pitch my Shangri La 3.
The shelter is great- 23.5 oz. and big enough for up to three people, but the telescoping pole it comes with weighs over a pound...way to ruin a light shelter!

I used:
18" of 1" tubular webbing (get it at a climbing shop)
2 double-sided hook and loop wraps


Insert pole tips into the tubular webbing (the bite of the carbide tip on the nylon holds it really well).


Wrap ends tight.


I can place 100lbs of body weight on this easy...I'm pretty sure the poles will break before the connection fails.
Everything weighs just under 0.8 oz.
I tried it with a shorter length of webbing, but 18" seems the minimum necessary to keep the poles from bending at the connection under heavy pressure.

Cheers.

Craig,
Nice job, your system appears to be the cleanest and most effective method I've seen.

Edited by thomdarrah on 01/10/2009 21:16:03 MST.

Brilliant!

Wow...that was easy. Kudos.

Good job. The pole overlap is around 12"?

Yes, the overlap is 12", with the pole tips inserted in ~3" pockets, totaling 18" of webbing.

Excellent! I'm definately going to use this. Nice and simple. :)

Variation on a theme...

Edited by greg23 on 01/11/2009 12:42:32 MST.

Wow, that's an awesome idea!

I use a piece of inner tube from a bike. The tube is slit and the piece of rubber is about 1" wide by about 12-15" long, very stretchy and strong. You wrap this around both poles in the middle of the junction, pulling the rubber tight, overlap each wrap. This was way stronger then the velcro shown, as we were using on a large tarp. Velcro just didn't have the holding power, as the multi wrapped poles did. The connection between the poles was much bigger, if you will, about 6 inches worth. Bike shops always have inner tubes that are scrap. Just another way.

Credit for insight and inspiration goes to Craig W.

Variation on a theme - For Foam Handled Ti Goat AGPs

I thought it better to connect handle to handle rather than tip to tip for a couple of reasons. First, placing my lipid covered, salted, foam handles at ground level just seems like inviting a small critter to shred them. Second, when I slant the pole for more interior room I can get much better purchase with the tip.



This is made of 3" flat webbing and some lacing, 12" end to end.

Edited by greg23 on 01/12/2009 16:12:12 MST.

A great idea, I currently use a section from an REI CF pole inside my Pacer poles, it provides a rigid support for my Shangri La 3, but it does add an extra 75 gms to the pack. See here for details (scroll down a bit). Admittedly though this arrangement seems much simpler and of course lighter.

Edited by rogerb on 01/14/2009 12:37:31 MST.

Simple Aluminum tubing (1.4oz) Strong, Dependable!
I could even cut the tube in half and save a few more grams.

Edited by Creachen on 01/14/2009 12:59:17 MST.

I tried the aluminum tube thing but could never get a connection that didn't wobble a lot. I guess I never found a tube that fit right. Probably unfounded, but I was a little concerned that the tube puts all of the stress on the plastic tips...but if it's working for you...It's nice and simple.
I came up with what I posted out of a "what can I do to solve this with what I have right now?" approach.

Hey Craig, The Aluminum tube is 38mm X 1.5mm. I was caught in a big Sierra thunderstorm with my Golite Hex and the connector w/two trekking poles and it worked great. (Very windy)

-Jay

Because my poles have the small baskets attached (I can't be bothered removing them) I just use the strap to connect them. Note that my strap is solid webbing not the spongy type.
I just need to undo one, loop it inside the other, shorten both of them and is done. To keep them together I use a long piece of double sided Velcro (about 2 feet) or just a piece of spare guyline.
Franco

Jay it looks like carbon trekking pole on your photo ?

i am considering a hex 3 type shelter and was afraid to use my Komperdell KC3 carbon poles like that.