My tent pole snapped in the Smokies, do you repair or carry spares?

So last weekend on the Appalachian Trail near Clingmans Dome, the middle section of my pole just gave out on me around mile 6. I had to rig it with duct tape and a stick for the last 3 miles to the campsite. It got me thinking, is it better to pack a repair kit with splints or just carry a spare pole section like some folks do? What do you all do when gear fails mid route, fix it quick or always have a backup on hand?

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2 Comments

roses692mo ago

Duct tape and a stick is basically the Appalachian trail repair kit anyway lol. I just carry a couple tent pole repair sleeves from Amazon in my bag, they're light and saved me twice on the AT. Spare sections are nice but too heavy for my setup.

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grayjohnson2mo ago

Yeah those repair sleeves are the real deal. I've broken THREE poles on various trips and each time a sleeve got me through the rest of the hike. The trick is to wrap them TIGHT with some extra duct tape over the sleeve once it's on. Prevents it from slipping around when you're setting up camp in a downpour. Also make sure to carry a spare piece of the sleeve material itself, just in case your main one gets damaged. A lot of folks don't think about that part until they're stuck with a broken sleeve and a broken pole in the middle of nowhere.

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