The tent poles are generally made of aluminum and fiberglass. And when you buy a tent for the first time, you will wonder whether these poles are made of aluminum or fiberglass. The disadvantages of these two types.
Which is the best tent pole material?
The poles of tents are made of many different materials, where there are poles made of aluminum, wood, steel, fiberglass and plastic, as I do not advise you to use poles that are made of plastic or made of wood. The steel poles are also very heavy.
It is preferable to use columns that are made of aluminum or made of fiberglass. These two options are considered reliable. While you are preparing and preparing the tent, the aluminum poles are used in large tents, which are expensive, while the fiberglass poles are used in the numbers of small tents, which are low in price.
Pros and Cons of Aluminum Tent Poles
The tent poles that are made of aluminum are the most common types of poles in the tent industry, as they are widely used all over the world. The tent poles act as a frame that supports the structure completely, such as the tent and the canvas that is in it, where it is necessary to be made. It is a very strong material.
We will mention the pros and cons of tent poles that are made of aluminum:
Advantages of aluminum poles:
- The aluminum poles are very light in weight.
- Aluminum is very light, unlike wood and columns made of plastic, and this indicates that aluminum columns are much lighter than columns made of wood, fiberglass, or pure steel, and the lightness of aluminum columns helps you move from one place to another. It also helps you in managing camping activities from a distance.
- Although the aluminum poles are light in weight, they are distinguished by their great strength.
- The aluminum tent poles can bear the loads resulting from the tent’s shoulders, as well as high wind force and snow, but this does not mean that they can bear unlimited weight.
- If you want to increase the strength of the tent that relies on poles made of aluminum, you can increase the number of poles by connecting them with each other in order to increase the limits of their flexibility, unlike the rest of the other types of poles.
Disadvantages of aluminum poles:
- Aluminum poles are expensive:
It is not for nothing that aluminum columns are more expensive than columns made of wood or aluminum, because in fact, the production of aluminum roles costs several times more than fiberglass columns.
- Aluminum poles easily corrode:
These poles may corrode as a result of salty environments, as this erosion makes the tent poles weak. Therefore, useless in supporting the tent, and this erosion may lead to soiling your tent.
If you continue to take care and maintenance of these poles, it will prevent or reduce corrosion or rust. If you are close to an ocean or any body of water that is very salty, you must wash the poles after the completion of camping. They are washed using fresh water.
And after you finish washing them with fresh water, you must dry them before you store them, after you return from the camping trip, because if you store the tent poles in the bag while they are wet, it will lead to corrosion in the poles.
Things That Differentiate Aluminum and Fiberglass
Aluminum and fiberglass are materials widely used in industries, as these two elements have a lot of advantages that make a lot of change for this product and also may contain some things that will make it different from each other.
A distinction is made between these two elements through several factors, namely:
The weight :
You should know the weight of your tent pole and you should be prepared to do camping by bringing a suitable tent for you where you can use the portable tent such as motorcycle camping tents and backpacking tents, as these types of tents are easy to carry so they are light in weight.
If you want to compare the aluminum poles and the fiberglass poles, the aluminum poles are lighter than the fiberglass poles, as the weight factor always wins the tents that come with the lightweight aluminum poles.
The cost :
Aluminum poles are much more expensive than fiberglass poles, and they are more expensive than some materials such as wood and plastic, so if your budget is low, you can use fiberglass poles.
Power :
You must bring strong tent poles because this is very important, as the greater the strength, the more confident you are in your tent and its time. Suitable for that you should bring strong poles.
When it comes to strength between aluminum and fiberglass, aluminum wins, as aluminum poles are lightweight and also have great strength in carrying out the tent, as this pole can bend well without being broken, and this makes it strong and easy his movement.
Corrosion:
This problem is considered one of the most ridiculous problems facing the campers, as if there is corrosion in the columns, this leads to the presence of rust, and therefore you are less confident in the tent’s durability. If we compare aluminum and fiberglass in terms of corrosion, fiberglass is the one that wins this matter, because fiber The glass is 100% corrosion and rust resistant.
Fiberglass is made of some industrial materials that prevent moisture that leads to negative effects on it, and if you want to use aluminum poles, you must maintain them on an ongoing basis in order to preserve them, unlike columns made of fiberglass.
Aluminum Vs. Fiberglass Poles – The Verdict: Which is Better?
Aluminum and fiberglass are distinguished materials in forming the frame of your tent structure, although there are differences between them.
The type of material is chosen based on many factors, and among these factors is the budget that you have and the duration of use, so you want to go to the camp continuously and travel continuously or simply plan to use the tent for a period of time, so I advise you to use aluminum poles .
If your budget is low in buying a tent, I advise you to buy fiberglass poles in order to save money and you will find the informal rear trolley a fiberglass tent and if you want to plan to use your tent once or twice a year, I advise you to use the poles Made of fiberglass.
FAQ
How often will I use them?
As we said previously, aluminum poles are stronger and will last you for a long time, unlike fiberglass poles. If you go to the camp on a regular basis, you must use aluminum poles because they can withstand constant use and abuse.
As for frequent carriages, the choice between a fiberglass tent pole versus aluminum will be skewed towards the latter.
Where will I be camping?
If the place you went to camp near beaches and humid environments, I advise you to use fiberglass poles and stay away from aluminum poles, because excessive moisture will lead to corrosion and damage to the structural integrity and durability of your tent.
How big is my tent?
If you want to buy a large tent that accommodates 8 people or a tent that accommodates 6 people, I advise you to use the tent whose poles are made of aluminum, because these poles are characterized by their strength more than the poles of tents made of fiberglass, as they can withstand heavy and large cloth and not Be in the tent any sagging or fractures.
Will I be camping with the kids?
If you are going on a camping trip with your children, you should use aluminum tent poles and avoid using fiberglass tent poles, because fiberglass poles may break and break instead of bending and if this happens, splinters will come out of it It may lead to injury or injury to your children.
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