HYOUT Tarp Poles vs Kelty Tarp Poles

[Guest]

($35 a pair vs $70 a pair)

https://www.amazon.com/HYOUT-Adjust...pID=519kNDMOmJL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

https://www.rei.com/product/845322/rei-co-op-adjustable-tarp-pole-single

OK, there is no contest in quality, strength, durability, materials or construction between the two; the Keltys win in every aspect. I knew that going in, but I bought a set of the $35 HYOUT poles for a look see. With a specific use in mind.

The HYOUTs are 3 / 4 inch 7075 aluminum vs the Kelty 1 inch 6000. The HYOUTS are much bendier when extended full length.

But for lighter duty work the HYOUTs (henceforth un-capitalized Hyout) pack smaller and skinnier, lengthwise when collapsed and narrower in bundled circumference.

Pack length: The Keltys fold down to 29 inches long, the Hyouts to 23.5 inches
Bundle size: Two bundled Kelty poles, 9.5 inch circumference, two Hyout poles, 7 inch circumference.

P6200926 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

The Hyouts do not extend as tall, and taller apex ends are a no-duck advantage, especially with catenary cut parawings that swoop lower in the center.

Fully extended length: Kelty max 99 inches, Hyout max 79 inches. I will take another 20 inches of stronger pole and max headroom for use with the parawing tarps.

But the shortest adjusted length might be advantageous as side poles with a between-trees ridgeline on a flat tarp.

Shortest length: Kelty min 79.5 inches, Hyout min 62 inches. Five foot tall side poles might be advantageous.

Weight: Not that it matters much to me. The 8 foot tall Keltys weigh 1 lb 11 oz each. The 6.5 foot tall Hyouts weigh 13 oz each.

The review complaints about the Hyout button clips might be easily resolved by replacing them with Mohawk button clips. The pointy foot end plug near the button clip pulls off easily to insert a future Mohawk button clip.

P6210928 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

http://www.mohawkpaddles.com/product/button-clip-replacement/

That Mohawk button clip replacement would require drilling the Hyout holes a bit wider. But first, after messing with the Hyout poles, a thought. The OEM button clips on the Hyouts are awfully dang tight in the holes. That may be the real problem.

A little benchtop testing shows that the Mohawk buttons clips on paddles have a little slop in the hole, maybe 1 / 32 larger holes than the button.

P6250957 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

The Hyout button holes have zero slop, the button just barely squeezes through the hole.

Hence another of the review complaints:
Only 4 stars because my old fingers sometimes difficult to press adjustment button

I feel that pain, my thumb hurt as well after a few days of playing with those poles. Actually, those Hyout button clips hurt on the very first day; that was simply a case of too small holes in poles. Which is better than too small pole in hole.

That fierce button clip ouchie not work for me, it sure as heck will not be well received by the Missus.

Hyout pole holes drilled out, for a start, to 1 / 4 inch. If I ever do break the Hyout buttons I will replace them with Mohawks.

P6250959 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

A little rat tail action to remove any burrs and the OEM buttons in pole holes are now wayyy much easier to adjust, and still hold just fine.

P6250961 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Thats it? Seriously, thats the major issue with the Hyout button failures? The manufacturer drilled the freaking button holes too small? Those poles now adjust slick and easy and I can not see why they would be prone to failure, binding or breaking.

The last review complaint about the Hyouts, aligning the button with the holes, was equally easy to resolve. The Keltys have a lateral guide line running parallel to the button for easy hole orientation when adjusting the length. Or, more importantly, for twisting away from the holes when adjusting the length, so the button is not snapping randomly into holes while pulling.

A yardstick and Sharpie line provides the same button aiming line on the Hyout poles. Twist off center, pull to adjust, twist onto the Sharpie line.

P6210931 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Last bit of pole outfitting. I like having some reflective tape on the poles for stumblebums at night. Little 3 inch long pieces wrapped around the poles in a couple locations will do.

P6250963 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

That High-Intensity Reflective Tape is great stuff, and may have been discontinued. I may have to become stingier with what I have left.

P6250965 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

The Noahs tarp, seam sealed and fully outfitted, in CCS Ridgeline Stuff Bag, with ample ridgeline length, prussicks & clips, Glowire guy lines and stakes, all inside the bag.

P6250966 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

As side poles for the Missus new strung-between-trees Noahs tarp, so she can achieve her desired hellacious high headroom off a ridgeline, with some side height via light duty poles, the Hyouts will do just fine.

Yeah, she gets a $60 tarp. . . . . and that much again in easy set up accessories.

 

[Pinecones]

Interesting that you found a pole that seems to match the Kelty. Looks like a set, nice! Good repair job on the holes too.

Have found it well worth it to bring my Kelty pole on some trips. Just don't care for its extra few inches in length when it's packed down - juts out too much when slid down the side of my pack. Sure handles strong wind though. I had a long drawstring bag made for it.

 

[Guest]

Interesting that you found a pole that seems to match the Kelty. Looks like a set, nice! Good repair job on the holes too.

Have found it well worth it to bring my Kelty pole on some trips. Just don't care for its extra few inches in length when it's packed down - juts out too much when slid down the side of my pack. Sure handles strong wind though. I had a long drawstring bag made for it.

Those Hyouts do not match the quality of the 8 foot Kelty poles in any aspect, and since I am little concerned about packing size and weight, and camp in some brutally windy places, I will opt to bring the beefier Kelty poles every time.

In part because the Hyouts, even fully extended, would not pair well with a catenary cut parawing; the center of a swooped down wing, the prime under-tarp real estate, would have less than 6 feet of headroom in the middle. I do not mind a low tarp, but I do not appreciate dragging the top of my noggin across one every time I walk through.

But, if something narrower, shorter, half the weight will do the 2X cost differential comes into play. Especially if the most common review complaints can be rectified by re-drilling the under-sized button holes and adding a Sharpie guide line for button adjustment.

these reviews gave the Hyout Poles 4 stars:

the retractable spring loaded nub that holds the adjustable bottom piece got stuck on one of mine within seconds of use.
My first attemped to adjust the length of the stake broke the push putton pin off right into the tube. It fell on the floor and is not possible for me to fix.
Took two of these camping in canada and the spring button/pin that holds the adjustable end broke on one of them on the second day
one of the poles failed on the 2nd use. The spring button that locks the extender in place broke.

Having played for those poles for a week now, without button clip failure, I suspect the root cause was folks who simply did not know how to properly adjust something with a button clip. I see folks having inadvertently snapped the button into a too tight hole during sliding adjustment and continuing to push or pull hard enough to damage the button clip.

The little Sharpie guideline eliminated that aiming oopsie.

Once we have had those inexpensive Hyouts out as ridgeline side poles in a windstorm or passing front I will report the results.

 

[deerfly]

excellent comparison and review. Seems the two offerings, like any other tool or implement each have suitable application, but if torn between one or the other buy once cry once still applies.