Commercial tarp poles: How many? Which ones?

[Glenn MacGrady]

I have a CCS 12' x 10' silnylon tarp, which I've always managed to pitch without poles in treed areas when canoe camping. I use a ridgeline between trees and manage to stake out the sides to something. I own no tarp poles.

Now, all my canoeing is done via car access base camping. There are usually no convenient trees around the drive-in campsites I frequent, but I'd like to pitch my tarp near my tent so I can sit and move about under it. I'd like some sort of telescoping commercial poles. But I don't know how many poles I need. Don't want an A frame set up with all sides staked to the ground. Rather, I want to maximize the underneath space.

Do I really need six (!) poles, two on each end of a ridge line and four raised ones at the corners?

Plus, what kind of commercial poles to buy. Some of these poles are astronomical in price: $90+ USD for one pole in some cases and places.

Any recommendations on the number of poles for a full canopy pitch, and what kind of reasonably priced poles are available?

 

[Boatman53]

I have three poles that I bought from CCS. Two of the shorter ones and one of the taller. That seems to work for me. They were not inexpensive but I liked the infinitely adjustable last section for fine tuning the height.
Jim

 

[kahel]

You might want to check out the collapsible tarp poles from Tatonka.

https://www.amazon.de/Tatonka-Tarp-Stange/dp/B000G4XLOW

Take a look at the pictures - I’ve set up a 4x3m tarp using four of those poles.

. .


on this pics you see a DD-tarp 3x3 on trees and poles ...

.

 

[recped]

These come in a few different lengths

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ettore-16-ft-Reach-Extension-Pole-44016/204267834

or

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ettore-4-ft-2-Section-Reach-Extension-Pole-42104/204267922

I have one, never used for camping (window cleaning) but it's reasonably light and very strong, twist to lock at any height.


There might be a better selection at Lowe's, search: Telescoping Aluminum Extension Pole

 

[Simuliumvenustum]

In my experience, in a scenario similar to what Glen described, six poles are needed to maximize the tarp's stability and water-shedding capacity when it is not possible to tie a ridge line to trees. I have the 6 ft adjustable tarp poles from REI and have had no issues setting up my tarp in a scenario similar to what Glen described.

https://www.rei.com/product/845322/rei-co-op-adjustable-tarp-pole-single?redirect-pup=false

MSR makes a pole similar to the REI poles in 4-, 5-, and 8-foot lengths. I have used the 5-foot model, and it works well, although when fully extended, it is not quite as long as the six-foot REI model.

Universal, Adjustable Tarp Shelter and Tent Poles | MSR

Our adjutable tent poles make a great replacement or addition to our Rendezvous Sunshields and work universally with a wide range of tarps.

cascadedesigns.com

A nice feature of these poles is their reasonable weight and compactness for packing for use in the backcountry.

 

[scoutergriz]

You might want to check out the collapsible tarp poles from Tatonka.

View attachment 153727

https://www.amazon.de/Tatonka-Tarp-Stange/dp/B000G4XLOW

Take a look at the pictures - I’ve set up a 4x3m tarp using four of those poles.

View attachment 153724 . View attachment 153725 . View attachment 153726


on this pics you see a DD-tarp 3x3 on trees and poles ...

View attachment 153728 . View attachment 153729

Those look suspiciously like the 5 piece Eureka poles I've had for about 25 years, I wonder if Johnson Worldwide sold the patent to them when they Folded Eureka

 

[scoutergriz]

you don't need 6 if you rig in a diamond pattern, and if you don't mind long guyliness you can get away with 2- put your 2 poles at opposite corners, and guy out the other two, for more space you can add 2 shorter poles. it also helps with drainage because you're pulling along both edges not just one with each guyline and you can pull that nasty sagging center tight by adjusting the tension.

 

[clemency]

I've got something like these. A pair seems to work pretty well.

Amazon.com

 

[tketcham]

Buying any machined metal parts is a shock these days.

We use two 8 foot telescoping poles we got from REI. (As linked in Simuliumvenustum's post.) The 8 foot height lifts the tarp high enough to provide a usable space underneath. Not inexpensive these days at $80 each but they're pretty darn durable. We used inexpensive aluminum nesting poles for some years but they began to split so I tossed them. You could try using one pole and one tree but having two poles lets you set the tarp up pretty much anywhere.

As for increasing the area under the tarp, we use two 4 foot poles, one on each side of an A-frame set up. It lifts the sides up enough to see out when sitting in a chair. We got those poles from Cascade Designs/MSR. (Again, as linked in Simuliumvenustum's post.) They come as a pair for $70. I like A-frame setups because they provide good rain and shade coverage and deflect the wind fairly well.

But the current pricing would put you at $230 for a set of four quality tarp poles. Darn that inflation.

 

[Boatman53]

I’ve used the single long pole the most, as it gives plenty of headroom.

High enough to cook under. I’m baking some sort of desert most likely.

So the point of the pole doesn’t poke through the tarp I made a little disc to spread the load. The pole has other uses too, I made this hook thing to reach high and push a weighted line through tight branches to get a guy line right where I want it and the hook portion can grab the weight on the other side to pull it down.

I did a thread on these a while ago when I made them but if I didn’t follow up they worked great and the hook thing made like a lot easier.
Jim

 

[GeoBoy]

Glen, this is what Hilleberg recommended for the Tarp 10 I purchased from them. https://hilleberg.com/eng/products/accessories/special-poles

 

[PaddlingPika]

We use two 8 foot telescoping poles we got from REI. (As linked in @Simuliumvenustum's post.) The 8 foot height lifts the tarp high enough to provide a usable space underneath.

The 8 ft telescoping REI poles have worked well for me the few times I've set up a tarp. Bought mine more than a decade ago.

 

[Johnny 5]

These collapsible aluminum pole sets are compact, lightweight, strong and reasonably priced. The extended length can be shortened or lengthened by adding or subtracting pole sections prior to use in the field.

 

[Allegheny Tom]

We bought 2 of these Green Elephant last year. No complaints.
We use 2 of them for a high side of the tarp, and use spare paddles on the back/ low side. It still gives plenty of head space.
I 1st saw these on Outdoor Gear Review which gave them high praise.

Amazon.com