We have a five year old gelert quebec 8+4, not having used it for a couple of years ( the tent was stored in a dry garage) I tried putting it up but unfortunately snapped two poles in the process. what I would like to know is do the poles get brittle with age or is it most likely the they snapped due to my cack handedness
A combination of heat differences most probably caused them to go brittle, eg really cold winter, really warm summer. Unless you got bored in the garden and tried pole vaulting over the fence, that may well snap a fibreglass pole!
we have had a number snap on us, infact we commented this weekend that we survived a trip without breaking a pole!! i think that it is just a way of life with fiberglass poles - next tent for us will definately have steel poles!!
------------- April-Norfolk 7nts, Oxford 2nts, Defford 2nts
May-Symm Yat 3nts
June-Defford 2 nts,Pembridge 2nts
July-Tabacconist 2nts, France 19nts
Aug -Bosworth 2nts, Winchcombe 3nts
Oct -costwolds 6nts
60 mph gusts of wind (last week in Scotland) snapped 2 sections of pole. I have been to the local caravan place today and they found me 2 replacement sections for £1 each.
Along with the shock cord needed I can repair 2 poles for less than £10.
That will see us through at least another trip this year.
I think many people damage their fibreglass poles by dropping them on the ground without thinking of it. This then causes cracks and breakage when the poles are stressed.
My OH was a nightmare for doing this, it's one of the many reasons we now have frame tents!
Have spent about an hour this morning replacing 4 of our poles!! Its the first time we have had to do this and I thought it would take all day!! Found it quite easy and enjoyable, (Im so sad!). Our old poles got damaged a few weeks ago when we went camping in Filey and the weather turned really windy.