Cook tent poles snapped in a canyon, duct tape saved the trip

Two weekends ago in Zion, my tent pole gave out at the joint just after sunset. I had a repair sleeve in my kit but it was for a different pole diameter, so I wrapped the break with three layers of duct tape and it held all night. Anyone else had to improvise a fix that felt sketchy but actually worked?

1 comments

1 Comment

craig.tessa26d ago

Wait, you really just wrapped a snapped tent pole with plain duct tape and trusted it all night in a canyon? That’s wild, man. I’ve used duct tape for a lot of dumb fixes but never something load bearing like that, especially with wind and uneven ground. Honestly, I’m kinda impressed the tape held, but also a little horrified you slept under it. Did you at least test it by pushing on the pole before you crawled in, or just cross your fingers and hope? Because I would’ve been up all night waiting for that thing to give out.