Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Tents that use trekking poles? Like or No

I haven't used trekking poles, I try to keep my rifle close to hand so for now I'm in the no column.

Yeah, I'm a little bored ..

When I'm solo it's all I use. River country tents make a nice little "2" man that is really a one man and his gear. Used it quite a bit in a bunch of different weather and it holds up fine.

Chinese tents are going to put American companies out of business. No doubt they're having a big impact right now.

Luxe is one of the ''companies'' that is buying copy-cat chinese tents and marketing them to hunters+.

Like they say 'that's just the way it is', I guess.

I'll have to give Trekking poles a run sometime. I have one of the Kifaru Gun-Bearer thingy's so it might work out.

I use a American made Seek Outside Silex. It's a floorless shelter that uses trekking poles to hold it up.

I use trekking poles in rough terrain and carry my rifle in a back scabbard. Flipping the wrist straps over the other handle makes a very nice bipod that works sitting or standing. Having a carry tent that uses them would be just a bonus.

I sewed a Whelen style tent that I used XC skiing that used my ski poles with, handy not to have to pack poles but kind of a pain if I wanted to camp a couple days in one spot and explore. I did just cut a couple branches to substitute on those days. I never used it in the summer due to bugs.

Pros and cons.

I'm mostly not a trekking pole user. I haven't used them a ton but when I do, they seem more disadvantageous than advantageous. I have good balance, strong legs, and I need my hands for fighting brush .. leads to handgun hunting instead of rifle hunting at times. Anyway, I have one tent built for trekking poles but it had the option of carbon fiber poles instead which I use.

For a person who does like to use trekking poles I see an apparent problem if they're setting up a tent for a multi-day camp .. when the poles are in use holding up the tent they're not available for scrambling around hillsides.

Tom

I am in the no, I want to use my poles and may not tear down camp every day. Luxe is awful stay away! Seek is the way to go IMHO!

Mountainsmith LT is great. Stake it out, use trekking poles for poles. Want to leave it, take out poles add a rock or two on top of it and take off. Come back, remove rocks and reinsert poles. Very roomy for two.

I'll need to check out that Seek Outside Silex. Like USA made.

Seek Outside Guardian looks legit too. Tried some tipi style tents but had some very high wind issues with them. These SO models look lower profile.

Love them for my backpacking trips. Have a MLD Duomid that uses one pole and use pole or poles for river crossings.

On a side note, in our hunting country with loose rock and downed timber, I rely on poles when packing meat out to avoid as many falls as possible. The extra ground contacts are a huge help and glad I adopted using them. And using a Kifaru Gunbearer has worked great with or without trekking poles.

I’ve been using the Seek Outside Eolus the last two years and really like it for September archery. I only use the trekking poles for packing out elk so using them to set up the tent is not a problem. Seek Outside tents are made in Grand Junction, Colorado of USA sourced materials.

The Mountainsmith LT is nice, $104 on sale @ backcountrygear.

I've rigged tarp shelters with poles. The problem is that once the shelter is up, you don't have the poles to use for something else.

In open country or steep above treeline trekking poles are good business. They help in water crossings along with water slippers.

Some use their poles as rifle rests and there's some utility to that but I'm into the art of shooting from a real rifle sling.

Overall I see hiking poles as a plus unless your going thru really thick brush.

I've got the tarptent Carbon poly poles inbound for mine so I can keep my trekking poles in use. Sub 4oz each isn't too bad, and $25 is about as cheap as you'll find.

https://www.tarptent.com/product/carbon-poly-pole/

For the money, that's a lot of pole. The Ruta Locura equivalent is double the price.

I use a cane, not trekking poles. But even if I did, I wouldn't want them bound to a tent. Among others, I have a Tarp Tent Rainbow Li, so that solves the trekking pole problem.

The only ‘tent’ I’ve used trekking poles with - once - is my Kifaru SuperTarp. I’m generally not a trekking pole guy, just wasn’t brought up with them. Cutting a pole out of the woods now for both the SuperTarp and my newer BPW Luna 4 which I use more often these days is easier & more sturdy.

Brad,

I had forgotten you use a Cane, is it an ultralite piece?

Mike, it's a Komperdell Power Walk "Walking Staff" (cane) - weigh's 8.5 oz's.

Here's a GREAT deal on them - sign up for text notifications and receive an additional 10% off for a total of $39.14 shipped:

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I have trekking poles, but only really use them snowshoeing. For general backpacking and mountain hunting, for me the cane is the only way to go. I truly dislike having both hands committed to trekking poles - think of the cane as a "walking height" ice axe. I have mine set at 90cm.