Tent poles in comparison

Safety and comfort when camping start with the tent. The tent poles, among other things, ensure the stability of your tent. But which material is the best for your requirements and your camping holiday? You need to consider the weight, pack size and stability. Here you will find the advantages and disadvantages of the different tent poles made of aluminium, fibreglass and steel. Perhaps a tent with air tubes is the right alternative for you?

Steel tent poles are particularly robust and durable. This makes them suitable for extreme weather, where wind or even a storm is not uncommon. Even if you are thinking about camping in winter, you should consider a tent with steel poles, as this material can also withstand snow. Large family tents in particular should be especially stable. That's why these tents like the Montana 12 Sleeper have steel side poles. This gives you a robust tent that is comfortable to stand in** - perfect for your next family holiday at the campsite.

We also use steel poles for gazebos to ensure stability at your next garden party. Our canvas tents also have sturdy steel poles. The cotton glamping tent is slightly heavier than normal tents, which means they need extra support.

One disadvantage of steel poles: they are heavier than aluminium or fibreglass tent poles and more bulky to transport. However, if you are on a campsite for a longer period of time, it is worth pitching a tent with steel poles. After all, you don't have to transport your tent from A to B very often, but only set it up once and take it down again at the end of your trip.

Aluminium poles score first and foremost with their low weight compared to steel. If you want to travel for longer periods of time, often change campsites or are on a trekking holiday, aluminium tent poles are particularly suitable. Aluminium tent poles save you a lot of weight and make it easier to transport and set up your tent. Another advantage: Aluminium does not rust! This means that aluminium tent poles can withstand rain showers without any problems and you don't need to worry if the ground is damp in the morning.

However, aluminium is not as robust and stable as steel. This makes aluminium tent poles less suitable for coastal regions with strong winds or bad weather in general.

Fibreglass poles combine the positive properties of steel and aluminium. Although fibreglass is light, it is very robust. This is due to its manufacture from epoxy resin. The individual elements are connected with elasticated straps so that your tent can be set up quickly - you automatically put the right segments together. This is why many of our tents have fibreglass tent poles.

The small diameter of the tent poles also makes them more compact and requires less space during transport. This makes fibreglass poles suitable for a wide range of tents - from large family tents such as the Hammerfest 6 Protect to small trekking tents such as the Hemus Sleeper made of recycled material. The tent with fibreglass poles is ideal for summer holidays in destinations that are not too windy. The easy set-up and low weight and yet robust footing are an ideal combination.

Inflatable tents are especially easy to set up. Thanks to the air tubes instead of tent poles, the tent can be set up quickly by just one person. This saves you a lot of labour and time compared to conventional tent poles, where you first have to thread the poles through the openings. The air tubes of air tents also impress with their high stability and their particularly robust material, which can withstand even strong winds.

Although these tents are not suitable for trekking tours due to the additional material such as the air pump and the large air tubes, they are suitable for your next road trip where you want to set up and take down your tent quickly!

Different tent pole materials are suitable depending on the destination and type of trip. If you want to go on a trekking tour or a road trip, you should ideally choose lighter aluminium or fibreglass poles. We recommend air tents for particularly quick assembly and dismantling. However, if you are spending your camping holiday in a windy place or staying at a destination, the particularly robust steel poles, which can withstand any storm, are suitable.