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Backpacker Magazine – November 2008

Eco-Friendly Tent Poles

How do manufacturers make your trusty tent poles better for the environment? We discovered the magic formula right here.

by: Berne Broudy

(Courtesy Photo)
(Courtesy Photo)

Light-but-tough aluminum poles are an essential ingredient in high-performance backpacking tents, but they have a hidden cost. To make aluminum strong enough, manufacturers have to super-heat it, which leaves a thick, ugly, dull gray coating. To remove the coating, they have historically had only one method: dip the poles in a tear gas-cocktail of phosphoric and nitric acid. The brew is toxic to the environment and to factory workers.

Enter DAC, a South Korean company that makes poles for many tent manufacturers in the outdoor industry. DAC has created a completely nontoxic alternative using a series of brushes that mechanically strip the gunk off the poles, leaving them bright and shiny. The greener poles are called DAC Featherlite NSL, and next spring they'll be available with select Big Agnes, Black Diamond, Kelty, MSR, Sierra Designs, and The North Face tents. DAC plans to switch entirely to the new process by 2010, and hopes to adapt the process for other aluminum gear, like carabiners.



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READERS COMMENTS

Cynosure
Sep 05, 2012

Message:
Hello,
My name is Giselle Judd and I am a part of Victoria University. As a part of my interior degree I am enrolled in INTA 212 which is taking part in the LUXCITY project where two fellow students and I are designing a pavilion to be set up in Wellington, at the university, and at Christchurch. LUXCITY is all about designing a pavilion that is illuminated for a night’s entertainment in Christchurch. The pavilion has to be assembled not only in Christchurch but in Wellington as well hence the structure has to be able to be taken down in suitcase(s). This is why we were considering using light weight structures and wondered if you would sponsor our structure. The form we are trying to construct, it is a metaphorical representation about the movement of the residents of Christchurch with the movement of residents out of the CBD. The CBD has always been the heart and centre of Christchurch and still remains to be, even after the earthquake. The centre is a structural member that supports the arms encasing the visitors this will be covered in fabric. We would really appreciate your support and consultation on what we are trying to achieve. Please check out our face book pagehttp://www.facebook.com/cynosure40 for more information or contact us through our emailcynosure40@gmail.com. If this is possible please give me an email address to let me know and I will send you the corresponding information, photos, contact information from our supervisor etc. and I can let you know about the quantity that we would need for our pavilion. By calculation I believe most of the equipment could be returned to you.
Thank you for your time, Giselle Judd

Anonymous
May 30, 2009

If you are worried about getting struck by lightning from a tent pole perhaps you are better off sitting onteh sofa...

Anonymous
May 30, 2009

A tent manufacturer does not necessarily have to manufactur all partsof a whole. Geesh. A hundred tent makers probably all get their poles from somewhere else.

James Dickason
Jan 11, 2009

How much and can I retrofit them to a tent I already have? Also, are they shock corded or what?

Rob
Jan 10, 2009

The answer to the question makes the question sound right. Change manufacturers to manufacturer and you'll see what i mean.

"How do manufacturers make your trusty tent poles better for the environment? We discovered the magic formula right here. "

Now read it as;

""How do manufacturer make your trusty tent poles better for the environment? We discovered the magic formula right here.""

1 letter makes all the difference :)

D. Larrabee
Jan 09, 2009

Are there any figures on lightening strikes using aluminum tent poles? I'd feel more comfortable with other than aluminum.

Paul Svrcek
Jan 08, 2009

An apostrophe generally indicates possessive, not plural. Did you mean more than one manufacturer in your headline? Or were you indicating some sort of weird possessive sentence construction...? Either way, any editor worth the title would have caught and corrected the error.... Sheesh!

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