Field Fix: Pole Patch

You just bought a new tent, and out of the stuff sack tumbles a 5-inch aluminum tube. What the heck is that thing? The mystery tube is actually a pole sleeve to use for temporary field repairs. Slide it over a splintered section of tent pole and duct tape both ends. Check for slippage once you’ve pitched the tent. Don’t have a repair tube? Measure your pole’s diameter and pick up the appropriate size at your local camping store. Forgot the tube? Duct tape a tent stake across the break as a makeshift splint.