Alternative pole to spread midge net on DD Frontline?

[Nova & Pinky]

After faffing around for ages trying to find 'the right kind of sticks' to spread the midge net on my Frontline, I figured that everyone surely doesn't do this every time?!

What alternatives are there to using sticks to spread the netting?
Bamboo cut to size? Tent poles?
How do you stop the hanging loops from slipping down whatever poles you use?

 

[Dangerous Dan]

You can find fibreglass or aluminium tent pole repair kits - just cut to size. If you want to stop slippage then a couple of stitches in the outer-most tabs to create a little 'pocket' for the ends to fit into

 

[SussexRob]

I now use a couple of bamboo canes trimmed to slightly longer than the span of the loops in the mosi net. I'v not had a slippage issue yet.

 

[Dangerous Dan]

Bamboo's another good option. I've previously found the 'ideal' sticks and just carried them each time. The advantage of the poles I mentioned earlier is the ability to have them joined in the middle so you split then for stowage. That might be useful for you, it might not but there are plenty of options out there

 

[mountainm]

I use 2 white plastic hollow "kids tent" tent poles/tubes. They're very light, plenty strong enough.... plastic garden canes would do as well. If you keep the spigots they make a good locking mechanism.

 

[The Big Lebowski]

If you wanted to keep the poles compact, sawing a pole off an old tent whilst keeping the spigot in the middle would allow you to break them down!

I may be able to help if your stuck for poles.

atb, al.

 

[morch]

I use tent poles cut slightly long and have no problems with slippage

Dave

 

[Partickpebbles]

Well I was given an old pole and so I thread it through the loops, and because I had some I used a cable tie to stop the pole slipping. Then I tied the elastic to the centre of the pole to the ridgline!

Worked a treat!

Pics are here!

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71702

 

[Large Sack]

Plastic or alu tubing from B&Q etc?

 

[Nova & Pinky]

I suspect a B&Q trip may be in order before the weekend

 

[Darkside]

One thing I did was not poke the stick through the webbing loops - instead I tied the elastic to the two outside loops and then cut a notch in each end of a stick that was about 6 inches longer than the distance from loop to loop and wedged it between the two sides of elastic. To hold it up I used an S-biner hooked up to prussics on my tarp ridgline. Works great and you don't have to worry about finding a skinny/ long/ straight enough stick to poke through the loops.