Pole Elastic Preston

Advantages: High stretch, resiliant, cheap, strong, good range of strengths and funky colours.
Disadvantages: None none none

...Since I started squashing snails professionally in 1939, I’ve done a whole lot of good stuff. The finest one ever ever ever would be my decision to use this FUTURE stuff, instead of the P.I. (Preston Innovations) or ZIM that was available at the time. The year was 1993. My ship had just returned from my ‘home planet’ visit and I was in desperate need of a salad sandwich. While I was skipping home, a voice in my head said to me that I should, next time I went fishing, use a pole. A ‘pole’ to you dear readers, is basically a long rod without a reel attached. The line is fixed straight to the end via a little plastic connector. When playing big fish, they inevitably don’t actually WANT to be yanked out of the water (blimey I’m cruel), so in order to actually land them and not let them... Read review

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Advantages: The pole comes with a good spares package.
Disadvantages: Heavy and slightly floppy at full length.

...The 12.5 metre Shimano Aero Match Pole. This pole has been out for quite a while now, and it was rolled on the famed 12.5 metre ex mandrel. This pole is a good all rounder, that has a good spares package. Mine came with three spare top three's, and a match top three with the pole. Giving you four top three's in total. of which two were power tops and two were match tops. The two match tops have a elastic rating of 1-8 The power tops have a elastic rating of 8-16, of which I only use the 10-12 through all three sections. As with all midd price range poles, they are heavy at full length, and slightly floppy. This pole is no different, but I have found that I can still use it with ease at full length. If you take one section off and use it at eleven metres, I find it a dream pole which is light, stiff and extremely responsive. I have... Read review

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Advantages: cost, easy to put up, replaceable poles
Disadvantages: outer rips easily, groundsheet wears easily

...weekend and two came back in need of repair after one night. The elastic inside the poles snapped and one ground sheet had caught and snagged leaving a rip of 4cm. This was surprising as the ground was fairly even with no stones. Fortunately the poles can be replaced for a cost of around £15 or buy replacement elastic and thread it through (which I did successfully and it held). The outer sheet of one tent ripped really easily on barbed wire (you would expect a rip but possibly not such a large one!). The porch area is a good size and 3 teenagers fitted in snugly with all their backpacks. The same three tents stayed dry in very wet weather with minimal condensation - even the one repaired with gaffer tape! My opinion: This is a brilliant tent for festivals, campsites and backdoor camping and is reasonable but not ideal for expeditions... Read review

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