Ultralight spreader bars questions

[rtm1818]

Hello!

I use a modified Bic's/Hiking dad's bridge hammock. My bridge is a foot longer and 4 inches wider. My wooden 30" spreader bars are a little narrow, but are fine (I'm going to make 36" wooden). I don't want to carry either around while backpacking, so I'm wondering if I could use my Cascade Mountain Tech trekking poles? I have the ultralight carbon fiber ones (6oz each and 30" when collapsed). I don't know if they are safe to use and how I should attach them to my hammock.

Here is the link to my poles:
https://cascademountaintech.com/prod...trekking-poles

Please help,
Ryan

[stevebo]

I have had great luck with aluminum trekking poles that have a camera mount on the top. Warbonnet sells adapters that screw on the camera mount. I know carbon trekking poles are lighter, but I dont really trust them as spreader bars. (Fine as trekking poles or spreader bars, but in my opinion they dont do well at the same time!) I also made some pvc adapters to put on the bottom end of the pole. https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...r-tip-adapters They work well, but a more elegant solution is an adapter that slides into the trekking pole after you remove the bottom section of the pole when u arrive in camp.

[Just Bill]

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...=1#post1951760

Post number 4 by me has a link to some photos of a modification I did to a version of these spreaders.

That said;
How much do you weigh? Over 200lbs- forget it.
Have you extended the length of the dogbones? 80% of your spreader bar length is the minimum. If your pole is sketchy- go to 100% (36" dogbone for 36" pole.)

At the end of the day though- I will repeat my standard trekking pole conversion answer: if you have to ask- the answer is no.

Also... this tends to be an overblown issue IMO.

Some buy the Mountainsmith pole or other poles so they can do the conversion. https://mountainsmith.com/products/trekker-fx-lite
You can add a few metal bobbins or other conversion pieces and be okay-ish.

But now you've bought two 10 ounce poles for 20 total ounces so you can do what exactly?
Now if you already love these poles and plan to use them... more power to you.
But the $80 puts you most of the way there to buying a 5.5 ounce set from Ruta Locura AND you can just use the trekking poles you like.

If you don't care about weight- then just pick up some 36" spreader bars from your vendor of choice for 12 ounces or less.
12 ounces of spreaders plus 6 ounces of your current CF trekking poles is still lighter than two mountainsmith poles.

Trekking poles break, UL one's more often.
So it makes sense to carry at least one dedicated spreader bar for the head end unless you're really pushing things.
If one snaps- you have a 'spare'. If one doesn't- you have a pole mod or porch mode trekking pole to use and the spare pole isn't 'wasted'.

For recessed model bridges like mine or the Ariel... do you really want to put that SUL trekking pole you banged, twisted, scratched, dinged, or pushed all day long for miles on end right above your face? IF it's an FKT... maybe. But if not... I'll carry the 2.75 ounces of CF pole and sleep soundly.

In that case- if you like a monopod type staff and can use it- great.
But most of the time you're further ahead of the game simply using light trekking poles you like and dedicated spreader bars.

LONG Story short:

IF you really like a trekking pole AND it works as a spreader bar... you win.

Remember you need to use your trekking pole as a trekking pole ALL day.
If you don't enjoy it, or you had to make it heavier to convert it... you lose.
What will wear you out faster? A few ounces on your back, or a few ounces in each hand ALL DAY.

[cougarmeat]

In general, the more multi-use an item has, the more things you'll lose when it stops working, gets broken, or lost. For me, that's the problem with some, not all, UL ideals. A trekking pole gets lots of abuse/exposure to harsh environments. Those Ruta Locura spreaders are so light, they will almost make your pack feel lighter by having them in there.

There are times when reliability "out weighs", minimum weight.