Hi, I just wondered if anyone else had found this problem with the Zenobia 6. I love my tent, it is perfect for us, but this problem is really starting to annoy me.
I bought the tent in April 2011 and have been camping 6 times so far and each time when we put the tent away a pole has split. In fact I had it out to re-waterproof it this weekend and found that another three poles have split (don't know how i didn't notice this when we put it away a few weeks ago)
Go Outdoors were very good the first time a pole split and replaced it for nothing. The second time they replaced it only after I complained to them. While i appriciate that poles are subjuct to wear and tear alot of our camping has been in good weather, so why are they splitting. The last time I went to get a new pole I was told by a member of staff that the poles are really no good!!!!!!!!!!! Why sell a tent were the poles are no good.
Anyway I am rabbiting on, I don't mean to be having a go at Go Outdoors, I just really wanted to know if anyone else had had their poles split on numerous occassions and if they found a secret method to putting the tent up/down that stops the poles from splitting
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Yes they Vango poles instead of the Hi Gear ones, but thats when they said the poles were no good, Hi Gear or Vango.
Its such a shame when the tent is perfect in every other way
Nicky
We had the same problem but on a Gelert Horizon 6,The same tent as the Zenobia,just re-branded for Go. I bought a Gelert 11mm replacement pole set,and replaced the sections that split when we pulled the tent down,I replaced three in all and never had another one split where I replaced them,it seemed to be the replacements were a little stronger.I still have a junior hacksaw as part of our camping kit.
------------- If the moon reflects the suns light,why does it not reflect the suns heat?
Are you putting too much strain on the poles when you lift the tent up??? which is how a lot of poles split, are the doors open or closed as they should be open when you lift the tent up.
I dont know how Hi gear recommend putting it up but you could try putting all the poles in the ring and pin system first while the tent is on the ground as this puts less strain on the poles then open all the doors,peg the corners and pull/lift the whole tent up in one go, close the doors and peg out
Incidently why did you feel it was necessary to re-waterproof a polyester tent as they dont need it
Post last edited on 16/07/2012 20:11:11
------------- Experience enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
Everything has been said before, but since nobody ever listens we have to keep going back and saying it all over again and again and again
We have the same tent, which we love, but had the same problem .I even asked same question on here. We tried pitching different ways, wondered if that was the problem.
Guy at Go Outdoors showed OH how to repair and change poles and now carry spares, and they said start pitching with middle pole, but we tried that and felt a lot of pressure was put on that pole, so, we now pitch by,
pegging out at one end, ( wind behind us, if windy ) then start working way along, OH at opposite side, trying not to put a lot of pressure on poles when putting pins in, then when all clipped and pegged, tighten everything. If that makes sense. we also got some Vango replacement poles from Amazon, which seem stronger.
I used to worry until it was up, but things have improved now. But the tent is great.
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What replacement poles, please can you expand? I have this tent and it's been wonderful for us, but the security of having an extra set of poles sounds very
comforting.
Ooh don't get me started on gelert/hi gear poles! My original Horizon 6 poles weren't very good and a few sections have split. The tent was very hard to put up at first, rather tight, but better now after quite a few trips. I managed to drop on some gelert pole sets in a sale at Mountain Warehouse for a few pounds each so we've replaced the dodgy sections. They are 12.7mm poles, available from quite a few places, and online.
------------- Pally
The pen is mightier than the sword - but only if the sword is very small and the pen is very sharp...
------------- Experience enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
Everything has been said before, but since nobody ever listens we have to keep going back and saying it all over again and again and again
Hi there, we also have a zenobia 6 fab tent but about 6 poles have split and don't know what size to buy - please help. Also I've Fabsil the tent and also use the silicon glue stuff to try n stop a leak, shall I just give up and buy a kalahari 8?
We have used our Zenobia 6 for 2 weekends in July and both times we have taken the tent down we have found a split pole. I found this post whilst googling pole lengths so I could buy new poles. The tent is just over a year old so out of guarantee. We have used the tent 6 times in the last year and I love it but so disappointed with the poles. We have been lucky in that the weather has been good so no wind or excessive rain to cause strain on the poles.
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Topic: Zenobia 6 - Tent poles keep splitting
