Repair & Maintenance

Tent-pole shock cord — in the field

Tent pole under field repair.

When the shock cord inside a tent pole snaps midway through a camping trip, you have to knot it back together on the spot. Here is how, using two half hitches and a fisherman's knot.

When the shock cord inside a tent pole snaps midway through a camping trip, you can fix it in the field with a knot or two. It is not a permanent solution — but it holds for the rest of the trip, and at home you replace the whole cord.

The cord is typically 2.2–3 mm in diameter, and it wears in the same place each time the poles are packed away.

What you need

  • Multitool or knife
  • A teaspoon, stick, or other small object for temporary tensioning

How to fix it in the field

  1. Remove the pole sections until you reach the cord at both ends
  2. Tension the cord — take the side of the pole where the cord is still longest. Pull the cord nice and tight.
  3. Knot it temporarily with two half hitches around a teaspoon or stick. The trick: a knot tied on a spoon can be pulled straight out afterwards without leaving a knot in the cord.
  4. Thread on loose pole sections — as many as you can onto the loose length of cord
  5. Repeat the tensioning several times if needed — sometimes you have to move the object along as you thread on more sections
  6. When you reach the last piece and have slack left on both sides — join the sides together with a fisherman’s knot (small in diameter, strong)
  7. Release the cord, help the knot down into the pole tube, and remove the objects you used for tensioning

Important knots

  • Two half hitches — for temporary tensioning around a spoon/stick
  • Fisherman’s knot — for joining the cord back together, small enough to slide into the pole tube

At home: replace the whole cord

If the cord has snapped, it is often worn in several places. Always replace the whole cord when you get home — the field repair is only a temporary solution.

Replacing the shock cord in tent poles →

Prevention

  • Pack the poles correctly — let the cord run free as you fold them up, do not press it hard
  • Check the cord’s condition annually — replace it preventively every 5–7 years for active campers
  • Remove ice and snow before packing — moisture accelerates wear

Back to Repair → · Repairs on the trip → · Tents →

Text: Lars Peters and Snuitide (2022), revised 2026.

Knot resources: Redningsselskapet — dobbelt halvstikk · SNL — fiskerstikk