Broken Megamid Pole

[David_Parker]

In fairly high winds, the megamid was doing great until the pole broke. I emailed BD and they want $60 plus shipping for a friggin' piece of aluminum! I can't even get only the section that broke.

 

Personally, I struggle paying that much for a pole. I know ski poles and other such things work, but I also use the shelter sea kayaking where I don't need ski poles. Anyone have an old pole or suggestion?

 

 

 

[Fence_Sitter]

try army surplus... just try looking around and seeing for substitues to the pieces you need... what is the specific piece you need? good luck!

[lummox]

call bd and complain like a mother fucker. faulty materials and shit like that.

[Sphinx]

Try calling them, they've always been very reasonable with me.

[Rodchester]

Take the pole to REI. It is an easy repair that they can do....probably about 10-15 bucks. Had them rabuild two out three poles a couple of years ago and they did it quick and cheap....

 

I thought you just used a trekking pole with the mega-mid?

[David_Parker]

BD is emailing me quickly, but I'm on round 3 with them. Here's my latest...

 

"Hmmm, a one year warantee on a piece of aluminum? Makes no sense unless you claim the aluminum becomes weaker with age. Heck, I'd be happy with you just sending me the section that broke. Many colleagues of mine seem to think BD has always been "really good" about taking care of stuff like this. I don't want to be a whiner, but I didn't loose or break the pole myself. In fact I probably wouldn't complain much at all if you didn't charge such a rediculous price for lightweight aluminum and bungee cord. $60 plus shipping....that's as much as a treking pole! Wanna keep a climber happy....send him a new pole for a tent he raves about and probably has influenced many sales! Wanna see a climber say bad things about BD, then don't. I won't resort to robbery!"

 

 

While a treking pole works, I don't use a treking pole all the time, and often they are not tall enuff. They also don't break down as small as the provided pole. I won't pay $60 for a pole. I'll figure out something else first. Thanks for the REI suggestion. They do have a good repair dept.

 

Anyone have an old pole they don't need anymore?

[fern]

you could look into the pole for the Mountain Hardware

Kiva too ... it's infinitely adjustable with a little

camming washer widget system so I think it would probably

work with the 'Mid. Maybe they sell a replacement for

cheeper than BD is offering?

[rbw1966]

Thats ridiculous! Call The BD warranty department and ask for a guy named Mike. Don't use email--talk to them on the phone. Its too easy to just blow you off on email.

 

I had one of the first generation ice packs and the buckles kept breaking. I called Mike and asked for some new buckles. He told me to send the pack in. I did and two weeks later I got a BRAND NEW pack.

 

If that doesn't work I'll sell ya my pole for $30.

 

A word of warning though: BDEL's customer service is going to be changing dramatically. Get while the gettings good.

[Cpt.Caveman]

lummox said:

call bd and complain like a mother fucker. faulty materials and shit like that.

 

It definitely wasnt faulty materials and having no argument to base that on is likely not to work.

 

In a nutshell that pole was not designed for the punishment it put up with. All in all I was impressed that the megamid was not ripped into 20 pieces and scattered down the glacier the next morning.

 

That's a fucking ridiculous price for a soda pop can aluminum pole.

 

Good luck.

[iain]

Man I can't believe the pole broke. Was there a change in poles on the megamid? Mine's pretty burly and I would see the tent shredding before it broke. Trekking poles are too short for sure, unless you want a large rock or something in the middle of your 'mid.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Man I can't believe the pole broke.

 

It's aluminum and hallow. I dont know the setup you have but you also were not witness to the storm either.

[iain]

I didn't say anything about any storm. I said the material in the tent would seem to be the first thing to go.

[Cpt.Caveman]

iain said:

I didn't say anything about any storm. I said the material in the tent would seem to be the first thing to go.

 

I can read smart guy. You implied you were surprised it broke. Perhaps you should try non selective reading and dropping the know it all shithead tude.

[iain]

Cpt.Caveman said:

I can read smart guy. You implied you were surprised it broke. Perhaps you should try non selective reading and dropping the know it all shithead tude.

 

Obviously you can't read since I didn't imply anything. I flat-out said I'm surprised, since my megamid ripped in winds before the pole broke tough guy.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Read above to enlighten yourself. This isnt wasnt nor will be your megamid. You also were not there.

 

Typical jackass fag online spraying about shit he doesnt know about.

[iain]

anything to add about how to get a new mid pole, or do you want to spray about your pole-snapping storm you rode out tough guy? the online hardman routine gets old. what a waste.

[Cpt.Caveman]

iain said:

anything to add about how to get a new mid pole, or do you want to spray about your pole-snapping storm you rode out tough guy? the online hardman routine gets old. what a waste.

 

I think I've added what I thought.

 

If you want your face splattered in blood keep posting. I'm bored and looking for a fight.

[Sphinx]

Cpt.Caveman said:

iain said:

anything to add about how to get a new mid pole, or do you want to spray about your pole-snapping storm you rode out tough guy? the online hardman routine gets old. what a waste.

 

I think I've added what I thought.

 

If you want your face splattered in blood keep posting. I'm bored and looking for a fight.

You're pretty lame, Caveman. It's hard to brawl via a dial-up connection.

[Cpt.Caveman]

sphinxcter boy- I am not here for a popularity contest.

 

I think it's pretty easy to find iain.

[lummox]

David_Parker said:

Anyone have an old pole or suggestion?

duct tape and an empty can fixes more things than the handy man.

[cj001f]

Try a piece of aluminum sheet and a hose clamp. The other solution is to by a piece of replacement AL tube (call a local metal shop, or try Mcmastercarr (who are expensive))

[Cpt.Caveman]

lummox said:

David_Parker said:

Anyone have an old pole or suggestion?

duct tape and an empty can fixes more things than the handy man.

 

This was already tried with failing results.

[lummox]

the wad a duct tape kina negates the whole 'lite' concept anyway. but you can use a couple hose clamps and a section of angle aluminum to keep it up a little longer.

werent there be some old poles at a army surplus store?

[Beck]

You can get cheap azz aluminum poles from a joint like Campmor- I bought a spare for less than ten bucks-

 

And if you need to borrow one, I've got two, but you can't take it sea kayaking, thats what kills aluminum.

I've got two to set up a betamid as a base camp in the winter, dug in like a circus tent- no annoying center pillar, just a little center bench, so I can't sell you one.

Oh, Dave, just looking in my gear room, I've still got the cheap replacement one from campmor I'll sell you for five bucks- it not the most compact thing, but it works!

[David_Parker]

No werd from BD after last email. I took the thing apart and now have the broken section isolated. I think I'll call and tell them I'm sending it to them and want a replacement of the bbroken piece. If thet can't do just the piece, that's their problem and then they can send me the whole replacement. If they balk, I tell em to fuck off, I'm not paying $60 for another piece of weak aluminum. I agree that the pole should be as strong as the tent though!

 

Beck, thanks for the offer, stand by. BTW, I don't set the thing up in salt water so I don't get the sea kayaking thing. It's not like it's suceptible to electrolisis or something!