 i am thinking about using my akto for some winter camping/exposed sites etc and am aware that you can double pole the akto for "above tree line" exposed/winter use etc,i have found a dac 10mm upgraded pole on a us site (moontrail) for $32,anyone got a view on these poles or double poleing the akto for winter use?
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 I asked Hilleberg this some time back, and they thought it better to double pole rather than single pole with a thicker pole.
They said a double pole combo will flex more before breaking, and if one pole does break – well you have the other !
My impression is that one way that poles can fail is from strong sideways gusts: this pushes the pole so that the opposite side bends beyond its minimum radius, causing pole failure on the leeward side (just my guess).
The side guys on the Akto are great for controlling this.
Another approach is to get pre-bent poles – these can take more deflection before snapping, so are stronger for the same weight – have seen someone out there providing these.
Aktos are pretty strong if you site them and guy them properly. What sort of winds do you envisage ? If the wind is very strong, then siting the tent just to leeward of a small boulder (or large snowball), helps prevent the windward vent panel from deforming inwards.
Hope this is of some help, Judy
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thanks for that judy,appreciate the reply
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 The Akto is well up to winter use in standard configuration. An extra pole will only increase weight and bulk at a time of year when you'll likely be carrying a lot of gear. If you're really worried, a heavier duty pole is a better option IMO.
I've had my Akto battered by a few storms but the worst time was a completely clear, freezing cold night with an absolutely ferocious wind in the Carneddau (March this year). To cut a long story short, I managed to pitch the tent after seeking what little shelter I could. Depitching the tent next morning (completely calm and sunny) revealed a banana shaped pole which still works fine. The rest of the tent was OK despite taking an awful battering during the night and at piching time. BTW, I was able to put this tent up in these conditions wearing mittens. I had to leave my mittens on because I would estimate the wind chill temperature to be have been around -25c.
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 Most of my poles on my tents are now bent. My TNF DAC poles are now shaped, the main dome Scandium poles on my Crux are now bent(the side to side X'overs are factory bent out of the box) The 7075-T9's on my Vango F10 are now bent as are the two 11mm secondary hoop poles.
This is all due to extreme hoolies battering and in a few circumstances flattening the tents. These poles both the DAC and Scandiums aswell as the "standard" 7075's are all in good order and more than capable of revisiting the type of weather that bent them in the first place.
When using a tent that is rated for anything but High mountain and expedition use I would always seek some form of shelter to pitch behind, just sensible damage limitation IMO (as is my TNF Merlin 33).
The only reason I buy expedition and high mountain tents is that I pitch on the highest and most exposed areas and need a tent that can take very heavy sustained gusts that come from ever shifting directions. I like the 360 deg panoramic view when enjoying the sunrise and sunset and i can't see that from a valley side.
The link below is a picture the morning after the night before, 60-70mph winds at 2700ft on the glyders was touch and go between 3 and 4am and I am glad that i had a full geo that has 18 guy points on it and 5x9.4mm poles to absorb the kicking the wind gave me.
I'm not convinced anything but a similar style of tent i.e a TNF VE-25, TN Quasar, ME Helio, F10 Vortex etc would have been in one piece the next morning.
http://www.findmeatent.com/viewphoto.php?id=167&photo_id=232
Drew
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Cruxster Man,
The great geodesic v tunnel tent debate. I think that any good tunnel tent would stand up to the conditions you descibe e.g. the Hilleberg Akto & Nallo, the Macpac Minaret or TNF Westwind, etc. They might be noisier and move around a bit more, but properly pitched I reckon they'd still be there in the morning. It would be great to do a side by side test wouldn't it?
There are pros and cons to each design and I guess it's down to personal preference and intended use. You might prefer a base camp type approach whereas I prefer to move quickly and pitch where I feel like. A heavy geodesic tent would hinder my approach whereas you would probably detest the comparative flimsiness of the Akto.
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A few have mentioned a winter wild meet to see what the tentage does. I'd be well game on for a "hoolie meet".
BTW Steve I take your point fully and I do Indeed work on the Base camp approach when Im in the mountains. So I get to dump all the weight after a 6 hour approach. thereafter its all day walks back to BC, then the walk out.
Also I generally go with my wife so the load is split (3.6kg). when im solo the Bomb fly gets ditched and the storm comes out(2.5kg) so in conclusion, i'm deffo in the GEO camp but there no doubt that recognised manufacturers make some excellent tunnel tents that can and do withstand natures harshest conditions.
Hoolie meet on helvelyn in late Febuary?
could be the tent test of the century!!
Drew
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Interesting reports! Its comforting that Aktos deform before failing. You had me out checking my Akto pole, and yes, its lightly bowed - I hadnt noticed !
Would be interested to know how people soloing get an Akto pitched in a gale with the minimum of fuss and fabric flapping - rucksack on the fabric, peg to windward, insert pole, remove rucksack nd peg downwind, or is there a better way ??
Thanks Judy
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 I do something like this:
Back to wind, peg out one end of tent, while kneeling on it to stop it blowing away (lightweight rucksacks aren't heavy enough to stop the tent being blown away.....).
Shuffle down tent, beyond pole sleeve, turn round to face the wind and insert the pole.
Shuffle to unpegged end of tent, pull it out to erect the pole, peg out end.
Then get the guys out rapidly (although it is quite surprising what an Akto will stand up to with only the 4 end pegs in).
It seems to be a rule that after the tent is up the wind will veer so that it blows directly at the door.
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 I have made a 9.35mm DAC pole for my Akto but I recon it is probably overkill...
The Akto is strong because it is low and well designed.
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not sure exactly how a thicker diameter pole helps, as it could be weaker, you need to consider wall thickness into it,
a larger diameter and equivalent weight pole may be no stronger, its all to do with modulus, polar section is it?
i would go for double pole, and take the extra weight, at least the pole bends correctly for the tent,
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 High wild camping. Not even a standard Akto pitch as I didn't have snow pegs. ( Silly, I know. ) 800m, right on the ridge line and still there in the morning. Cruxster man seems to enjoy looking for extreme conditions, but if the forecast is that bad I'm at home, or at least in a youth hostel or a bothy. An unmodified Akto should stand up to any UK weather you are likely to want to go out in unless you are looking for a test to destruction. Which can be fun - but I'm too old, and tents are expensive.
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Theres a chap on youtube put his akto up in 80 mph winds and although when inside it was a bit flappy it didnt seem to mind. I normally peg the bottem windward end put the bottem of the opposite end (whilst being on the tent) get the pole in and do the top pegs in the same order as the bottem pegs and little adjustment then the side guylines.
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