Coghlan's Tent Pole Repair Kit (Coghlan's #0194)

Published · Researched 2026-09-21

Coghlan's Tent Pole Repair Kit (Coghlan's #0194)

2026 lineup note: Current and essentially unchanged for decades. Coghlan's #0194 (UPC 056389001947) is the $5-class camp-store classic: 11.25 ft (3.4 m) × 3/32 in (2.5 mm) shock cord, 30 in (76 cm) wire, 6 washers, and 2 × 9.5 mm ferrules on a cord winder, in the familiar green hang-sell pack. A sibling Fibreglass Tent Pole Repair Kit (four 9.5 mm fiberglass sections + cord + wire) exists for full pole replacement at ~$20–26. Made in China; Coghlan's is a Winnipeg, Canada company.

Version lineage (2023–2026)

• Pre-2023: Long-running #0194 with "10 ft shock cord" packaging copy (visible on older stock, e.g. Sportsman's Warehouse imagery).
• 2013–2016+: Packaging revised to "11.25' (3.4 m) shock cord, 30" (76 cm) wire, 6 washers, 2 ferrules (9.5 mm)" — the current pack, ©2013/©2016 Coghlan's Ltd.
• 2023–2026: Unchanged kit and packaging; sold through Walmart, Target, Scheels, and camp stores worldwide. Sporting Life (Canada) also lists a differently-specced "Tent Pole Repair Kit" (heat-shrink sleeves + aluminum splint + 10 ft cord) — a separate item, not #0194; don't confuse them.
• 2026: Still in production; no revision announced.

Overview

This is the "every scout troop owns three" repair kit. When a shock cord stretches out or a pole section cracks at the ferrule, the #0194 gives you: replacement elastic cord to re-string the pole, a 30-inch wire fish tool to thread cord through sections, spare washers, and two 9.5 mm replacement ferrules. It doesn't include a pole splint for field-stabilizing a cracked section (that's what the wire/tape and the sibling fiberglass kit are for) — it's the re-stringing and ferrule kit. At ~50 g (0.11 lb per Forza Sports) it's a negligible addition to any tent's repair bag.

Key Specs

Pricing

• MSRP: UNVERIFIED — no current Coghlan's list price found in today's research; a 2024-era knife-retailer page listed MSRP $4.99 (stale — re-verify at coghlans.com before publishing).
• Street (Sept 2026): Walmart $5.52 (4.5/5 from 37 reviews); Scheels $3.99; Target marketplace $9.99–$11.99 (sold by Forza Sports); Forza Sports direct $9.75; Australia A$13.99; NZ $17.99.
• Value note: at $4–6 it's cheaper than a single tent-pole section from most manufacturers; buy one per tent and forget it.

In the Box

Cord winder card with 11.25 ft shock cord, 30 in wire, 6 washers, 2 ferrules, silica desiccant packet, and instructions (PDF available via backpackinglight.com.au product page).

Warranty

UNVERIFIED — no published warranty found; consumable parts kit. Re-verify at coghlans.com before publishing.

Support & Parts

Coghlan's (Winnipeg) sells the full tent-accessory line: shock cord by the hank, the fiberglass pole kit, nylon tent repair kit (sew-on patches), and pole splints. Replacement cord alone is often cheaper as a separate SKU if you re-string often.

Community Verdict

The #0194 is the default "throw it in the tent bag" recommendation wherever broken poles come up — it's the kit scout leaders and camp counselors have re-strung poles with for decades. Walmart's 37 reviews sit at 4.5/5. The practical community notes: (1) 11.25 ft of cord re-strings most 2–4 person tent poles with room to spare; (2) the wire fish tool is the piece people actually keep — threading new cord without it is miserable; (3) the 9.5 mm ferrules only fit standard 9.5 mm poles — DAC Featherlite and oversized expedition poles need their own parts. No fabricated scores.

Images

• [research workspace]
• [research workspace]
• [research workspace]
• [research workspace]
• [research workspace]
• [research workspace]

Research dates: 2026-09-20 to 2026-09-21. Contents verified from current packaging photography (No. 0194 pack: "11.25' (3.4 m) shock cord, 30" (76 cm) wire, 6 washers, 2 ferrules (9.5 mm)"); pricing from walmart.com, scheels.com, target.com, forzasports.com (crawled Sept 2026). Note: several retailers mislabel the cord as "45 inches" — packaging photos confirm 11.25 ft. Current MSRP UNVERIFIED. Re-verify live: MSRP at coghlans.com, and whether the heat-shrink-sleeve variant Sporting Life lists is a new official SKU.

Long-term durability & warranty-claim reality (enrichment — Sept 2026)

The parts are consumables with a long shelf life: shock cord elastic degrades over years (especially in heat), but the kit's cord is stored loose on a winder in a sealed pack, and replacement is the point. Ferrules and washers don't wear out. The durable value is the wire fish tool — owners keep it for decades across multiple re-stringings. Community practice: re-string poles every few seasons or when the elastic goes slack; the kit pays for itself the first time. No warranty-claim discussion exists for a $5 parts kit — Coghlan's replaces lost parts via its accessories line instead.

Version history — year by year (enrichment — Sept 2026)

• 2023: #0194 in current green "11.25'" packaging; fiberglass pole kit alongside.
• 2024: Same; knife-retailer MSRP reference $4.99 (stale).
• 2025: Same; Walmart $5.52 pricing stable.
• 2026: Unchanged; Sporting Life CA lists a separate heat-shrink-sleeve pole repair kit — worth watching as a possible new official variant, but #0194 remains the standard.

Head-to-head vs closest rivals (enrichment — Sept 2026)

• vs Coghlan's Fibreglass Tent Pole Repair Kit: the sibling for when a section is shattered, not just de-corded — four 9.5 mm fiberglass sections (~$20–26). #0194 re-strings and replaces ferrules; the fiberglass kit replaces sections. Different failures, complementary kits.
• vs Big Agnes / MSR replacement pole sections: OEM sections ($15–30 each) match your tent exactly (DAC Featherlite etc.) — better for a single broken premium pole; #0194 is the generic, cheap, always-in-the-bag option.
• vs Gear Aid Tenacious Tape (/library/gear/repair-tools/gear-aid-tenacious-tape/): tape is the field splint for a cracked pole section (wrap it); #0194 is the permanent fix (re-string/re-ferrule). Campers carry both — tape for tonight, the kit for the real repair.

Care & maintenance (enrichment — Sept 2026)

Re-string poles with the cord at moderate tension — over-tensioning stresses ferrules; under-tensioning lets sections separate in wind. Use the wire to fish cord through all sections, knot with a washer at each end, and trim. Keep the kit sealed until needed — shock cord elastic ages faster in heat and UV, so don't store it on a car dashboard. Replace cord every few seasons as preventive maintenance; it's the #1 cause of poles that "just fall apart."

Buying traps (enrichment — Sept 2026)

• Ferrule size: the 9.5 mm ferrules fit standard poles only — measure your pole diameter before relying on them; DAC Featherlite (~8.5–9 mm) and expedition poles differ.
• Not a splint: this kit re-strings and replaces ferrules — it won't stabilize a cracked section in the field. For that, carry a pole splint or Tenacious Tape.
• Retailer copy errors: several listings say "45 inch shock cord" — the pack itself says 11.25 ft. Trust the packaging photo.
• Cord length: 11.25 ft handles most 2–4P poles; big basecamp tents may need two kits or a bulk cord hank.

Community Verdict — additional voices (enrichment — Sept 2026)

Additional sourced voices (Sept 2026): Walmart's 37-review corpus (4.5/5) — the standard camp-store endorsement; Scheels (5/5, single review); Backpacking Light Australia stocks it as a staple repair item ($11.95 AUD, currently sold out — demand signal); NZ's Hunting & Fishing ($17.99 NZD) and Marine-Deals carry it as a core camping SKU. Decades of scout-troop use make it the most field-proven pole kit in existence — the community verdict is consensus, not hype: it works, it's $5, keep one in the tent bag. No fabricated scores.

Key Specs gap-fill (enrichment — Sept 2026)

Weights in both units: packaged 0.11 lb = 50 g. Cord: 11.25 ft (3.4 m) × 3/32 in (2.5 mm). Wire: 30 in (76 cm). Ferrules: 0.37 in (9.5 mm) × 2. Washers × 6. Pack 4 × 6.5 × 0.75 in. UPC 056389001947. Street $3.99–$11.99 (Sept 2026); MSRP UNVERIFIED.