I gotta say that there are some really interesting threads in this forum now. More on topic though, I understand why Loomis is using the sch 40 PVC (rope through center) but TomD, if you don't have the rope why not go for sch 80? That is what I was thinking of making them out of.

sk

btw, the wintercamping.com site was good, for a backcountry ethics question in particular. I will get to that soon.