Have always used a "mated" pair of trekking poles for teepee-type shelters in lieu of the provided center pole. It's a more vulnerable system than a single pole and yet has been strong enough for the job. Like every field report, grain of salt is recommended because I've never subjected the system to a blizzard or hurricane. Just lucky, I guess.

Tarp-style shelters using a single pole on one or both ends are very dependable and I would suggest the poles are probably stronger than typical lightweight tent poles. My current hurdle is carrying fixed-length trekkers that are not compatible with certain shelters that incorporate adjustable-length trekkers as optional support.

My $0.02,