The base of the poles can also chip as you put them down, what they need is an outside collar incorporated maybe under the whipping to create a shock absorber but it musnt collapse inwards or this will prevent the next section fitting in. I use about 10 winds of pvc tape slightly conically wound to project no more than 1/8th past the tube end, in practice it curls round and just past the edge of the tube and creates the cushion. It will wear away but its easy to wrap another couple of turns. I have also started using an external 2" glass fibre collar made from tapering bits of the right size from glass fibre tubes, cut to the right size and slid over and slightly past the joint. Its really tough.
