Can't yet speak to how well this rod holds up outdoors over time, but am impressed with the strength so far.  That said, there were some scratches on the finish on the ends, which I suspect will only get worse because of how the rod inserts into the caps (which pop off) and the small screws that are contained therein, presumably for tightening, though it doesn't seem to me that is actually a necessary feature.  The end caps do have holes in them so you can screw into place outdoors, and the set (at least for the long length pole) comes with a center support bracket.  My purpose in buying this rod was to avoid permanent installations, and I'm not sure I can make the center support work with my pergola design, so these are of limited utility for me.  The rod does sag some depending on the weight of your curtains, so keep that in mind.  I found it fine with two panels (of a length in excess of 110"), but four definitely did cause some droop.