No, you don´t. The pole set is an optional accessory and is not strictly needed. With that being said, we see that many of our customers choose to buy the pole set for their hammock. The purpose of the pole set is to lift the mosquito net from the head - and foot end, and to create more room inside the hammock. Sticks found at the camp site will work just fine as well, so we’ll leave it up to you to decide if you need them or not.
Have a look at this video to learn how to insert the pole set, and how not to do it: How to insert the pole set