I am in the process of making a 2 man nightwing tarp. I've been setting it up in the backyard with the big heavy stakes I use on our large family tent. These heavy pins would undo all the weight savings of the lightweight tarp. What sort of lightweight stakes would be good for this tent? I have seen Kelty Nobendium stakes and also Cabelas has their own XPG stakes at 6oz for 6 stakes made of 7075t6 for $9. Here is the link http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp;jsessionid=XADFV1Q1LEPMBLAQBBJCCOFMCAEFGI WE?id=0003789514783a&type=product&cmCat=Search_Results_NYR&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=tent+stake&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=tent+stake&noImage=0&_requestid=46509

Are these my only choices?? Do you know of any others? What is your experience with them?

Thanks!!!

Just good old rocks:-?

These are very popular stakes that many use. www.rei.com/product/682543
And yes, rocks and nearby trees work well for me also.

MSR makes a good stake. Ultralight and very strong

i second the MSR stakes! i think they are called MSR needle 'er something?

Aluminum gutter nails. Lowes or Home Depot.

Hey, HH, Can you tell us a bit about your experience making the Nightwing? Its a nice looking design, and I have some silnylon seconds sitting around home. How was it developing the pattern from the online directions and diagrams? You are brave to try it. Mame

MSR stakes are great!! I have the Hubba Hubba and love the stakes that came with it and you can't beat the light weight.

Yeah, I like those too, where can I get more.

I have six or eight that I bought from Ron Moak at Six Moon designs, they are really lightweight, but a little long. I'm thinking the ones that came with the hubba might be lighter and the little hook on the end is more finger friendly than the nail-head ones ( which have broken on me several times, Ron was nice enough to replace four for me at Traildays for Free - thanks RM!)

Yeah, I like those too, where can I get more.

I have six or eight that I bought from Ron Moak at Six Moon designs, they are really lightweight, but a little long. I'm thinking the ones that came with the hubba might be lighter and the little hook on the end is more finger friendly than the nail-head ones ( which have broken on me several times, Ron was nice enough to replace four for me at Traildays for Free - thanks RM!)
The ones that come with the Hubba's are a few oz. lighter than the hogs. That's cool! I am getting some more at a local outfitter. I'm not sure where else to get them. If you can't find any, Smiles, let me know and I'll bring you some to the ruck.:)

vargo ti stakes. the pegs are uber nice and strong

MSR, sweet, and hold great.

Roots, I'll send you a PM, I'd like a couple extra, if you are picking them up. SoRuck sounds good for picking them up :)

I'm with SouthMark on this one. Aluminum gutter nails are about as strong as any of the light tent stakes, less than 1/2 ounce and about 50 cents each anywhere building supplies are sold.

I use 6 of the titanium shepards hook stakes ...

'Slogger

gutter nails, and I slip the ends of the 6 I carry in an old plastic Mckormick spice bottle to keep the points from tearing up nylon while riding in my pack.

How do you hold them in the bottle?

Nobendium Tent Stakes
Incredibly strong and light nobendium™ stakes are made of 7001-T6 aluminum, one of the strongest aluminum alloys in the world toady. They bend only with great difficulty. Their 6 mm diameter makes them perfect for hard ground yet they weigh no more than a regular stake: .54 ounces each. anodized in popular colors for a hard, corrosion resistant exterior that won't smudge your hands or gear with aluminum spooge. 2003 nobendiums™ have a hexagonal shape which makes them stronger and gives them more surface area to hold in the ground.

I've been real satisfied with these shepherd's hook stakes (http://www.rei.com/product/627482). Only 0.5 oz each but much more $ than the gutter nails mentioned above. :cool:

I use a combination of stakes for my hammock tarp. Most are left-overs from old tents (or borrowed from existing ones).
I have some hex cross sectioned gold aluminum "shepherd hook" stakes (origin unknown) that look like the Kelty stakes. Lightweight and hold better than my ultra thin ti stakes. I also have some stakes from my Hilleberg Akto which are light and work well (available from Hilleberg).
Recently I bought some MSR Groundhog stakes and am using them at the corners of my poncho tarp and I like them very much. A combination of those at the corners plus anything else on the sides is a good choice, in my opinion.
Since I use a ti stake to support my beer can pot from its windscreen, I always carry at least one (aluminum deforms too much to be in direct contact with a hot flame).

Roots, I'll send you a PM, I'd like a couple extra, if you are picking them up. SoRuck sounds good for picking them up :)

Sounds good!:)

I'm trying some V- stakes (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=38218460&memberId=12500226&storeId=226&catalogId=40000000226&langId=-1). Only a few uses, but I like them so far. They are light, strong, and pack together tightly. These are from North Face, but look similar to the MSR- brand that was mentioned.

I'm trying some V- stakes (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=38218460&memberId=12500226&storeId=226&catalogId=40000000226&langId=-1). Only a few uses, but I like them so far. They are light, strong, and pack together tightly. These are from North Face, but look similar to the MSR- brand that was mentioned.

Those are lighter and much cheaper than the groundhogs. They look nice.

I use the MSR Groundhog Stakes (http://www.rei.com/product/682543) with a Niteize Figure 9 (http://www.niteize.com/productdetail.php?category_id=29&product_id=136) on the end of each cord loop to make tarp adjustments quick and easy. Works for me. :D

For a tarp setup (using a half-pyramid pitch) I use Y-stakes for the main stress points -- the two corners of the long side along the ground, and the main guy line from the center of the opposite side. Those need some serious holding power, IMHO. Then I use light titanium stakes for the rest of the pitch.

This is similar to when I take a Tarptent -- the main guy line gets a Y-stake, as does the rear, and everything else is a Ti stake.

I do have some of the V-stakes, and like them. But the Y-stakes can be pounded into darn near anything and not bend or break.

Wow that's a lot of answers! Thanks for all the input. I like the idea of gutter nails from Lowes, cheap and should work well.

As for the Nightwing. I did not make a pattern. I just transferred the dimensions from the net instructions to the material. I measured carefully. Remember the woodworking saying, "measure twice, cut once".

Anyway I did modify the tent some because I wanted to fit 2 people. I only set it up twice so far. Have not slept under it yet. I used Wally DWR and I want to apply some silicone to it. Then I'll let is sit in some rain and see how it does. I will try to post some picts under a new topic.

Can't find aluminium gutter nails out here on the west coast. Must be an east coast thing.

Seems like the MSR "V" and "needle" stakes were the best deal when I was buying some.

Second (or third or fourth) on the aluminum gutter nails.....

Much stronger than stakes.....

titanium or whittled

geek

Vargo Crevice stakes, they have the popular V pattern much like the MSR ones everyone is talking about and they are made of titanium. A V stake that is strong has limitless options, how many of you thought to tie a rope in the center of the stake turn it on its side and burry it in a T trench. That was an idea I picked up from a European site good for loose soils and snow survival. You just have to be carefull your stake doesn't ice over when using it this way in the snow.