Anyone else dislike ti shepherd hook tent stakes?

[saltysack]

After several years using the 6" ti shepherd hook stakes thinking of trying something else....I often have to get out of the tent as the hooks spin around and guy line comes off. Using with a lightheart gear solong 6. Thinking the ground hogs or similar might hold better as will be using in Co late September where snow is possible....need a tight pitch....any recommendations?


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[ChrisJackson]

Using a combo of the ground hogs and these guys: http://www.dutchwaregear.com/aluminu...it-stakes.html
Pretty happy. Hold great and I feel like they're more durable. Still carry about 3 ti shephers as backups but they may drop off soon..."tests" with the others have been great no complaints. As for which one i prefer (ground hog or the y summit...can't say really- but the ground hogs do clean up easier i guess because they don't have the punch outs...)

[tflaris]

I like MSR Groundhogs. Shorts if I'm out west in in rocky soil.


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[ChrisJackson]

https://www.dutchwaregear.com/titani...nt-stakes.html <-- sorry i posted the wrong url above..this is what i'm using in combo with the ground hogs (notice the punch outs) I like 'em. "ti ultralight ascent"

[tflaris]

Those look nice!


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[Sarcasm the elf]

I'm not a huge fan of shepherd's hook stakes, they are just too narrow and often pull out of loosely packed soil. I admittedly do have a set of TI ones that I tried out recently but their performance we mediocre and did not land them inside my "circle of trust"

I am slowly destroying the aluminum easton tent stakes that came with my tarptent and am replacing them with stronger but slightly heavier EMS stakes as they break.

http://www.ems.com/dac-tent-stakes-6...FY5ZhgodqvsOzQ

[colorado_rob]

https://www.dutchwaregear.com/titani...nt-stakes.html <-- sorry i posted the wrong url above..this is what i'm using in combo with the ground hogs (notice the punch outs) I like 'em. "ti ultralight ascent"

The trouble with these is that they are nearly twice the weight of a 6-gram Ti shepards hook, meaning if you carry 8 of them, like I do, that's 45-48 extra grams. Not earth-shattering, but nearly two ounces here, two ounces there, and it adds up...

What I did soon after I bought my Ti shepherds hook stakes (and noticed that same twist) is to put each into a vice and close up the hook quite a bit tighter, maybe to about 3/8" vs. the original inch or so; this makes the hook bite into the ground and prevents that annoying twist.

[saltysack]

Thx...I've got some sand/snow stakes to return to REI...think I'll try out the mini groundhogs....


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[saltysack]

The trouble with these is that they are nearly twice the weight of a 6-gram Ti shepards hook, meaning if you carry 8 of them, like I do, that's 45-48 extra grams. Not earth-shattering, but nearly two ounces here, two ounces there, and it adds up...

What I did soon after I bought my Ti shepherds hook stakes (and noticed that same twist) is to put each into a vice and close up the hook quite a bit tighter, maybe to about 3/8" vs. the original inch or so; this makes the hook bite into the ground and prevents that annoying twist.

Sounds like a good idea also...


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[bigcranky]

I like the Easton "nail" stakes. I use 6-inch stakes on the corners and a 9-inch stake on the main guy lines. They are strong and can hold up to pounding in with a rock. The only serious downside is that sometimes the head separates from the stake when pulling them out.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I like the Easton "nail" stakes. I use 6-inch stakes on the corners and a 9-inch stake on the main guy lines. They are strong and can hold up to pounding in with a rock. The only serious downside is that sometimes the head separates from the stake when pulling them out.

That last line is in fact why I am replacing mine with different stakes. The easton stakes worked great for me during three season use, but I lost a few to frozen ground in the winter, the heads of stakes broke off when removing them and there was noting I could do to get the rest of the stake out. I am a bit confused as to why they didn't simply drill the rope hole through the body instead just through the glued on head. If they had done that then I could put a piece of string through to get some leverage when removing them.

[garlic08]

All in all, the Ti shepherd's crooks have been the ideal design for me. Simple and effective. I've been able to nail them into cracks in rocks at times. Nothing else has taken so much abuse and lasted this long.

[HooKooDooKu]

Several years ago, before I purchased a Big Agnes tent that came with J Stakes, I started to replace my older tent pegs with the lighter and stronger MSR Ground Hog Mini.

Most of my camping is in GSMNP, where the ground is always moist soil, and that soil always sticks to the tent pegs when you pull them out of the ground.

So I disliked the ground hogs because you've got three different grooves to clean out.
By contrast, the J stakes are V-shaped and therefore only have one groove to clean out.

Of course if most of your camping is done where the ground is dry, then is might be a non-issue for you. In which case, I believe the ground hogs are ever so slightly lighter.
Ground Hog Mini = 0.35oz/each
J Stake = 0.40oz/each

Otherwise, I've found the Ground Hog Mini to perform very well.

[saltysack]

That last line is in fact why I am replacing mine with different stakes. The easton stakes worked great for me during three season use, but I lost a few to frozen ground in the winter, the heads of stakes broke off when removing them and there was noting I could do to get the rest of the stake out. I am a bit confused as to why they didn't simply drill the rope hole through the body instead just through the glued on head. If they had done that then I could put a piece of string through to get some leverage when removing them.

+1...I used these prior to the ti hooks...I broke a few in frozen ground then read a post from Tipi...simply drive in farther then remove....I'm going to try the mini ground hogs..


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[Rain Man]

All in all, the Ti shepherd's crooks have been the ideal design for me. ...

DITTO for me. I've tried just about every other stake. Then again, I tend to improvise, attaching guy lines to rocks, roots, twigs, logs, and etc. Rarely do I use all my stakes. But it's shepherd's hook Ti's for me.

To each his own. I do wish I could find one of the old 6" MSR snow/sand stakes. Never see them anymore. It would double as my cathole shovel.

[swisscross]

Since getting my Solong I have been testing different stakes.
I picked up a few Lawson ti and burley hooks from Dutch, both the backpacker and ul Easton nails (gold and blue). I already owned some V stakes that come with my BA and a groundhog that I found.

The burley ti's hold better than the 6" ti stakes but not by much.
The gold Easton's are more versatile than the blue.
Groundhogs are a pain to clean.

I like carrying different stakes as all have their place.

If I had to choose one it would be the Easton gold nail.
They are long enough for duff and tough enough for hard soil.
The burly ti's shine in rocky soil but fail where I typically get to go. That is fail for main lines.

Lately I have using the Easton golds for my vestibules and one corner of the tent body, one blue, a couple of burley hooks and carry one 6" hook just on case. N+1.
Will carry this combo until I lose, break or find something better.

[MuddyWaters]

There are some poorly designed ones that spin.( I have some gossamer gear that are worthless) And there are better that don't. The convenience of getting them into rocky ground out weighs everything else to me. Logs and rocks added when necessary. Lawson's are good

Bad:
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Good:
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[saltysack]

There are some poorly designed ones that spin.( I have some gossamer gear that are worthless) And there are better that don't. The convenience of getting them into rocky ground out weighs everything else to me. Logs and rocks added when necessary. Lawson's are good

Bad:
images (1).jpg

Good:
images.jpg

Yep...the bad looks like mine I bought from Zpacks but think many companies sell same stake rebranded...I'm going to bend the loop closed more as Rob did...worst case I'll buy the mini ground hogs....


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[Odd Man Out]

I have some Ti stakes but have switched to 7" aluminum gutter spikes. They are one piece so head can't come off like an Easton. Also the have a textured surface so the hold very well. Have used a rock to pound then into rocky soil with zero damage. Less than a buck each at the hardware store.

[T.S.Kobzol]

I also use and like Easton Ti Nails but I also like the TI shepherd hooks. Mainly help when staking on a ground that is rocky. The think footprint of the hook helps to squeeze between rocks that are under ground.