What type of tent/tarp stakes do you prefer?

[saltysack]

I'm planning to buy a LHG solong6 next week before my section hike from glassmine gap to fontana dam..I'm currently using an Easton kilo 2 p...looking forward to more usable space, 10oz lighter......I have been using the light weight Easton aluminum nanostakes but wondering if I'd be better off with some cheap light ti shepherd hook stakes...all my hikes are in the SE....


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[10-K]

Depending on my shelter I'll either have MSR Groundhog stakes, ti-shepherd hook stakes, or a combination of the 2.

With a LH tent I'd use 2 MSR Groundhog stakes on the ends and 2 on each side in the middle. On my LH tent there are 4 additional "minor" lines and I'd carry 4 shepherd hooks for those - and only use them if it was windy or raining.

[HooKooDooKu]

I've liked the MSR Mini-Groundhog for light weight and holding power... but they are a pain to clean because of their shape... basicly three v's. I've gotten to prefer similar stakes that are in the shape of a single V... specifically what ever where the stakes that came with my latest Big Agnes Copper Spur tent - J stakes (similar in design to Sierra Designes Y Peg).

[kayak karl]

8" gutter spikes

[Tipi Walter]

New Hillebergs now come with Y stakes (just like the MSR Groundhog stakes), or V stakes which aren't quite as strong. I can't stand them for one simple reason---they are hell on the hands to insert and/or pull out. And in frozen ground they are definitely no better than the shepherd hooks or the nail-like Easton pegs. I've snapped all kinds in frozen ground, including the much vaunted Y stakes.

(SECRET: In frozen ground, hammer in your stake an inch further and they'll remove easily).

My faves are the Easton nail pegs which used to be standard issue with all Hilleberg tents until they made a mistake and changed over to the Y and V stakes. The big problem with the shepherd hooks is in a hell wind they will spin and release the guyline, even if they are pushed all the way. The Easton nail pegs will not spin.

And of course in a real windstorm rocks have to be put on your stakes to keep them in the ground. If not, the pegs pull out at 3am and you'll have the top of the tent whipping across your head and shoulders.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4154az%2BOqWL.jpg
I use the 6 inch pegs (which are actually 7 inches counting the head) and though they look short they are plenty long for me. I imagine the 8 inch would hold even better.

Here's a hell storm on the North Fork Citico trail whereby I have to use rocks on top of the pegs to keep them from pulling out.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2011/Cranbrook-School-Backpacking/i-8wgS8f2/0/L/TRIP%20120%20046-L.jpg

[Old Hiker]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OPKGAO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I painted the top 4 inches bright red to make them stand out. I like a longer stake to make sure I can really stake down my LHG SoLong 6, even in the FL sand.

[saltysack]

New Hillebergs now come with Y stakes (just like the MSR Groundhog stakes), or V stakes which aren't quite as strong. I can't stand them for one simple reason---they are hell on the hands to insert and/or pull out. And in frozen ground they are definitely no better than the shepherd hooks or the nail-like Easton pegs. I've snapped all kinds in frozen ground, including the much vaunted Y stakes.

(SECRET: In frozen ground, hammer in your stake an inch further and they'll remove easily).

My faves are the Easton nail pegs which used to be standard issue with all Hilleberg tents until they made a mistake and changed over to the Y and V stakes. The big problem with the shepherd hooks is in a hell wind they will spin and release the guyline, even if they are pushed all the way. The Easton nail pegs will not spin.

And of course in a real windstorm rocks have to be put on your stakes to keep them in the ground. If not, the pegs pull out at 3am and you'll have the top of the tent whipping across your head and shoulders.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4154az%2BOqWL.jpg
I use the 6 inch pegs (which are actually 7 inches counting the head) and though they look short they are plenty long for me. I imagine the 8 inch would hold even better.

Here's a hell storm on the North Fork Citico trail whereby I have to use rocks on top of the pegs to keep them from pulling out.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2011/Cranbrook-School-Backpacking/i-8wgS8f2/0/L/TRIP%20120%20046-L.jpg

Thx tipi
I'll stick with the Easton 6" spikes that I already have...thx for the frozen ground tip...only time I've broke an Easton spike was trying to remove it from frozen ground...I since added a small loop of cord...problem solved...


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[MuddyWaters]

I like ti shepherd hook style for perimeter stakes, Lawson's. Ridge line is Ruta locura carbon.


In rocky terrain, a thin stake may find a crack between underground rocks to go thru where a fatter won't. Same for very hard compacted dirt.

Most time I plan on supplementing with rocks. Forest duff is too loose for good security, and often can't get stakes in far into rocky ground.

28628

[Violent Green]

MSR Carbon Cores. Lightwight with great holding power. Will also lighten your wallet quite a bit.

Ryan

[Maui Rhino]

I use Y stakes only....lots of loose, sandy soil in my area. I also carry a pvc T fitting which makes driving stakes a snap in hard, compacted ground.

[Tuckahoe]

8" gutter spikes

+1 This!

Of course they aren't all that cool cause they are just $0.49 aluminum nails.

[aaronthebugbuffet]

Depending on my shelter I'll either have MSR Groundhog stakes, ti-shepherd hook stakes, or a combination of the 2.



I usually use a combo of those two.

[Tipi Walter]

+1 This!

Of course they aren't all that cool cause they are just $0.49 aluminum nails.

Gutter nails are a good idea except they don't have pull cords like with the Easton nails. Putting a pull cord on such a small nail head might not work. And I often have to hammer in my Easton pegs into hard ground with a rock so I'm not sure how tough gutter nails would be for bending. But if Easton pegs become unavailable I'd certainly go with gutter nails.

[colorado_rob]

+1 This!

Of course they aren't all that cool cause they are just $0.49 aluminum nails.What's not cool about them is that they are way too heavy. Every now and then you have to improvise with natural materials, but Titanium stakes at 0.15 ounces each do the job, why carry more weight?

[Mags]

+1 This!

Of course they aren't all that cool cause they are just $0.49 aluminum nails.

I use these fairly often myself esp this time of year with the harder ground. They are permaent part of my camping duffle along with a tarp and paracord. My wife and I enjoy doing basecamp style trips this time of the year since we are spending more time in camp vs other times of the year. In fact, we are spending 5 days over turkey day weekend in Capitol Reef NP next month.

Bonus, the pack of nails I bought comes in all white so a bit easier to find on the darker ground.

For everyday backpacking, I must confess that I've grown to like the MSR mini-ground hogs. Coming in red, they are again easier to find, too. The head of the stakes grip better on tent loops I find vs the head of a gutter spike. Plus the cord TW mentioned above, too.

re: Ti stakes

I used to use those. But easier to lose and don't find them as robust as the groundhogs. I am not into the absolute lightest weight as I used to be. Mr Skurka and I had a discussion about this before on the way to and from trips. Just a natural evolution for many lightweight backpackers.

He previously wrote an article, too
http://andrewskurka.com/2012/stupid-light-not-always-right-or-better/

Just emphasize, and to avoid flame wars, what is "stupid light" for one is not necessarily stupid light for another. :)


In the end, though, you can make pretty much any tent stake work. :)

[Tipi Walter]

In the end, though, you can make pretty much any tent stake work. :)

You got that right---

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2011/Tipi-Walter-In-Mt-Rogers/i-qdnMWTm/0/L/TRIP%20123%20600-L.jpg

I was on Wilburn Ridge in Mt Rogers and camping in an excellent 4 season MSR Fury tent (with 21 stakeouts) and dangit but if a hellwind storm didn't hit my camp and blew away my tent stuff sack and the rest of my stakes in the peg bag. Voila!! Had to whittle these babies to get thru the storm.

[freightliner]

I won't argue with the fact that I might be stupid in that I just tie my tent up to a tree and if I ever get out to Pee and it happens to blow away a little bit I just put it back in place and climb in. In the winter I always go with my mountain hardware direkt tent which is a freestanding tent. So if you haven't bought a tent yet just get a freestanding tent and tie it to a couple trees. I have never had to set a tent up fully exposed to high winds luckily I've always found a quiet spot in a gap to set it up.

[Dogwood]

I use these fairly often myself esp this time of year with the harder ground. They are permaent part of my camping duffle along with a tarp and paracord. My wife and I enjoy doing basecamp style trips this time of the year since we are spending more time in camp vs other times of the year. In fact, we are spending 5 days over turkey day weekend in Capitol Reef NP next month.

Bonus, the pack of nails I bought comes in all white so a bit easier to find on the darker ground.

For everyday backpacking, I must confess that I've grown to like the MSR mini-ground hogs. Coming in red, they are again easier to find, too. The head of the stakes grip better on tent loops I find vs the head of a gutter spike. Plus the cord TW mentioned above, too.

re: Ti stakes

I used to use those. But easier to lose and don't find them as robust as the groundhogs. I am not into the absolute lightest weight as I used to be. Mr Skurka and I had a discussion about this before on the way to and from trips. Just a natural evolution for many lightweight backpackers.

He previously wrote an article, too
http://andrewskurka.com/2012/stupid-light-not-always-right-or-better/

Just emphasize, and to avoid flame wars, what is "stupid light" for one is not necessarily stupid light for another. :)


In the end, though, you can make pretty much any tent stake work. :)


The best stake depends on things taken into consideration like terrain, the exact shelter one uses, the type of stake used at various guy outs/stake attachment pts based on forces typically associated at those pts, if using a freestanding tent or not, does the shelter need staking out in deep beach sand or snow, what is the exposure(high winds likely?, above treelike in rock/scree/on slabs/sandstone, etc), availability of natural anchors like tree roots, tress, rocks, etc etc. Good "stupid light" article by Andrew offering many solid points but lets keep his opinion of shepherd Ti stakes in context of the type of non freestanding shelters he typically uses, where and when you can find him utilizing these shelters, etc.