View Full Version : tent stakes
The Solemates
01-24-2006, 14:03
anybody ever used these? http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=38981231&memberId=12500226
i need some new stakes, and these are half the weight as my current ones, which I like though: http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=23820951&memberId=12500226
are the MSR ones strong enough? problems with breaking/bending, etc in hard/frozen ground?
The Solemates
01-24-2006, 14:03
by the way, 9.9 grams is 0.34 ounces.
Alligator
01-24-2006, 14:18
If it's a weight issue, have you considered titanium ones? I've used the lighter 6" ones, 0.24 oz. They are not listed as available at this site, but you might be able to find them elsewhere.
http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/accessdetail.cfm/SI1000
Given the stakes you are currently using, they may not have the same holding strength. But I haven't bent any.
make sure you know what you're getting... thinner may equal less holding power, especially in wet soil... a stake that's too thin will cut right out of the ground under strain (ie wind) like a knife... i like 'light', but not to the point of saving an ounce over the weight of 4 stakes... but that's just my .02 cents worth...
I used MSR Groundhogs. They worked perfectly: held in winds, no bending, went in and out no matter what sort of soil I used them on.
I used them on most of the AT, they came with my zoid and when i switched to the HH I still carried a couple to use as needed for tieouts.
Overall, they worked out pretty well, but I did have a few complaints (none of which have caused me to replace them, I still happily use them).
Under most trail conditions, they were fine, but they do not have alot of holding power in soft ground. I had a few incidents of them pulling up or even sideways through soft ground. I developed a few workarounds for this so it hasn't presented much of a challenge, just a learning curve.
The small top makes them a PITA to drive in to very hard ground, be ready to stomp a few times (and do NOT do this wearing Tevas, ouch).
On a similar note, if they are wet or muddy, they can be hard to pull out because they get a bit slippery and you do not have much to grab. I had put a lanyard on my leatherman micra which I used to use under the hook when pulling out a stubborn one.
If a line pulls out of one or one gets stepped on and pushed in to the ground, they can be a major beast to find. I have left a couple of them at various campsites after intensive search efforts failed.
Overall, I really do like these stakes, they are small, light, hold well under alot of conditions, I use them and recommend them but they add some challenges at times.
MisterSweetie
01-24-2006, 17:17
Sling, which stakes were you talking about, exactly? I'm in the market myself.
Me ?
The same ones (MSR Needle stakes) he linked.
Oh yeah, I wanted to add, my impression is that they are going to be very hard to bend, they would probabily snap before they bent much and I think it would take a whole lot. The difficulty in hard ground that I encountered is driving them and I think any larger (thicker) stake would be harder except for just being easier to grab or more comfortable to push with a bare hand.
MisterSweetie
01-24-2006, 18:40
Me ?
The same ones (MSR Needle stakes) he linked.
Oh yeah, I wanted to add, my impression is that they are going to be very hard to bend, they would probabily snap before they bent much and I think it would take a whole lot. The difficulty in hard ground that I encountered is driving them and I think any larger (thicker) stake would be harder except for just being easier to grab or more comfortable to push with a bare hand.Ah yeah, sorry I butchered your name... I just wasn't sure which stakes since there were a few links above. Very good, thanks for the tips!
The Solemates
01-24-2006, 18:53
If it's a weight issue, have you considered titanium ones? I've used the lighter 6" ones, 0.24 oz. They are not listed as available at this site, but you might be able to find them elsewhere.
http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/accessdetail.cfm/SI1000
Given the stakes you are currently using, they may not have the same holding strength. But I haven't bent any.
$3 per stake? insane!
The Solemates
01-24-2006, 18:58
I used them on most of the AT, they came with my zoid and when i switched to the HH I still carried a couple to use as needed for tieouts.
Overall, they worked out pretty well, but I did have a few complaints (none of which have caused me to replace them, I still happily use them).
Under most trail conditions, they were fine, but they do not have alot of holding power in soft ground. I had a few incidents of them pulling up or even sideways through soft ground. I developed a few workarounds for this so it hasn't presented much of a challenge, just a learning curve.
The small top makes them a PITA to drive in to very hard ground, be ready to stomp a few times (and do NOT do this wearing Tevas, ouch).
On a similar note, if they are wet or muddy, they can be hard to pull out because they get a bit slippery and you do not have much to grab. I had put a lanyard on my leatherman micra which I used to use under the hook when pulling out a stubborn one.
If a line pulls out of one or one gets stepped on and pushed in to the ground, they can be a major beast to find. I have left a couple of them at various campsites after intensive search efforts failed.
Overall, I really do like these stakes, they are small, light, hold well under alot of conditions, I use them and recommend them but they add some challenges at times.
thanks for the comments.
personally, i think all stakes that i have ever used do not perform well in soft, wet ground, so your observation is not necessarily stake-specific. the ones i have now do not do well in soft ground and i just put a large rock over top of them to hold them in if needed.
concerning the insertion/pull-out difficulty....i have invented a small device that works perfectly for both, and is easy on the hands. its just a small homemade peice of wood that works both as an inserter and extractor and weighs about the same as just another stake.
Ever consider the long aluminum nails used for putting up gutters? They're strong, cheap and light (don't know what they weigh but not much).
vipahman
01-24-2006, 19:41
I used 0.22 oz Ti stakes from Gossamer Gear in the wettest ground I've ever setup camp in. This was somewhere in Sept/Oct. Temperatures dipped from 55 to 40 overnight and it rained all day and night. Stakes stayed firm to my pleasant surprise. http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/tite_lite_stakes_10.html
Muddy Gators adds weight !
If you want to save weight
Cut your tooth brush in half and shave the bristles off
There you go 1.000056726 grams off your back.
Hope this tip helps Love "cup"
Another trick take 2 ply toilet paper and seperate
Bam!!two rolls of Mountain money
Keep one and bounce the other.
another 3.025 ozs saved
much love "cup"
One more trick
remove insoles 4.025 ozs
cut
One more trick
remove insoles 4.025 ozs
cut shoe laces in half 1.75 ozs
shave legs and back "Priceless"
Love and Kisses "cup"
Dont forget that you can remove one row of the double stitching from just about anything...
Seriously, it was a question of function vs weight on tent stakes, what does seperating two ply toilet paper have to do with anything other than an attempt to be obnoxious?
talk about weight just gets on my nervs
obnoxious? joke.
you dont get it
The Solemates
01-25-2006, 14:27
Dont forget that you can remove one row of the double stitching from just about anything...
Seriously, it was a question of function vs weight on tent stakes, what does seperating two ply toilet paper have to do with anything other than an attempt to be obnoxious?
my thoughts exactly. but he's easily ignored.
Alligator
01-25-2006, 14:35
I think that price was for the 7" stakes Solemates, but here's a set of 6 6" stakes for under $12.
http://store.everestgear.com/120005.html
Or try froogle. I think $2.00/stake is about the going rate though for the 6".
i like those big mamajammas like the ones you have.
cup,
this is a discussion of tent stakes
RockyTrail
01-25-2006, 19:38
I use fat 8" Easton stakes (14g) like this http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=290&parent_category_rn=4500663&vcat=searchrefinefor the head and foot of my tarptent, and the small titanium wire ones for the sides. If the front main one pulls out the damp silnyon-on-the-face feeling will wake you up :-)
The fat big stakes seem to hold better in wet ground than the skinny wire ones, and they are easy to work with and find.
rei sells aluminum ones for .75 cents that weigh .35 oz.
peter_pan
01-27-2006, 09:32
$3 per stake? insane!
This better? http://216.83.168.206/index_files/Stakes.htm
Pan