Tent stakes FTW

[Greenlight]

For those of you with tons of miles and gear failures, let's hear it. What is your tent stake strategy? My son and I will be finishing up the Smokies in a few weeks and I'll be going to the ground from my hammock (because I'm bikepacking RAGBRAI in July self-supported and bought a Zpacks Plex Solo to keep things fast and light). I have always struggled with tent stakes, whether trimming out my hammock tarp or setting up a tent. I hate them. They are what they are. Sometimes they work, sometimes not. And the Plex Solo has TEN stakeouts if it's raining. Six for calm weather, ten for storms.

I could go to WalMart and pick up ten neon orange aluminum stakes, or really dial it up and get some MSR titanium stakes, or just whittle some sticks when I stop to camp.

What Has Worked Best For You?

Thanks in advance.

[Greenlight]

For those of you with tons of miles and gear failures, let's hear it. What is your tent stake strategy? My son and I will be finishing up the Smokies in a few weeks and I'll be going to the ground from my hammock (because I'm bikepacking RAGBRAI in July self-supported and bought a Zpacks Plex Solo to keep things fast and light). I have always struggled with tent stakes, whether trimming out my hammock tarp or setting up a tent. I hate them. They are what they are. Sometimes they work, sometimes not. And the Plex Solo has TEN stakeouts if it's raining. Six for calm weather, ten for storms.

I could go to WalMart and pick up ten neon orange aluminum stakes, or really dial it up and get some MSR titanium stakes, or just whittle some sticks when I stop to camp.

What Has Worked Best For You?

Thanks in advance.

P.S. Have fun with this if you must. Snark and Theater of the Absurd stories are welcome.

J

[Deadeye]

When I can't find naked wood nymphs to hold my tent or tarp up, I use MSR groundhogs (large or mini) for the lines that handle a load, and light shepherd hook stakes for the rest.

[Odd Man Out]

I've had good luck with 7" gutter spikes from the hardware store.

[LittleRock]

I thought you had to stay in the shelters in the Smokies?

Big Agnes makes good tent stakes. They're lightweight and strong. I've used my BA tent for a decade and never managed to bend one.

https://www.bigagnes.com/products/dirt-dagger-ul-tent-stakes-pack-of-6

[LoneStranger]

I have a box full I have collected from various shelters over the years and purchased separately. For me, the MSR Mini Groundhogs are best all around. Light, but grab well in all sorts of surfaces. They will bend if you pound them into stuff they don't want to go into. Have to use your boot to wiggle them into hard pack or rocky ground if you want to keep them pretty, though they are pretty easy to straighten if you do bend them :)

[garlic08]

Titanium nails. I've driven them like pitons into rock cracks at times. Expensive though. I only need four for my Tarptent Contrail.

[zelph]

I could go to WalMart and pick up ten neon orange aluminum stakes

Those are good, get those.

[Kittyslayer]

First thing I do when buying a tent is ditch the stakes that come with it and pack some MSR Groundhogs. There are other stakes similar to the Groundhogs but my local outfitter carries MSR and I am confident in using them based on years of experience with them.

Wife's Tent
2 MSR Groundhogs ~ use these for the windward side or critical tethering.
6 MSR Mini Groundhogs ~ use these for the rest of the tie outs.
1 MSR Mini Groundhog ~ as a spare in case a racoon comes by and steals one to use as a toothpick.

My Tarp
2 MSR Groundhogs ~ use these for the windward side or critical tethering such as the ridgeline when setting up as an A-Frame with trekking poles.
6 Dutchware FleaStakes ~ use these for the rest of the tie outs where I already have cordage attached to the tarp tie outs. Like the easy attachment even with cold hands.
1 Dutchware FleaStake ~ as a spare when I manage to lose one.

4991749918

[Kaptainkriz]

I’m a fan of BigSky International Tubesteak: https://bigskyinternational.com/collections/tube-steaks/products/tube-steak-tent-stake-peg-kit
I’d prefer wood nymphs to tube steak though…

[Greenlight]

When I can't find naked wood nymphs to hold my tent or tarp up, I use MSR groundhogs (large or mini) for the lines that handle a load, and light shepherd hook stakes for the rest.

I've tried wood nymphs. They blow away too easily when it gets windy and one of them kept stealing my peanut M&Ms. Though I will look at the groundhogs again. Thanks!

Jim

[Greenlight]

Brilliant!

J


I've had good luck with 7" gutter spikes from the hardware store.

[Bubblehead]

I use an MSR Groundhog tent stake for each vestibule, and 6 Zpacks ultralight titanium tent stakes for the other 6 tie down points. I use this method for my Zpacks Duplex tent and for my Big Agnes HV UL2 tent which I recently purchased.

[OhioHiker]

I use Groundhog Minis. I never had a problem in dirt. The only problem Ive encountered is once at a local favorite loop of mine all the designated sights were full. I had to set up on an access road for the privy maintenance person. It was compressed dirt onto of what was maybe a gravel driveway years ago. I was very difficult to hammer the stake in the ground. That was more a setup issue than a problem with the Groundhog. It withstood the vigorous flogging I gave it with a larger rock at a hammer...lol.

I ran into a second issue at Pictured Rocks. the soil there is mostly sandy. The Minis around the perimeter held fine but I had troubles keeping the vestibule line tight. I have since started carrying 2 regular sized Groundhogs for situations were I need more holding power.

[russb]

I haven't carried tent stakes for almost two decades. While I am usually in a hammock under a tarp, this is also true when I bring a tent. I tie off to saplings, roots, rocks, logs, whatever. These hold better than just about any in-ground stake. If nothing is available right where I need it, I will push a stick into the ground. I don't bother carving it, just break a stick and shove it down. Sometimes I use two.

[cmoulder]

I haven't carried tent stakes for almost two decades. While I am usually in a hammock under a tarp, this is also true when I bring a tent. I tie off to saplings, roots, rocks, logs, whatever. These hold better than just about any in-ground stake. If nothing is available right where I need it, I will push a stick into the ground. I don't bother carving it, just break a stick and shove it down. Sometimes I use two.
I carry some Lawson Ti shepherd hooks because they slide relatively easily between rocks and cracks. However, if any natural anchors are handy I will use those, or rocks if the soil is too soft to hold the shepherd hooks.

I remember this particular pitch (in the photo) very well because there were perfectly positioned natural anchors for every corner in the form of roots, saplings or logs.

https://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/7/4/1/1/4/cross_mtn_camp_snow_small.jpg

[Hosh]

Looks like you survive a Blizzard, that pack big enough for 10 jars of peanut butter?

[cmoulder]

Looks like you survive a Blizzard, that pack big enough for 10 jars of peanut butter?
Not if I were out for 19 days straight and carrying 100 lbs.... :-?

But that is indeed a 'blizzard' in some parts of the country. :D

[Traveler]

FWIW - I never had a lot of luck crafting stakes out of wood. They tend to break easily, usually in rough weather and frankly I can use the time for different chores as opposed to hunting down and improving various bits of forest dunnage. I would recommend not going the forest floor DYI route unless you like middle of the night windstorm issues.

I used a set of mongrel aluminum stakes (mostly found at campsites over time) for a number of years that served well, though a few folded up on me when trying to pound them into stubborn ground (allowing me to have more patience in inclement weather), but overall they worked ok. I have a new gifted set of Groundhogs I have used a few times which seem to be sturdy and less apt to leave behind due to their color.

[RockDoc]

you can do worse than ten penny nails. Don't use any stake that you can't hammer like heck on.

[jomo1983]

since you have to book a reservation theoretically there will be space waiting for you at the shelters. I suppose some scofflaws could be on the trail, but my experience in Smokies was many fewer people show up at the shelters than were booked. I know you're asking about tent stakes for which I am no help except to ask why bring a tent at all if you don't have to?

[BradMT]

I’m a fan of BigSky International Tubesteak: https://bigskyinternational.com/collections/tube-steaks/products/tube-steak-tent-stake-peg-kit


I think I've got around eight or ten different types of tent stakes. Hands down, the BS Tube Steaks are my favorite.

MSR Groundhog heads break far too easily, it's about impossible to break the Tube Steak.

[CalebJ]

since you have to book a reservation theoretically there will be space waiting for you at the shelters. I suppose some scofflaws could be on the trail, but my experience in Smokies was many fewer people show up at the shelters than were booked. I know you're asking about tent stakes for which I am no help except to ask why bring a tent at all if you don't have to?

Because not taking a shelter is a significant failure in preparation?

[Kittyslayer]

Well since your opening post said you were doing RAGBRAI the stakes do not have to be very robust. Nearly everywhere you camp will be a flat space with grass so you are not fighting rocks and roots.

And I would never rely only on a shelter, at least carry a tarp or poncho for impromptu emergency use.


49934

[zelph]

Anyone tried these?

49935

[Time Zone]

Another vote for gutter spikes, at least as far as camping. They can be a bit sharp so I carry them in a home-made cordura pouch. For backpacking, I could see relying on my J and Y stakes, and their lighter, thinner pouches. But gutter spikes, about $1 each last I checked, are really quite effective.

[Robo Dave]

I use the very nifty Nemo Airpin Ultralight stakes they have a cool tie-down feature and are very light