View Full Version : While I'm semi-moaning about gear - Easton stakes
My Tarptent came with a set of blue (6"?) Easton stakes.
Over the course of 3 nights, 2 bent and 1 broke.
Soft dirt, yes I pushed them in with my shoe..
I take it these are rather fragile stakes? I've never broken a tent stake in half before in my life much less bent 2 on the same trip.......and I always use the heel of my trail runners to push them in - not exactly a rock you know. :)
If I hadn't taken 3 extra MSR groundhogs in the stake bag my son was using for the Lunar Solo I'd of been SOL....
WoW!! I've used my Easton's for 2 years now, with out issue. Have you been gainin' weight? J/K! Sometime's bent stakes happen.
LIhikers
02-02-2011, 17:52
Wow, I've got those stakes with both of my Tarptents and I've never had one bend. I've used them in all sorts of ground and have even pounded them in with rocks with no problem. Could it be that when your foot hit the stake there was more of a horizontal movement of your foot than vertical?
Wow, I've got those stakes with both of my Tarptents and I've never had one bend. I've used them in all sorts of ground and have even pounded them in with rocks with no problem. Could it be that when your foot hit the stake there was more of a horizontal movement of your foot than vertical?
Well, I wouldn't think so.. I've put in a few tent stakes over the past 3000 or so miles and I think out of my whole pile I've got 2 bent ones before this week. This is my first experience with Easton stakes with the exception of the 2 8" ones I have to use with 2 of my other tents. I've never used the short blue ones before.
Maybe it was just my turn on the wheel this week. :)
10-K, have you been happy with the MSR stakes for that Lunar Solo? I've heard you need to get long ones to maximize ventalation.
If you had it to do over what size stakes would you buy?
Tipi Walter
02-02-2011, 17:56
Do they look like this(see below). These are Hilleberg Pro Pegs and I love 'em, although they are hollow and I have broken a couple over the years. Now the new Hillebergs come with either stout V or Y stakes---and I can't stand them. I use my pro pegs for sure bolting down in a winter blizzard when I do not want the tent to pull stakes as with the old standard shepherd's crook pegs.
And the new fangled V and Y stakes? (Like the MSR Groundhog). They are generally short, hell on the hands both inserting and removing, and nearly impossible to remove from frozen ground due to their greater surface area. The shepherd crooks at least can be spun and pulled(tho they can snap like glass, too), and the pro pegs can be kicked within reason and scooted out. Once the Y's and V's are locked in, well, I've broken several of them before going elsewhere for my pegging.
http://www.moontrail.com/images/P/hb_hgstakes_inhand.jpg
garlic08
02-02-2011, 17:56
I've had bad luck with those, too, but not that bad. I've never bent one. I've pulled the heads off a couple of them, but that was after driving them into nearly solid rock a few times. I was able to fix them in the field by crimping the heads back on by pounding with a large rock. Still, I don't use them any more. The best stakes I've found are 6" titanium shepherds crooks.
I recall getting a set with my last Tarptent, but I gave them away.
10-K, have you been happy with the MSR stakes for that Lunar Solo? I've heard you need to get long ones to maximize ventalation.
If you had it to do over what size stakes would you buy?
I use groundhogs all the way around and an 8" Easton for the vestibule.
Seems to work pretty well, adequate ventilation and all.
That's what they look like, yes they're hollow. The short ones I have are blue, the longer one is gold.
Do they look like this(see below). These are Hilleberg Pro Pegs and I love 'em, although they are hollow and I have broken a couple over the years. Now the new Hillebergs come with either stout V or Y stakes---and I can't stand them. I use my pro pegs for sure bolting down in a winter blizzard when I do not want the tent to pull stakes as with the old standard shepherd's crook pegs.
And the new fangled V and Y stakes? They are generally short, hell on the hands both inserting and removing, and nearly impossible to remove from frozen ground due to their greater surface area. The shepherd crooks at least can be spun and pulled(tho they can snap like glass, too), and the pro pegs can be kicked within reason and scooted out. Once the Y's and V's are locked in, well, I've broken several of them before going elsewhere for my pegging.
http://www.moontrail.com/images/P/hb_hgstakes_inhand.jpg
I should clarify....
I actually bent all the stakes. One of them was bent so far that when I pulled it out and it straightened it broke in half.
I swear ya'll... I've been putting stakes in the same way since the beginning and never had anything like this happen.
Tipi Walter
02-02-2011, 18:09
Maybe not all these type of stakes are created equal? More research needed.
I have managed to bend all sorts of stakes except those Y type.
Usually it is user error, that is not pushing them down straigh (as you would hitting a nail correctly) , easy to do if you use yor foot.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Stakes.jpg
Franco
I haven't had a problem with my Easton stakes...yet. I did bend a Y stake trying to put it into the ground with my sole of my trail runners. I still carry Y stakes, but I don't trust them, so I still carry Easton stakes...2 of each type, the rest are titanium crook stakes.
The guy behind Mountainfitter.com is hoping to build a stake like the Easton, except with a head that can't fall off. I'm anxious to swap my Easton stakes with those.
Head falling off..
Yes that can happen, so I glued most of mine.
However I found that a much easier way is simply to give it a gentle nudge (kick it...) before pulling them out. Works on snow too but you may need an ice pick for that.
Franco
johnnyblisters
02-02-2011, 19:42
I had all of my blue easton stakes break on me. Switched to gutter nails and bobs yer uncle.
I had all of my blue easton stakes break on me. Switched to gutter nails and bobs yer uncle.
Well, judging by the replies as typical everyone's experience is different - one person has bent everything *but* a Y stake and another person has bent a Y stake but never had trouble with an Easton.
I will admit I do not baby tent stakes - they are meant to be pushed into the ground and I'm assuming that everyone knows you don't always have a nice soft cushy piece of pliant earth to gentle ease them into the ground. :)
As I said, I think it was just my turn to be on the wheel this week.
My stakes are a mix of groundhogs, msr needle stakes, and four of the blue Eastons that came with the tarptent. One of the Eastons broke - guess I have three now... most of my stakes gradually acquire a slight bow in the middle, but none of the others have broken.
10-K, Only stake I have ever broken was an Eaton from my Tarp Tent. I stopped using them after almost breaking another...
You are not alone.
WoW!! I've used my Easton's for 2 years now, with out issue. Have you been gainin' weight? J/K! Sometime's bent stakes happen.
some here
But I have ripped the top off before but it went right back on ....
Joshuatree
02-02-2011, 22:38
http://www.moontrail.com/images/P/hb_hgstakes_inhand.jpg
How much do these cost?? because I've seen them in the hardware store with out the hole and lanyard for like a dime a piece
Many Walks
02-02-2011, 23:56
I've used the MSR Needle Stakes for a long time with great results. They're light and durable. I push them in with my foot and haven't bent one yet.
I had all of my blue easton stakes break on me. Switched to gutter nails and bobs yer uncle.
What's my Uncle Bob got to do with this ;)
I broke a short Easton (blue) pounding it in with a rock. Never had the head come off one. I have heard complaints about the heads coming off which makes the stake useless.
In Franco's picture, the blue one fourth in from the left looks like what came with both my tarptents. I very quickly had an experience similar to 10-K's where what I thought was relatively moderate pounding resulted in the hollow stake point kind of crunching down.
Personally I'm with Many Walks --- as I replaced the blue Easton's with MSR needle stakes (not shown in Franco's photo). In several years and a lot of miles of use I've managed to bend one MSR needle stake once. They pack smaller, and "nest" if done correctly in a package that offers no sharp ends to damage gear.
The obvious downside is that they don't have the holding power of some other alternatives, but I've camped in varied conditions and for anything but outright sand or snow I can always make do, infrequently relying on local rocks to augment the holding power.
The reason why I usually have three types of stake with me is that there is no stake (for me...) that works best all the time.
I don't have 3 sets of them just a mix so that I can choose the ones to use in the tricky spot.
BTW, one of the shorter snow/sand stake is my potty trowel so I usually have that with me.
If you use one of those in sand or snow, connect the guyline to the bottom hole, you get a better grip that way (like the deadman anchor)
But each type of stake as fans and detractors, that is why they keep selling all of them...
Franco
I do pretty much the same thing as Franco. 3 kinds of stakes. For my Hexamid that requires 8 stakes, I carry 2 Y stakes, 2 7" Easton stakes and 6 titanium shepard crook stakes. I believe I can do better.
I guess I typically have three stake types too --- MSR needles, one snow/sand stake used exactly as Franco does, and two very light titanium needle stakes that work with my Caldera Cone stove (to hold the pot up in the cone). All three of these "extras" can be deployed to better guy out my shelter in high winds, or the snow/sand stake can be used for soft soil or snow of course.
And this time of year I generally just bring a set of six SMC Snow/Sand stakes period.
I just ordered a set of these...hmm
protargol
04-07-2011, 22:56
So what are the 3 types people recommend to mix? I just got a Lunar Duo sans Easton stakes because of poor feedback.
i don't mix any. i use 7" titanium stakes. if i fear that it may pull out i simply find something in the forest to sit on top of it :D
http://www.mountainfitter.com/Shelter-Accessories/Mountainfitter-Titanium-Ti-Eye-p541.html
is where i got mine from...
papa smurf on hammock forums is selling a bunch for $1.75 a stake, free shipping :D i'd be all over that if you're looking for light stakes...
http://www.mydiygear.com/pages/projects/misc/ti-stakes.php
i don't mix any. i use 7" titanium stakes. if i fear that it may pull out i simply find something in the forest to sit on top of it :D
http://www.mountainfitter.com/Shelter-Accessories/Mountainfitter-Titanium-Ti-Eye-p541.html
is where i got mine from...
+1 on the Mountainfitter stakes. I have 10 of the 7" Ti-Eye stakes that I recently posted an initial review of on my blog (http://sticksblog.com/gear/my-current-gear/shelter/mountainfitter-ti-eye-stakes-dyneema-guywire/). I used them twice with my Lunar Duo and they did fine, although the ground was pretty wet from snow melt so I too made use of things lying around in the forest to set on top of the stakes just in case they decided to try and pull out. These things are pretty dang tough to be so small...
The Lunar Duo requires 12 stakes so I will carry either 6 or 8 of these and at most 4 of my Groundhogs.
bigcranky
04-08-2011, 11:25
Hey, Stick, how do you use 12 stakes on your Duo? I carry six for the basic pitch, plus one or two extra an case I need to guy out one side or the top....
Hey, Stick, how do you use 12 stakes on your Duo? I carry six for the basic pitch, plus one or two extra an case I need to guy out one side or the top....
Me too - 6 for a regular pitch and 8 if I'm getting fancy. I don't know what I'd do with 4 more.
I've had bad luck with those, too, but not that bad. I've never bent one. I've pulled the heads off a couple of them, but that was after driving them into nearly solid rock a few times. I was able to fix them in the field by crimping the heads back on by pounding with a large rock. Still, I don't use them any more. The best stakes I've found are 6" titanium shepherds crooks.
I recall getting a set with my last Tarptent, but I gave them away.
+1 agree w/ garlic
protargol
04-08-2011, 13:11
papa smurf on hammock forums is selling a bunch for $1.75 a stake, free shipping :D i'd be all over that if you're looking for light stakes...
http://www.mydiygear.com/pages/projects/misc/ti-stakes.php
That inspired me to just go here:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-titanium-rods/=bse5pa
I'm going to try and DIMyself and will report back.
protargol
04-08-2011, 15:36
I'm going to try and DIMyself and will report back.
I got voted down by my gf. How can I edit or delete posts btw? That button seems to be glaringly absent
Thrasher
04-08-2011, 16:07
I was able to use the easton stakes once. I bought them with my lunar duo, set up the tent to seam seal it, and I think 3 of the heads popped off when I was pulling them up. Two were stuck so I gave it a tap or two with my foot and they broke in half. So most of them broke. A waste of money.
I got voted down by my gf. How can I edit or delete posts btw? That button seems to be glaringly absent
The edit & delete buttons are absent because your donation is absent.
Two Speed
04-08-2011, 16:30
Oh boy, something else to argue about on WB. :cool:
FWIW I've used both the yellow and blue Easton stakes, enough I have to look carefully to see what color they used to be. Popped the head off of a few, just used the "naked" stake until I got home, epoxied the few that fell apart and went on with life.
On reflection that's probably not dramatic enough. I'll try to do better in the future.
Really, I will.
Oh boy, something else to argue about on WB. :cool:
FWIW I've used both the yellow and blue Easton stakes, enough I have to look carefully to see what color they used to be. Popped the head off of a few, just used the "naked" stake until I got home, epoxied the few that fell apart and went on with life.
On reflection that's probably not dramatic enough. I'll try to do better in the future.
Really, I will.
How many angels can dance on the head of a stake maybe?
Two Speed
04-08-2011, 17:29
The answer is intuitively obvious: all of them.
I had a similar problem last summer with the Easton stakes that came with my TT Moment. On 2 occasions, the round head pulled off the stake bottom as I was trying to pull the stake out of the ground in the morning. The easiest solution was to reinstall the head on the tubular bottom with a dab of Liquid Steel. Seems to work fine.
My Tarptent came with a set of blue (6"?) Easton stakes.
Over the course of 3 nights, 2 bent and 1 broke.
Sounds like a lot of folk's experience based on REI reviews:
http://www.rei.com/product/358201