A Tent Stakes Guide & Reviews.
If you've ever had cheap tent stakes that bent, broke or didn't hold then you know they can be frustrating. Good tent stakes help keep your tent stay where you anchored it, resist bending and won't snap in two when the weather turns cool. Stakes are made from different materials, the most popular being aluminum, plastic, steel and titanium. If you're looking for the best stakes that will hold up over the long haul I'd definitely avoid plastic. Although they can do a decent job in warm weather they are a hassle when they shatter in cool weather. Wire-type hook stakes are usually less expensive, but speaking from personal experience I'd avoid them as they can bend easily. They also need to be gently pushed home because a hammer will make them look like spaghetti quite quickly. Twisted designs can make the stake stronger, give it more holding power and might be OK for light-duty, but if you do a lot of camping get a nice set of tent stakes and spare the local wildlife from hearing new and interesting words. ;-) Quick tips: Check the quantity you get when you order to make sure you're getting the right number of stakes. Some stakes are sold in quantities while others are sold individually. Use a rubber mallet to drive driveable stakes (i.e. don't drive wire-type hook stakes). Aluminum Tent Stakes PRO'S: Lightweight, moderately sturdy, won't rust, probably your best bet in the quality versus money debate. Like anything, if you take care of your camping gear and hiking equipment these stakes can last a very long time. CON'S: Hold up well to general use but might bend if they hit a rock (design can make them resistant though), aluminum takes abuse better than plastic but using a rubber mallet instead of a rock is still a good idea. MSR Ground Hog Stakes are a great stake to consider. They have three sides which help to bite the soil better holding the stake in place. This design also makes it much stronger than an aluminum wire-type stake and the nylon cords are a great idea to help with removal. Plastic Tent Stakes PRO'S: Inexpensive, light, somewhat easy-to-find and won't rust. CON'S: I'd avoid these if possible, they snap easily in cool to cold weather, mangle easily when they bump into rocks, the head mushrooms easily when it's driven with a metal hammer or rock, and plastic stakes are usually bigger so they take up more room. Steel (Mild) Tent Stakes PRO'S: Mild steel is usually inexpensive and pretty sturdy. CON'S: Steel is prone to rust and even if it's coated the soil will eventually wear it off, depending on the steel used they may or may not hold up, heavy. Stainless Steel Tent Stakes PRO'S: If you go through tent stakes like water it's either forged steel or titanium. Durable, strong and rust resistant. CON'S: Can be pricey, depending on size can get heavy for backpacking. Titanium Tent Stakes PRO'S: Lightweight, strong and won't rust. Probably the best current material to make a stake from (avoid wire-type hook stakes though). CON'S: Price. If you're looking for sand tent stakes to use on the beach or in sandy soil I'd consider snow & sand tent anchors. Although there are stakes made for loose soil they probably won't be able to hold as well as anchors. Anchors are simply a piece of fabric that are attached to straps. The fabric is filled with sand and buried to provide a stable anchor to attach to your
camping tent. Blizzard snow stakes are curved and have holes to hold better in snow (the holes allow snow to freeze around the stake). There's also a hole at the top to attach a pull cord if you need it. They weigh about .84 oz each or close to the weight of 4 U.S. quarters and a penny. If you're looking for a tent stake puller take a look at the design of your stakes first as one might be easier to use than others. Looking for more hiking equipment or camping gear inform- ation in addition to tent stakes or tents?
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