China sticks as tent/tarp pegs?

[Paiolo Montanel]

Hi all!

Have someone of you ever used bamboo china sticks (yes, that fond in china restaurant…) as tent pegs?

They seem perfect: they are really solid (N times more solid than a wood stick), and are extremely lightweight: an entire sticks is 6 grams, but it is little too long; a trimmed-down sticks could only be 3-4 grams!

And you can get them for free…if you sometime does eat china foods ;-)

Have someone already tried them?

[todd]

Hi Paiolo,

I haven't tried them, but the topic does get discussed from time to time. I don't recall hearing of someone using them on the trail, though.

Let us know if you try them. My only advice is to bring backups!

Todd

[Paiolo Montanel]

Using "search" (on BPL and on google) I've found people using bamboo for tent poles, but nobody using it for tent pegs.

Yes, obviously first times I'll take with me some backups! ;-)

[Paiolo Montanel]

Someone already tried them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bscZt8M_kAo#!

Look from minute 2:00 to minute 2:30…

[Paiolo Montanel]

Ok, at the end I "built" them:

At the left two "original" china stick, at the right two tent pegs made from them.

To get them stronger, I've taken away the original tip and I've made a blunter one.

The hook for tent wire is made with a cable tie.

Each peg weights 4.5 grams… I've tried them on hard terrain, and they seems to work well (only with just a little attention when hammering them)

[Franco Darioli]

I have used them in my backyard but would not use them in the bush.
Never really tested this but I would imagine that anything a bit more than mild wind could snap them, particularly on rocky ground.

[Stephen M]

Folks,

Are China sticks Chopsticks?

If so what keeps your guylines from slipping?

[Paiolo Montanel]

Yes, "china sticks" are chopsticks, sorry for my engligh ;-)

Cable tie prevents guylines from slipping (look at the right side of my photo)

Before securing the cable tie I slightly beveled the stick only in that place, to prevent the cable tie from slipping.

The chopstick is planted until the cable tie nearly reaches the ground: guiline ends so close to the ground that even strong tensions on the guiline can't flex enough the chopsticks to break it.

I was impressed by how much more solid are chopsticks than a same diameter wood sticks; I now understood why in China scaffolding are made of bamboo: http://goo.gl/qsaaK ;-)

[Author]

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