Tent Stake Holding Power: Comparative Evaluation of Various Designs and Lengths

[Pedro Arvy]

Roger,

As an ex-structural engineer I know that the dynamic application of a force increase failure by an order of magnitude or more.

eg 0-2 kg applied by a variable wind could quite possibly equal a static load of 20 kg.

[Rod Lawlor]

Petras,

Now that is perhaps the most interesting comment on this thread so far. (Not to disparage anyone elses comments!)

We go from stakes that are bomber with no wind to now being quite weak with a gust. This is good motivation to get a taut pitch, and reposition/retension once the silnylon has stretched.

Between you, Roger and a storm on the Buller saddle , I've completely rethought the way I pitch my Megalite over the last three months.

Thanks, Rod

[Doug Johnson]

I love these stakes. They go really well with a Tarptent.

[David Olsen]

Try it with green wood sticks in soil.

[Michael Davis]

Good point about the dynamic loads (gusts of wind popping the tarp or fly fabric and jerking the stake out).

A firm, tight pitch is a good defense against this. Another defense is a fishing line tensioner. I use these on silnylon shelters so that I don't have to get out and re-tension once the silnylon expands from the humidity/rain. However, they also act as shock absorbers in gusty winds. The 6" ones weigh 0.39 oz each. Here's a link:

http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0003422111782a.shtml

[Brad Rogers]

What is the weight of one of those?

[Lynn Tramper]

What about the Tiatanium Goat Carbon Fibre stakes? The 9" ones are only 0.25oz, and are nice and thick. They SAY you can pound them with a rock…and they are thick enough that they should have good holding power in a range of soils.

[Roger Caffin]

Yes, you can thump carbon fibre stakes into the **soil**. You risk some damage to the end you are thumping, but that can be controlled.

But do NOT try thumping them into any rocks. The much higher impact loads will break/split them fairly soon.

I have lots of bits of CF tube left over from making my tent poles, and did look at making tent stakes out of them. After some testing I went back to thin (Easton) tubes and Ti wires.

Cheers

[Kevin Sawchuk]

I'd love to see more on electroplating technique………

[Lynn Tramper]

The TG stakes seem a lit more robust than most CF tent poles I've seen. 0.3 inches (whatever that is in real numbers), and a pretty tough aluminium tip, though I still wouldn't try to force them into rocks!

[A. B.]

>> I'd love to see more on electroplating technique………

Why would you want to electroplate a stake? Or do you mean anodize?

[te – wa]

those stakes are quite funny, they also offer Palm Trees, Liger (pretty much my favorite animal, known for its skillz in magic), Gnomes, Chickens.
Id like POE to make some T-Rex or similar

[Ryan Dunne]

Prolite gear sells the Golite Y stakes individually too, btw.

Hmms. .5 oz doesn't seem like it would be worth it unless you really need the extra holding strength. maybe for the ridge line, and SH stakes for the rest…

I use two 9 inch eastons with .22 oz tite lite stakes. it's worked out for me in some decent winds. … so far. :-P

[Linsey Budden]

Thank you for the great article. I realized that I have every stake style in your tests (except Ti nails). Lately I've been just carrying V's and shepherds but after reading your article added some Y's for our quick overnight last night. It was rainy but still and the shepherds were way easier to install/remove but nice to have more secure options in case of wind. Previously I just carried V's for ridgeline guys.

Of course my favorite stake is none and we only pitch a shelter for rain.

[D LARSON]

There has been a lot of great discussion on the topic of tent stakes. Michael Stivers mentioned Plasti-Dip and that was a thought I also had. I imagined just dipping the top hook portion for weight savings and to avoid scraping it off when inserting it in the ground.

René Enguehard mentioned electro-deposition. Another similar process that popped into my mind is electrostatic painting, or powder coating.

Sadly, the only real option I see for most people is Plasti-Dip. There are some home powder coating options available for about $150 US. And of course BPL sells stakes already painted bright orange.

[Franco Darioli]

Wow, I'm impressed by the ones that have never bent or broken a stake. I have managed to do that with every type of stake I have used ( including the thick Ti nail stakes and V stakes) except for the Y stakes. After cutting myself several times with the Y versions ( never badly but just enough to remind me of how stupid you have to be to do it multiple times) switched to the Easton (because of the Tarptents) but now have a mix of two long Easton, one or two Ti Nail ( to prepare hard ground for the Easton) and four 5" Y ( with bright loop cord now) or 5" Easton depending on what shelter I use. I would guess that I use a more or less 45 degree angle because it is easier for me to pound them in at that than at a 30 . Must try to do that on softer ground next time.
Personally I dislike the shepherd hook stakes for the tendency to twist ,the ( in my experience) low holding power and the extra space taken by the hook. I supposed with practice you get used to them but the weight saving is not ( for me) worth the bother. And yes pounding them right into the ground works well in my backyard, not so well in the bush ( they still twist with on crusty ground)
No scientific research here, but if a stakes pulls out of the ground whilst I play with "new ideas" or set-ups in my backyard, typically it was hurriedly pushed almost perpendicular to the ground.
Franco

[Jane McMichen]

Will, thanks for the article! I have pondered the choices when shopping online (more like glazed over after trying to read through the sales hype)and really appreciate some concrete facts. It's one of the things I love about BPL – even tent stakes can be interesting and educational.

Thanks for the links everyone else, too. I spend my Sunday mornings with my cuppa and my laptop learning from all of your collective experiences!

So far I have found myself pretty well equiped and somewhat knowledgeable (at a much lighter weight, of course)on my forays into new hiking adventures just because I read everything I can on this site when I can't be out walking. Very cool.

And Denis I love your avatar. :-)

[Linsey Budden]

<"Another similar process that popped into my mind is electrostatic painting, or powder coating."

This would look cool, but it chips like mad.

[D LARSON]

Linsey, you are correct, powder coating can sometimes chip since it's basically a baked on glaze. I know someone that could powder coat my stakes for me so I'm considering trying it out. If I do I'll report back with the results. Titanium is notoriously hard to, um… adorn, which I guess is why it's often left naked.

Now I just have to choose a color. Caterpillar Yellow or John Deer Green?

[Diplomatic Mike]

As the reason for painting or powder coating stakes is easier spotting at take-down, just add a bright 6-8" length of dress-making ribbon to the stake. Weighs a lot less, and doesn't chip.

[ed hyatt]

I am sure you can get this in the US; just heat to shrink on with a blow torch and colourful pegs abound….

http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/100226834/Electrical_Heat_Shrink_Sleeve.html

[Linsey Budden]

It's not that expensive to set up to do powdercoating at home, Eastman sell DIY kit's/guns and you can use a household oven (but NOT one you ever expect to use with food again as the fumes are horrible). It's alot like baking: start with perfectly clean bare metal (bead blaster helps), the powder is electostatically applied (I've only done ferrous metals, but there are procedures for non ferrous), then baked–very rewarding. I've powdercoated every piece of my (torn down to a shell) MGB GT project car that should be black (suspension components, brackets, covers etc, etc, etc). Once set up, it's easier than painting.

[Michael Davis]

It's starting to sound like the easiest method for most of us would be to buy to small bottles of enamel, of contraxting colors, and paint stripes on the pegs. Repaint as often as necessary.

Ideally, the two colors should not blend with nature's colors when and where you hike. Of course, being a Florida Gator, mine must be orange & blue. Go Gators!

[Roger Caffin]

> small bottles of enamel, of contraxting colors, and paint stripes on the pegs

Visit local model shop (radio control planes etc) and see what the Humbrol and other brands of oil/solvent based model paints look like. That's what I use. It sticks quite well to the orange epoxy paint on the Ti stakes, yellow zinc-chromate primer, and also to the Easton tubes. (Ignore any emulsion paints!)

cheers

[Craig Shelley]

I use the BPL orange coated titanium shepherd stake that is about 6" for the stake and 6 3/8" for the total length. The weight per stake is .23 oz (I weighed five stakes and took the average). The article states .32oz (did the numbers get reversed) for the 6" titanium stake. Did you make a mistake, is it a misprint, or is the titanium stake used in the article a larger diameter rod?

Craig Shelley

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