MSR – Easton 6″ Tent Stake, aircraft aluminum

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Ever since I saw these stakes I liked them for my volcanic rock filled soils. They come with the Rainshadow 2 by Tarptent.

I first found them in a mountain gear store in Northern California.

They have the bulk and strength to pound into the ground, with a rock, when they hit smaller rocks. We live and camp in the South Cascades, which is full of volcanic rock.

They have enough length to hold in the sandy soils that surround the volcanic rocks. (4" is not often going to cut it, so length matters in tent stakes.)

Then they came with my Tarptent and they work perfectly for this environment, sans snow.

What I really like is the large head, and they don't bend from slits in the top to hold line. The tips have not suffered damage even when hitting rocks.

Here is the description from the Tarptent site, since I am not sure that MSR still makes them … maybe someone else is:

"Aluminum stake

Made from 7075 E9 aircraft grade aluminum, these Easton stakes are extremely strong and light.
6 1/4 inches (16 cm)
0.35 ounces (10 grams)"

Again, these are my favorite stakes in this environment, sans snow. For snow all bets are off.

Given their strength, durability, and length they are perfect for what we do and deserve a 5. I actually carry one in my outside pack pocket for a trowel, because even plastic cant get through some of the rock around Mt. Lassen.

[GARY HEBERT]

Ron Moak recommeded and so I used Easton's Alum. Nail pegs regularly with Six Moon Design Lunar Solo e in various wooded hard soil, rocky, duff, soft soil, backyard; So light & strong; I love that I can "pound" them in with my heel without spearing my foot/bending stake and they hold pretty good under a variety of terrain, hard ground, muddy, kinda soft duff/topsoil, etc. Also work well in 8"(0.5oz vs. 0.3oz for 6" I believe)

Until Winter. Worked great going in (with rock hammer). Snapped off 2 stakes trying to get them out in 5 degree F overniter.

Repeated at home in 20's in backyard with frozen ground. Broke 2 more trying to pull them out (pulling straight or twisting using cordline thru drilled hole). They're hollow & apparently lower half was frozen in.

Guess they don't claim to be winter stakes. Now trialing mixture of Vargo Tit. Solid Nail Stakes (0.5oz)along with some Eastons & Lazr Tit. Nail Pegs (solid) (0.3 oz I think)

[Mark Verber]

There are lighter stakes. There are more durable stakes. There are stakes which have better holding power or are easier to use in X conditions. All that said, I have found the Easton 6" stakes to be one of the best compromises for three season trips. They have excellent holding power in soft soils. They can be driven into hard ground like over sized nails using rocks or other instruments of pounding. The tips aren't too pointed, so you don't have to worry about holing items which is a real danger with some of the sharp titanium stakes.

What's not so go? They can get stick in the ground in the case of a hard freeze which makes them difficult to be pulled out. If you pull too hard you can snap the glue which holds the shaft to the top. {I had to dig out out using my hiking pole.] It is also possible to break the stakes if you are pounding them with too much force into hard ground when it's cold.

Overall those, I high recommend them. I switch to these for most of my three season trips specifically so I didn't have to choice the "best" stakes for a given trip. I just grab the eastons and I am done.

[Bob Bankhead]

Very reliable in all but extreme cold, nor would I trust them in snow. I also like not worrying about punching a hole in something in my pack.

I carry enough of the blue 6 inchers for the low-stress tieouts but add 2 of the gold 9 inch models for the higher stress front and rear guylines. I find the extra length (and thereby holding power) worth the small weight penalty.

I also toss in 2 titanium nails no matter what shelter I use. There are some soils that will accept no other peg, or I use them to make pilot holes for the fat Eastons which might otherwise break if I tried to pound them in on their own.

Personally, I hate using rocks and vegetation as tent stakes. My guylines aren't usually that long.

[Harlan Bruce]

I've had two heads come off. They both appeared to have been 'dry-glued' in manufacture. 5-minute epoxy FTW. They would break before the heads came off now. :-)

Best stakes around for my Rainbow I with the shockcord floor pullouts and delrin ring corner tie-downs.

I do carry a few simple aluminum pegs with the integral hook on the end for use with cords with tied loops on the ends.

I did break one driving it with my heel. A rock is much better.

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