Ultralight Tent Stakes

I use the titanium shepherd hook stakes. Not normally found in stores, but nearly all the "cottage" tent manufacturers carry them. I really like these (a little stouter than others of their kind, and have fluorescent orange tops) from Mountain Laurel Designs: http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=43&products_id=61
MLD is closed until after the New Year. You can also get them directly from Vargo: http://www.vargooutdoors.com/Titanium-Tent-Stake-(florescent-orange-head)

Gossamer Gear has similar stakes, but the coating is yellow, not orange, harder to see where some of the local vegetation has turned yellow. The stakes aren't quite as robust, either. http://gossamergear.com/shelters/shelter-accessories/tite-lite-hiviz-tent-stake.html

I really like the fluorescent orange stakes; with just the gray Ti color, if a stake pulls and flies off into the grass/bushes, you'll never find it! I spray paint the gray ones I have, but this has to be redone at least yearly, usually more often. I've had no problems with the coating on the MLD stakes.

Andy, I use the MSR stakes with my Trailstar. Yes, they're heavier, but its nice to have a dependable hold. Plus, since every corner on the Trailstar is under tension (unlike a freestanding tent) the .6 oz is well worth it, for me at least.

It also makes a big difference as to your soil conditions. If needed, you can really pound on the MSRs with a rock. I even use them in frozen ground.

You'll eventually find out what works best for your needs, but my vote is for the MSR stakes, regardless of weight. Good luck!

Most of what I use are titanium shepherd's hooks at about 0.2 ounces each.

Once in a while, if I want to go crazy, I use DIY shepherd's hooks that I made out of ordinary steel coathanger wire. For some soil types, they work, and they are a little lighter than the decent titanium ones. They don't hold like the larger titanium ones, but sometimes they are just enough for shelter flaps that don't get too much stress.

–B.G.–

MSR Groundhogs for each end of my Moment for maximum hold and strength, Lawson Equipment titanium shepherd hooks for my guylines and perimeter tieouts. Easton stakes (6" or 9") are another choice, but the heads known to pop off, so you have to be careful with them.

On my Trailstar and Duomid, I use MSR Groundhogs at the corners, and ti shepherd hooks (orange head) at the mid-panel pull-outs. The corners have the greatest pressure on them, and the Groundhogs do well in the decayed granite sand here in SoCal, while the ultra light ti hooks do okay for the lower pressure mid-panel positions.

I wish I could use all ti hooks, but they just won't support much pressure in the sandy soil that is so common here.

Get good stakes if you want to use your trailstar in strong winds.

6 MSR Groundhogs at the main points and, and ti shepherd hooks (orange head) at the mid-panel pull-outs.

Save weight somewhere else.

Soil/ground type, wind conditions, shelter, and environment will all change the type of stake you will want to use. You original post is too vague. Soft/hard soil, strong/light wind, tarp/freestanding, rock;tree/ volcano desert are simple examples of when I would change stakes. UL 0.2oz Ti Shepard stakes are pointless in soft soil with strong wind when dealing with a tarp and 1oz Snostake in hard soil under light wind on a freestanding are just overkill. What do you think you will be dealing with?

Thanks for the replies. I currently use lightweight titanium stakes from Randy at http://mydiygear.com/. Great stakes for the price, but I agree the Trailstar needs a beefier stake. I was actually at Target last night and picked up a 4 pack of Coleman Stakes that look exactly like the MSR Groundhogs. They were only $7.00. They appear to be the same quality as the stakes that Golite uses with their shelters. They weight about 0.65 oz each.

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=2000007442&categoryid=5850&brand=

The stakes have to match your terrain and weather conditions. A stake that is perfect for one user, might be useless for another. I need something that can handle high winds, and boggy ground. The Easton 8" stakes are a favourite of mine for main guying points. I've even used MSR Blizzards on boggy ground.

I like my shephard's hooks from http://lawsonequipment.com/

Lawson posts on the forums and is a stand-up guy. Affordable and shaped better than other comparable stakes I've used.

As Mike says.
I remember going to Scotland cape Wrath trail with only light titanium stakes.
I ended camping close to rivers whenever i could, to have a good supply of big stones..

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=20987

My next hike there ( the TGO in may ) ill bring a trailstar with 6 gold eastons ( or the newer 8inches ones if i can get them before ) and 6 x 6g titanium stakes.

But if you are with hard ground titanium stakes are fine/good, when i hiked in Iceland i used the vargo 8g nails, they were a bit thin in Hornstrandir sea side camps, but were good for the Landmannalaugar.

We recommend the Easton 8" ( sometimes called 9" if the head length is included) for the Trailstar's primary stake points. Lighter 6" Ti Shepard Hook stakes are fine for the other intermediate points if needed.

Check out this BPL review of stake holding power.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/tent_stakes.html

Note the first chart on weight and the second on overall holding power.

My pick is for the 8" Easton is based on it having the highest combined holding power rating in Moist Sods + Compacted Forest ground of 132lbs. The next highest combined rating is the MSR Ground Hog at 127lbs.

Note also the Easton is .52 oz and the MSR is .58oz

The article has a lot of other info and the data is crunched different ways – but for me those two parts are key in making a choice for max holding power at reasonable weight.

I carry a wide range of stakes, the msr hogs are nice but do add up the ounces. The Ti ones have their place but not for a load. The ones I always go to are the msr needle stakes very strong pack nice hold well and 3 of them weigh an ounce.

Be aware that Coleman may not be using the same strength of aluminum in their stakes that resemble the golite or MSR groundhogs, so check that if it is listed on the packaging. The lesser quality stakes have been more easily bent.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/55688/index.html

I always carry a variety of stakes and find they all have their advantages.

I only recently started using the ti-shepherd hooks as I was afraid they wouldn't hold well.
And they don't hold as well as the others by themselves, but I find that when combined with with found objects, hold very well.

I also like they way they can be wedged into cracks in stones and tight root clusters.

So anyway, with a rect. tarp, depending on the terrain, I carry a couple 8" Eastons, a couple titanium V-stakes, a Ground Hog or two and a few shepherd hooks.

For summer fair weather trips, just the titanium shepherd hooks have always been enough, but I do have to combine them with found objects if the ground is loose and/or strong wind.