msr mini groundhog stakes: any reviews?

The only time I had one of my groundhogs come up with when it was attached to a tarp and we had some really high winds come through. The ground was pretty mushy to begin with so I'm not sure one of the long stakes would have held any better. They are nearly indestructible. Easy to hammer in if need be. No problems pulling them up.

Work fine in light to moderate winds, useless in high winds.

And I got high winds quite unexpectedly one night – not in the forecast before I left, and not expected in a forested canyon near a stream. Rocks didn't work. Luckily, a picnic table 20 yards away was available to which I anchored my tent – but even the downwind stakes blew out until I added big rocks.

Since picnic tables are not common in wilderness areas, I'm going back to regular length groundhog stakes.

— Rex

with big enough rocks your stakes will not come out

I've used regular size Groundhog stakes for years with good results.

I also carry an SMC snow stake mainly for digging catholes but also for use in very loose soil and high winds. (Another multiple-use item.)

With my TT Moment I generally only need two stakes, one at each end. For the upwind end (windward end, for you sailors) I have used the snowstake in windy situations.
That means I then have an extra Groundhog which I can use as an X'd deadman with another Groundhog if necessary. Did it only once but it worked very well when buried 6 inches deep W/ a big rock on top.

I use groundhogs with all of my tents. They are the best all purpose stakes that I have found so far. I used to destroy factory stakes just pushing on them with my boots, until I found these. I have hammered them with rocks, etc. and they are hardly scratched and not bent at all. They make some other versions, if you want something longer, or with a twist (kind of like a drill bit). However, for their size and weight, these are just amazing.

I do place rocks on them when tarping above tree-line and when the ground is completely water logged, as a just-in-case measure. But, I never have had one pop on me with a free standing tent or anywhere below tree-line, even without rocks on them.

With big enough rocks, you don't need stakes at all. :)

I used some mini groundhogs on the JMT last year, they worked much better than the normal Ti shepherd hook type that I was using with them. You can't pound them into hard soil though, as the narrow point near the top breaks off easily.

They'll hold in a strong wind if the soil is firm and either way they will hold better than anything else this light.

"you can't pound them into hard soil though…" Hmmm. Lots of hard soil where I hike.

I think that I'll take four of my trusty old stakes and six of the mini groundhogs for this first trip using the mini groundhogs. Then depending on their performance, just use 10 minis. Hopefully.

In the Sierra you sometimes end up burying a stake or four in a pile of rocks. The minis are short. This is my concern.

But honestly going in I think that they'll work fine. And be very lightweight to boot!

I use the mini groundhogs lots in hard soil here in the Colorado Rockies and have never had one break on me yet. I find that they're about the same as the Y stakes with just a tiny bit more strength. I'd recommend them, given the right situation.

For me, I'd rather have a larger number of smaller stakes than vice versa. Especially with a tarp. It sheds wind better to have a higher number of less strong points than a few number of strong points. So, I use a combination of the mini ground hogs and the MSR carbon cores.

"I use the mini groundhogs lots in hard soil here in the Colorado Rockies and have never had one break on me yet."

They can be used in hard soil so long as you can push them in or if the soil is such that you don't need to pound them in with too much force. On the JMT last year, I bought 4 of them in Mammoth and broke 2 of those during the course of the hike, both at the narrowing of the stake. I was more careful about how I used them after that and they worked fine, better than the Ti stakes I had. I'll be using them again.

Maybe so with the mini's. But not so with the regular Groundhogs. I have pounded the crap out of them in rocky soil and not even a bend. Even hitting them with jagged rocks to drive them in has only scratched the paint on top.