My new ruta locura carbon fiber tent stakes ROCK.

Got 4 9" and 4 6" …. Best stakes ever.

Nice stakes.

The MSR Carbon-Core Stakes are lighter… ;-)

http://tinyurl.com/9fysgze

I wonder how these will work in granite that we have up here in the mountains? Hmmm?
Duane

Count another vote for the RL carbon stakes. I use 4 of the 9" ones for my TT Notch. If they are ever damaged I will replace with the same. Best I have found regardless of price (and they are cheap as well).

Hey Kevin,

Yeah, the HTML on their page does suck… same as TiGoat… obviously made by the same person. It pretty much only looks right if you use IE. The whole lack of a white background on any other browser makes viewing their website just blow. Forces me to open IE anytime I want to visit their websites.

I actually stopped using the RL carbon fiber stakes this season. I have had four of them break over the course of the 2013 hiking season. No extra abuse applied to them, not hitting any rocks or roots or such. Using them just like I have the last three or four hiking seasons, but the last two batches I have gotten have just not been good enough. When I have to start taking extra stakes just incase ones or two break, its time to switch, and that is exactly what I have done.

They use to be awesome, now, not so much. Hope you have good luck with yours!!

"I wonder how these will work in granite that we have up here in the mountains?"

This is what happens at dark-thirty when you try to drive an Easton Nano through a rock –

I don't think the MSR would fare much better.

And this is what a season of abuse did to the first run of the TiGoat CF stakes-

These are 6 GRAM stakes. They are UL gear.
So I use a little more common sense and care now, and suggest you consider the same.

YMMV

So John, what have you switched to?

Does anyone got in contact with Josh from Ruta Locura recently ?
I'm planning to buy a few stakes among other things and I got no response to my emails since a week.

Edit : my problem is solved. ty

Thanks Greg. Those don't look too bad after one season, after all, some gear is designed to be UL not with a long life. I'm sure you have rocks in CO too. :)

Duane

The Vargo Ti stakes ZPacks sells weigh 5.7 g ea. Any particular reason why carbon fiber is preferred over titanium?

David, the carbon fiber stakes and Easton’s aluminum ones have a significantly larger diameter for increased holding power in most soils. See Will’s review here.

I've used the longer carbon fiber stakes for several years and love them. I typically carry 4 of them and four of the MSR needle stakes.

I use the carbon fiber stakes for soft soil (great holding power) and the needle stakes for hard ground.

I need 4 stakes for the tent and 2 more for the vestibule. Securing the first four is crucial. There are more options for securing the vestibules so I'm less concerned with holding power there.

I only insert and remove the carbon fiber stakes with my hands. I never pound them in. Little sign of wear so far.

I got a pair of titanium ones from jacksrbetter and they were WAY to think that they actually bent… completely useless and a waste of money.

The reason I liked these is that they look lightweight and durable.

I've used and love(d) the MSR needle stakes as well. Too bad to hear they are discontinuing them…