Tent Stake Holding Power . . . Stake length? Or Shape? Or . . .

Hi Roger

Ha – not surprised actually. I thought the OP might like a description of the ground the pegs chosen would actually end up in. I should have been clearer in my post whom I was addressing.

You should write your own version of that old song “I’ve been everywhere…”. “I’ve camped everywhere…” perhaps?

Thanks @will_penney, for the very helpful reply on the ground types.

“I’ve been everywhere … I’ve camped everywhere … I’ve been rained on everywhere …”

I think we did the entire Offas Dyke path in the rain. Had to buy new pack covers and foam sit mats.

Across Dartmoor on Bank Holiday was nice: sunny the whole way. Carrying baby. Got back to London (at Uni, PhD) with sun-tans and was nearly killed by fellow post-grads for the audacity of having had fine weather.

Cheers

Based on this thread, searched for long, skinny stakes, either titanium wires or aluminum tubes. Since Longer Is Better (TM), I cut off the table at 7 inches, and included the MSR Groundhog for comparison.

Links to each below.

One unusual entry: Trail Designs sells Lawson 8.5″ Long Shepherd Hook stakes – but Lawson doesn’t.

No claims that this list is complete or accurate or that these are the cheapest sources.

Enjoy.

— Rex

https://www.msrgear.com/tents/tent-accessories/core-stakes
https://www.traildesigns.com/products/lawson-titanium-8-5-long-shepherd-hook-tent-stakes-6-pack
https://mountainlaureldesigns.com/product/easton-aluminum-nano-nail-stakes/
https://www.hyperlitemountaingear.com/collections/accessories/products/8-aluminum-stakes-set-of-six
https://www.msrgear.com/tents/tent-accessories/groundhog-tent-stakes
https://lawsonequipment.com/Titanium-Tent-Stakes-p883.html
https://dutchwaregear.com/product/ti-burly-hook-stake/
https://lawsonequipment.com/Titanium-Tent-Stakes-p883.html

Hi Rex

Interesting and useful table.

It might be worth while adding that a lot of tubes and Y-shape stakes end up sticking an inch or so out of the ground, while Ti (shephard) wires can be sunk flush to the the surface of the ground. So a 7″ Ti wire can be treated the same as an 8″ other variety. I find that last inch or two of penetration into the soil can make all the difference.

Cheers

One difference between the Dutch and Lawson’s Ti shepherds is that in a straight line, from the tip to the curve, the Dutch measure 7.5″ and Lawson’s are 8.5″. Both are advertised as 7″.

I don’t have the 8.5″ Trail Design, but their weight puts them between Lawson’s advertised 7″ UL and HD… I wonder whether the longer length may be needed for the caldera cones.

One difference between the Dutch and Lawson’s Ti shepherds is that in a straight line, from the tip to the curve, the Dutch measure 7.5″ and Lawson’s are 8.5″. Both are advertised as 7″.

Does this mean we need an ASTM or EN standard for measuring the length of tent stakes?

— Rex

:-)

Thanks Rex! I contacted Lawson this morning to ask about the 8.5 inch stakes that you found on Trail Designs. Here is what Lawson told me:

“It is an item we use to make. It was not a super hot seller. So I stopped making them. I also made a longer HD stake as well. Trail Designs bought quite a few packs before I discontinued them. So yes it is a legitimate item. Same as my current UL stakes, just longer. So a pretty great deal as they bought them before I got hit with the crazy inflated titanium price increases. Let me know if you have any questions.”

Also, any reason why didn’t include the 9″ Ruta Locura carbon fiber stakes?

Another one that is interesting is the Camcleat 8″ Spear Titanium Tent Peg (a longer version of the Vargo Titanium nail peg): https://www.cleats.co.uk/cl623-spear-titanium-tent-peg.html

I’m considering one of those camcleats, for creating a hole for the Ruta Locura 9″ stakes.

Over 3 UK pounds for one tent peg? Is that for real?

I can buy standard Ti wire stakes from eBay for about $2 each. I can buy those heavy duty ‘Ti nails’ for about $2.50 each. (Postage inc for both.) I understand about the problems with Chinese competition, but as a customer …

There are also some Ti angles on eBay which are almost big enough for snow use: 160 mm x 25 mm. I make my own, but not everyone can do that.

Cheers

@rcaffin, I’m not defending the price of the CamCleat Nail peg. But it doesn’t seem that far out of line, to me. The link I provided is for buying from the manufacturer. 3.10 UK pounds is currently equivalent to $3.90 (USD). Compare that to a single Vargo Titanium Nail peg, directly from vargooutdoors.com. That price is $4.50 (USD). Seems pretty comparable, to me.

Oh, point taken all right.

It’s just that given the choice of US$3.90 (or US$4.50) plus postage, compared to the eBay prices I quoted (US$2 or US$2.50, which include postage), I know where I would be shopping. Harsh, but real.

Yeah, big disruption to 20th C retail, but supermarkets were a huge disruption to the corner store as well. The consumers voted with their wallets. It is futile to expect things to remain static. Evolution Rocks!

EDIT:
I will stick my neck out here and point out that the number of mfrs able to produce such Ti ‘nails’ is limited – probably to ONE company, located in China. The processing of hi-tens Ti is not a simple task (I did try). So the American vendors (and UK vendor) of these Ti nails all buy from the same Chinese company – and use the same stock photos.

The same comments apply to all the Ti pots on the market. I know of only one or two mfrs with the necessary massive carbide-faced dies and heat-treatment furnaces able to produce the pots, and ttbomk they are in China. The cost of the plant is very high, and the per-item profit margin is very low. Small cottage mfrs are not in the race.

Cheers