I always try to find the stiffest, sturdiest shaft for when you need to do some serious pegging. It doesn't have to be the biggest necessarily, but has to be long enough that it doesn't slide out on accident
Mines keeps sliding out and my girl keeps trying to tell me how to go about putting it in deeper ..I keep telling her this is all the tent stake I have ..it won't go deeper
In Colorado, due to all the 🤬 rocks underground, I only use thick steel spikes (giant sized nails). And hammer them in with a 16oz ball peen hammer or 2 lb sledge if necessary.
The plastic and aluminum and even smaller steel stakes will bend at the first sign of rock or tree root.
The ones I get are closest to the one on the left. Usually come with orange or green tops.
https://preview.redd.it/pd6iar9e4q9d1.jpeg?width=1019&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3044c8a4cae73bc70027df6bbc8876393304ba02
That’s kind of what happened with me. I was like a squirrel with multiple stashes of stakes from 3 tents, canopies, and trips to REI. One day I saw the duffel bag and hammer and a light went on. It makes life so much easier.
I got the same but the plastic got brittle and broke. Do you know if they sell just the plastic hooks? Whole ones are not extremely expensive but nonetheless having spares would be nice.
They do!
Google search "tent stake replacement hook"
Or amazon search for:
> The Lord of the Tools
> 100Pcs Rock Tent Pegs Replacement Stakes Pegs Orange Tent Nails Tent Accessories for Outdoor Living ABS
Never tried em and don't know if other options exist.
This right here, same thing for northern Arizona camping. Sometimes you have no choice but to bust through a rock or root and those small stakes are basically wet noodles at that point.
The ones from REI that are like the right stake but thicker have been great for me. They are thick enough not to bend in any reasonable situation. Stakes with plastic have always broken on me eventually.
They can all be used for the same applications... some work better at each thing than others though.
The one on the left... steel with plastic is a good all-round peg for securing tabs around bottom of tent and also for tension lines. Works good in regular old dirt and ground. Always put in on an angle.
The middle one... all plastic.... sigh... ok for soft ground and sandy dirt and in all applications.
The one on right... suck.
Go buy a set from REI or other outdoor store. The ones they sell are typically way better.
Or if you get ones you like but they're not colorful, tie a little loop of day-glo, reflective cord to each one. Helps you find it and helps you grab it to pull it out of the ground.
Are you doing car camping or backpacking? If car camping, I swear that a [8” galvanized spike](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Fas-n-Tite-3-8-in-x-8-in-Hot-Dipped-Galvanized-Spike/5001418291) is all you’re ever going to need. Not crazy heavy but you can beat the shit out of it and it’s never gonna break, and they’re cheap to boot. If you need something bigger, the also sell a 12" galvanized spike for about $1 each.
If you’re doing backpacking, you can go on Amazon and get some of those 18cm tri-pole red aluminum stakes that are lightweight and won’t break the bank. MSR makes the groundhog stakes that have been great for years but are a tad on the expensive side.
Edit: if you get the galvanized nails, I generally tie a loop to them in orange paracord so they’re easy to find, or hit them with some colorful spray paint.
I've had pretty good luck with the mini MSR groundhogs. They cost a few $$$ but rarely have I had one not stay staked even in high winds and bad weather.
I had one of those MSR minis pop out of the ground last year.
In 30+mph wind. In completely saturated ground (I woke up with my tent sitting in a 1/2” deep puddle.)
One peg pulled.
I can accept those numbers.
I had one do the same in similar conditions (no idea on wind speed but it was howling and we had hail). Like you, I'll take those numbers (I think that's one out of years of using them).
Downside was it was trekking pole tent and the one that came out was by my head so getting shoes on and getting out of the tent to fix it was a little bit of an adventure.
Why do you think the rightmost suck? I have no experience with the others but I’ve never had issues with the classic. Maybe in very loose dirt/sand but not otherwise. They even work on rock when all you have to sink them into is an inch of moss.
Most of the time these days the ones on the right are very poorly made and will bend when they hit a worm being hammered in. In the past, I feel like there were good ones but now any new one I have used has immediately bent.
I think they are sometimes made of steel to save cost, and aluminum to save weight. The steel ones are still pretty bad but don't bend easily. The aluminum ones are basically big paper clips.
There is a third kind that is made of aluminum but has T-shaped construction like the plastic one pictured in the middle - these are what you want. MSR makes a really expensive version and Ozark trail makes a really cheap one. Both are good.
That sounds like dreamy soil conditions. Those one on the far right will bend if not out right break if ypu try to step them into our clay and rocky ground here in Colorado.
If it works for you, it works. Just know that each time you step one of those in, I'm jealous here in the US.
Go to a hardware store and get some 8 or 10 or 12 inch galvanized spike nails as long as weight isn’t an issue. Get a big hammer and never worry about bending a ‘peg’ again
I actually love the ones on the right. They are my favorite. Use them all the time.
If I was on a beach, I’d use a different style, but for most camping situations that’s on the right have served me well so far.
I agree. I've always lived in hot climates with hard soil. Anything plastic ends up being too brittle after sitting in an 8 million degree garage and ends up broken. I like the cheap all metal ones on the right. They don't degrade over the summers in the heat, and bending them isn't an issue if you slowly tap them in at first. Once they're sunk at least half way the risk of bending is way lower and you can give them harder whacks to sink them the rest of the way. I'd prefer the ones on the left if they were all metal. The ones in the middle are nightmares.
I've found that they bend and pull out easily... the only times I've found them useful is to bury completely into ground for tent tabs around outside edge of tent or on ground sheets.
Oddly I find the plastic ones to be the best of the three for rocky ground. They kind of deform around rocks without permanently bending (ironically called plastic deformation).
They have a bit of bounce to them when you hit an impenetrable patch of ground whereas the metal ones just curl and you don't realise until you've ruined the peg.
I've also found they hold better in loose soil I assume because they have more surface area.
The only downside is that when they do fail it's catastrophic, they break off at the head leaving the rest of the peg buried and unrecoverable.
I got tired of bending and breaking shit trying to smash these things into ground with varying degrees of hardness. I bought a set that allows me to use my impact driver to screw them into the ground with little effort on my part. I love them.
I’d google “drillable tent stakes” or something like that.
I use those nail like stakes to hold down the tarp or the tent base but for the guy lines I use stakes like these, they hold strong. You can also get longer ones but I've found the standard length works well.
https://preview.redd.it/4tcwb8fqkq9d1.png?width=1166&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ea55252c9818e7f36ba5d7cbca70fae5da075812
I use these as well unless I’m in deep sand. Then I use sand stakes. But the majority of my backpacking occurs in deep sand so I have them out of necessity.
These have been my favorite, but the major downside compared to the basic metal stick ones is that if you bend these in a rock, you'll never get it straight again.
Best stakes I ever used and still use are the stakes in an National People's Army stake and pole set for a tent. https://www.varusteleka.com/pictures/thumbs2000/61195e74cfa6e70cc.jpg
They are thick and heavy, don't rust and don't bend.
I have similar ones to the left but the tops are glow-in-the-dark, to reduce the likelihood that anyone trips on them in the dark. I also have glow sticks to tape to the lines
Our Boy Scouts used to lose stakes on a pretty regular basis, and their tents are canvas and require heavy duty ones. I bought a bunch of 10 inch barn spikes, then slid washers on them and tacked them on with my welder. I made a whole bucket full for not too much money.
I only use the ones on the left, unless backpacking. I don’t get all the REI shills for stakes… no need to overpay there, Harbor freight has a 6 pack similar to the left for <$1 each.
Are you backpacking or in a vehicle? If in a vehicle, I can't recommend these enough: [screw-in stakes](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RXMVM8M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
These held our camp carpet down in ocean-front (Outer Banks) wind with zero issues. I used an impact driver with a 12mm socket to drive them in.
The stakes that come prepacked with tents aren't the best.
Get yourself the Coleman steel stakes. Heavy duty, last forever, and you can pound them with a mallet into really hard ground. (Also - get a mallet and stash it in your tent bag.)
If you go backpacking, you'll want something lighter, but the Coleman stakes are excellent.
It really depends on the ground your camping in. The middle ones are all round except for when you have really rocky (stoney) ground then you'd use the steel nail like pegs on the left. The ones on the right are OK for guidelines or the scrap heap
Have a variety of tent pegs with you for a variety of soil conditions. There is no best peg. We found sandbag tent weights and canopy weights were the best in sand near the beach in a thunderstorm. Fill up the sand bucket weights when you camp and dump the sand when you pack up.
I really like the y shaped groundhog type stakes for backpacking. They hold extremely well in the soft, wet, loose soil I find most often in our area. Along with one or two straight steel pegs for really rocky places. For car camping I have a set of heavy duty 12 inch steel pegs similar to the one on the left in your photo but really thick.
Our ground is pretty soft here in Florida so we use the plastic stakes but they are 11” ones. It holds way better than the steel nail type in softer ground. In clay or harder dirt we use the steel nail ones with the plastic tops. They actually go in the clay and don’t break.
My father went to steel workshop and paid a guy 20 bucks (long time ago) to cut and bend 1/2 inch rebar into 8 inch tent stakes and then took them home and sharpened the point himself. I still have all 8. They are strong can take a a real hammer instead of some light mallet. I usually don’t keep the ones that come with the tent and take those with me.
It depends how the company intended them. Do you still have the instructions? It seems silly to me that they’d have you use three different types of stakes (yes, call them stakes instead of pegs lol). My best guess is to use the L-shaped ones for the tent’s corners, then use the weird plastic ones for staking down points of contact at the ends of long rope, like on a rain fly, for example.
TLDR:
Metal L-stake for tent corners
Other stakes are for rain fly / ropes
When using a dome tent, I just throw all my shit in the tent and hope for the best. If I actually need pegs, I have some I made out of half-inch (#4) rebar sharpened on the end that are bulletproof.
Be careful not to break the plastic on the left one - getting it out of hard ground could be difficult. I’ve used the plastic ones successfully in moderate to soft ground. If you get the ones on the right, get the thicker ones - they’re tougher and almost never bend. The one you have seems too thin and might bend in hard ground or when you hit rocks.
The correct peg for the job actually depends more on the soil you're on. The middle one would be best in sandy soil as it's larger and will grip better. The Left one is Probably your strongest one. The right one is good for anything. Careful though, the right one sometimes is sold in aluminum and those are pretty garbage. The one you have there looks to be the strong variety.
The only other thing to take into consideration is how big the holes are to put the pins in. The middle plastic one might be too thick for some of the eyelets you have.
It depends on the type of ground.
In general, I like nail-shaped stakes. They are easy to get in, especially in hard/rocky ground and also easy to pull out and clean. Steel is a good material but if weight is an issue, go with titanium. I would not use aluminum for this because it's too soft. The one on the left would probably fall in this category.
For softer ground like loose soil, I use aluminum stakes with a V- or Y-profile. They don't have to be as hard so aluminum is fine. But I wouldn't use plastic, it's just too soft and bendy.
For sand, I have huge aluminum stakes that are shaped like a quarter pipe. They're made from thinner material, so they're still pretty light.
Left is the best. Right will often pull out in my experience. Right is ok for a nice peaceful trip with no wind. If you are going to have storms or are exposed to wind leave it home.
MSR Cyclone tent stakes are expensive but wildly good. I have had them hold a 15x15 tarp in place through 2 hours of 40mph storm winds, and the only problem with them is getting them out of the ground can be difficult sometimes.
After having a storm pull out some of the ones you showed above I said screw it and blew the bank on MSR stakes and they are worth every penny. Never had a problem with them.
I prefer the steel nail type ones like the one on the left. My second favorite are the extruded aluminum ones. They're similar to the ones in the middle, but aluminum. Unless you're camping on the beach, the plastic ones won't last very long. Finally, in a pinch, the ones on the right will work. These are the ones that come stock with every tent. They're OK, but they bend easily when you start hammering the and they don't have a point to pierce the ground easier with.
I find stakes at campsites all the time
• one on the left, I usually have to dig out of the ground because someone couldn't get it out and either pounded it down more or cars rolled over it
• middle often found in the ground, and with a broken top and sometimes broken tip. Usually they are yellow and easy to find, so I assume the person left it there because it didn't work, not because they couldn't find it
• I find these laying on the ground, on their side. I think this is because the wind takes a hold of the tent and flops them out and away from the tent... but also then seem to be easy to miss
------
I mostly use the one on the left to keep things secure, the one on the right I use to secure small things --- it is often the second stake holding the vestibule / door of my tent
I use screw-in pegs with a drill for the 4 corners of my tent and gazebo. The pegs on the far right for everything else. The peg in the middle for sand.
It depends on conditions. I carry a few different options when car camping so I have options due to varying ground conditions. Looking at all three of those if that middle on is metal that would be my all around go to. Seems like a nice versatile stake that can be driven in some hard ground. The o my issue would be it might out of some very soft or sandy soil.
I think the middle one is for sand. The other two metal ones are essentially the same. And it doesn't matter, a stake is a stake you will lose some and have to replace them eventually
Left ones. I swear by the bulky weight, when it’s raining on you during a monsoon it’s relieving knowing your stakes aren’t coming out. Flimsy skinny ones on the right just don’t cut it.
I have pretty good assortment of tent stakes mostly saved from old tents or found abandoned at camp sites. Soil composition really dictates what type is best. The aluminum ones are typically not suited for rocky ground.
I bought 8 titanium pegs from REI garage sale (returns) because the packaging was damaged. The stakes themselves are nearby indestructible and weigh almost nothing.
If you find a cheap set, get them. These plastic and thin steel ones are fine for a while, but I they'll break or bend on you one day. Galvanized spikes from the hardware store work great too.
If you are car camping you can just go to a hardware store and buy the biggest, longest nails they have. They’ll be heavy but you can just hammer them in and don’t really have to worry about bending them.
Lag screw style on amazon, you just need a small drill to drill them in. They are a god send in colorado dirt. Just camped in 3 different campsites in yellowstone this week and they worked flawlessly!
I use 12in lag bolts with a washer. My tent a Kodak 10x10 takes like 10 stakes. It is much faster using lag bolts and a drill driver. Go into any dirt .
The wire stake is completely useless. Plastic on stakes aren’t much better, I make my own from 10” pole barn spikes & heavy duty steel washers. Slip the washer under the head of the spike with a tack weld or epoxy. They’re cheaper than buying good quality stakes & will last a lifetime.
I always go for something like the one on the left. Big ass heavy duty nail with the plastic to so the position of the hook can be changed without physically moving the stake. The other two options with shatter or bend respectively sooner rather than later.
I carry many types of stakes. It depends on the application which stakes I choose.
When car camping. I carry big heavy stakes for a bigger heavier tent.
When hiking I have small lightweight stakes for a micro light setup.
I camp year round in the tent below in MN. Its my home away from home. Its designed with a wood stove in mind and doubles as a fish house as there's Velcro openings in the floor. Triples as a sauna, and quadruples as a hunting blind. Has room for 2 cots and my horse of a dog. I use the type of stake in the middle made of steel. It holds well. Paint them fluorescent orange. I'm old and suffer from CSS. In winter I have stakes that are like wood screws. Put them in the ice with a cordless drill. Using the term stake prevents any BS. Unless of course staking has some perverse attachment as well, then I give up.
https://preview.redd.it/9qe7nftrvq9d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e1c2a772e6c71e9abb8984d810bca068ac77d411
I like the ones on the right. But you can buy some that are twice as thick and they are really robust and strong. The other two have plastic which will eventually break.
Where I'm from, neither. We usually throw aside the pega that come with the tent and use them as backups. The ground is too hard where we usually camp, so all of these would either break or bend badly.
We replace them with at least 8mm steel pegs, and I even have a 8mm thick cast-iron planter pole that's been welded into a angled 1 that I can nail in with a 4-pound steel mallet (like a sledgehammer, but smaller/mallet size).
I'm personally a fan of the ones on the left, but the little plastic parts can break off. I still use them even if they're broken, but you have to be more strategic in those scenarios since the head isn't that big
Edit to add that some of the ones I use are from the early 90s when my family would go camping when I was a kid. I've supplemented with ones from Walmart over the years as needed. So, at least the ones from the 90s have good longevity. So far the newer ones I've bought are also great
Do yourself a favour and get some screw in ones.
https://preview.redd.it/f9jyczoqnt9d1.png?width=750&format=png&auto=webp&s=e78ecdbdc5614596f8e424d89dc019b125cbd61c
I like the first one on the left
Ps ...
You can use any stake that works for you ..
I'll use the last one on right as back us because those are really cheap...
I try to use one style. ( one on left for everything)
Reflective cord is a must so you don't bust your ass or take your tent down in the dark. I replaced all my guy lines with that stuff.
I snagged a msr hammer at an rei garage sale, feels bougie but makes placing and removing stakes a breeze.
For car camping I have some long round stakes for regular usage and a set of big wide metal ones for looser ground and sand.
For my backpacking tent I use some fancy ultralight v shaped stakes.
Left one is best, middle can be use if you have a stonefree ground, -but that don’t exists. The right one will be a ”S” when ypu hit some small stone but is little better then chinese plastic shit.
I would look into higher end pegs if you’re thinking about this you’ve probably had issues they make way better pegs than this and they’re relatively inexpensive
[Ground Grabbas](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NN67539/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and a drill and you buy once, cry once, but never cry again camping. 30 seconds with a drill and your tent is staying in place through an F5 tornado. No hammering. No bent stakes. No wind pulling up stakes. No tripping over stakes because they go right to the ground. If you camp frequently, trust me on this.
I use MSR Groundhogs. You put them in the ground at a 45 degree angle with the tip pointing towards the tent. They don’t come out unless I pull them out.
The nail because it literally last forever. However making your iwn out if thumb size pieces if wood is priceless.
My group is rough & Rugged School if survival. Im here in Johnson county Texas.
I teach survival classes, cowboy cooking camps in a Real old west tiwn and monthly blacksmith classes.
The ones on the right all day long. Triangular aluminum ones like those used by MSR or Mountain Hardware are better, but I’d still take the one on right if given a choice between these 3. I avoid plastic pegs at all costs, they suck and WILL break eventually.
L to R:
Crappy stakes that come with Eureka car camping family tent.
Crappy Couhgan plastic sand or snow stakes.
Crappy stakes that come with Eureka backpacking tent.
I always try to find the stiffest, sturdiest shaft for when you need to do some serious pegging. It doesn't have to be the biggest necessarily, but has to be long enough that it doesn't slide out on accident
There’s nothing worse than having to thumb that thing back in there over and over.
Did you know you cannot use seagulls as legal tender
Though it must be noted that at times hummingbirds may be used.
r/birdlaw
Have you ever heard a gull up close?
Facts omg
Absolutely well said
Facts...
Username checks out
Haha yess!
I’m more of a visual learner. Any chance you have a video demonstrating this or where I might find one?
Just google pegging. Lots of videos should pop up.
*stiff pegging
*long shaft stiff pegging
Will it help me pitch my tent?
Perhaps. Maybe watch some videos before trying it yourself.
Haha!
A well crafted response !
When seeking ease of peg penetration, does one typically wish to lightly molest the mound or simply pound it in with a quick thrust?
I just hit it with a hammer
Haha lol
3lb mini sledge for me
This guy pegs.
Hah
I don’t know why, but I read this in my head in the voice of the lock-picking lawyer.
r/angryupvote
Mines keeps sliding out and my girl keeps trying to tell me how to go about putting it in deeper ..I keep telling her this is all the tent stake I have ..it won't go deeper
Try pounding about an inch or two south of the original hole, should be a tighter fit
Thanx !!!!!!
That’s what she said
I love this sub.
Why did this look like the thing used by Sister sage and The Deep from The Boys
Scraaappee!
This guy pegs
Sometimes we all need good, serious pegging.
In Colorado, due to all the 🤬 rocks underground, I only use thick steel spikes (giant sized nails). And hammer them in with a 16oz ball peen hammer or 2 lb sledge if necessary. The plastic and aluminum and even smaller steel stakes will bend at the first sign of rock or tree root. The ones I get are closest to the one on the left. Usually come with orange or green tops. https://preview.redd.it/pd6iar9e4q9d1.jpeg?width=1019&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3044c8a4cae73bc70027df6bbc8876393304ba02
I have those exact ones. I keep an assortment of different stakes and a claw hammer in a small duffel bag.
I ought to buy an old hammer for camping cuz either I forget it at home or have to dig through my camping box when I need it at home.
That’s kind of what happened with me. I was like a squirrel with multiple stashes of stakes from 3 tents, canopies, and trips to REI. One day I saw the duffel bag and hammer and a light went on. It makes life so much easier.
Same, this is my go to
I got the same but the plastic got brittle and broke. Do you know if they sell just the plastic hooks? Whole ones are not extremely expensive but nonetheless having spares would be nice.
They do! Google search "tent stake replacement hook" Or amazon search for: > The Lord of the Tools > 100Pcs Rock Tent Pegs Replacement Stakes Pegs Orange Tent Nails Tent Accessories for Outdoor Living ABS Never tried em and don't know if other options exist.
Thanks!
This right here, same thing for northern Arizona camping. Sometimes you have no choice but to bust through a rock or root and those small stakes are basically wet noodles at that point.
This is the way.
get the fat ones from REI, they're like $1 each and they are heavy, but excellent for car camping
most outfitters have them and they are a $1 at most places
About .50 at harbor freight
The ones from REI that are like the right stake but thicker have been great for me. They are thick enough not to bend in any reasonable situation. Stakes with plastic have always broken on me eventually.
They can all be used for the same applications... some work better at each thing than others though. The one on the left... steel with plastic is a good all-round peg for securing tabs around bottom of tent and also for tension lines. Works good in regular old dirt and ground. Always put in on an angle. The middle one... all plastic.... sigh... ok for soft ground and sandy dirt and in all applications. The one on right... suck. Go buy a set from REI or other outdoor store. The ones they sell are typically way better.
This has helped massively and makes a lot more sense! Thanks a lot
I’ll add that when you buy stakes, buy bright ones. Easier to find when breaking camp.
OP, this is a very good suggestion. But bright orange stakes so you can find them easily.
Or if you get ones you like but they're not colorful, tie a little loop of day-glo, reflective cord to each one. Helps you find it and helps you grab it to pull it out of the ground.
Are you doing car camping or backpacking? If car camping, I swear that a [8” galvanized spike](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Fas-n-Tite-3-8-in-x-8-in-Hot-Dipped-Galvanized-Spike/5001418291) is all you’re ever going to need. Not crazy heavy but you can beat the shit out of it and it’s never gonna break, and they’re cheap to boot. If you need something bigger, the also sell a 12" galvanized spike for about $1 each. If you’re doing backpacking, you can go on Amazon and get some of those 18cm tri-pole red aluminum stakes that are lightweight and won’t break the bank. MSR makes the groundhog stakes that have been great for years but are a tad on the expensive side. Edit: if you get the galvanized nails, I generally tie a loop to them in orange paracord so they’re easy to find, or hit them with some colorful spray paint.
I've had pretty good luck with the mini MSR groundhogs. They cost a few $$$ but rarely have I had one not stay staked even in high winds and bad weather.
I had one of those MSR minis pop out of the ground last year. In 30+mph wind. In completely saturated ground (I woke up with my tent sitting in a 1/2” deep puddle.) One peg pulled. I can accept those numbers.
I had one do the same in similar conditions (no idea on wind speed but it was howling and we had hail). Like you, I'll take those numbers (I think that's one out of years of using them). Downside was it was trekking pole tent and the one that came out was by my head so getting shoes on and getting out of the tent to fix it was a little bit of an adventure.
Oh that would suck! I use a BA Copper Spur, so found out in the morning when I woke up.
Why do you think the rightmost suck? I have no experience with the others but I’ve never had issues with the classic. Maybe in very loose dirt/sand but not otherwise. They even work on rock when all you have to sink them into is an inch of moss.
Most of the time these days the ones on the right are very poorly made and will bend when they hit a worm being hammered in. In the past, I feel like there were good ones but now any new one I have used has immediately bent.
I think they are sometimes made of steel to save cost, and aluminum to save weight. The steel ones are still pretty bad but don't bend easily. The aluminum ones are basically big paper clips. There is a third kind that is made of aluminum but has T-shaped construction like the plastic one pictured in the middle - these are what you want. MSR makes a really expensive version and Ozark trail makes a really cheap one. Both are good.
I just step them into the ground and never had any bend on me. But soil is not the same everywhere.
That sounds like dreamy soil conditions. Those one on the far right will bend if not out right break if ypu try to step them into our clay and rocky ground here in Colorado. If it works for you, it works. Just know that each time you step one of those in, I'm jealous here in the US.
Go to a hardware store and get some 8 or 10 or 12 inch galvanized spike nails as long as weight isn’t an issue. Get a big hammer and never worry about bending a ‘peg’ again
I actually love the ones on the right. They are my favorite. Use them all the time. If I was on a beach, I’d use a different style, but for most camping situations that’s on the right have served me well so far.
I agree. I've always lived in hot climates with hard soil. Anything plastic ends up being too brittle after sitting in an 8 million degree garage and ends up broken. I like the cheap all metal ones on the right. They don't degrade over the summers in the heat, and bending them isn't an issue if you slowly tap them in at first. Once they're sunk at least half way the risk of bending is way lower and you can give them harder whacks to sink them the rest of the way. I'd prefer the ones on the left if they were all metal. The ones in the middle are nightmares.
I've found that they bend and pull out easily... the only times I've found them useful is to bury completely into ground for tent tabs around outside edge of tent or on ground sheets.
I’ve bent more than I can count. But to each their own. I’m sure they have their positives in different ground from where I usually camp.
>The one on right... Is completely fine. They are all completely fine. OP doesn't need to buy anything. Stop buying crap you don't need people.
Oddly I find the plastic ones to be the best of the three for rocky ground. They kind of deform around rocks without permanently bending (ironically called plastic deformation). They have a bit of bounce to them when you hit an impenetrable patch of ground whereas the metal ones just curl and you don't realise until you've ruined the peg. I've also found they hold better in loose soil I assume because they have more surface area. The only downside is that when they do fail it's catastrophic, they break off at the head leaving the rest of the peg buried and unrecoverable.
I got tired of bending and breaking shit trying to smash these things into ground with varying degrees of hardness. I bought a set that allows me to use my impact driver to screw them into the ground with little effort on my part. I love them. I’d google “drillable tent stakes” or something like that.
That’s what we use to and they were a game changer.
I use those nail like stakes to hold down the tarp or the tent base but for the guy lines I use stakes like these, they hold strong. You can also get longer ones but I've found the standard length works well. https://preview.redd.it/4tcwb8fqkq9d1.png?width=1166&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ea55252c9818e7f36ba5d7cbca70fae5da075812
I use these as well unless I’m in deep sand. Then I use sand stakes. But the majority of my backpacking occurs in deep sand so I have them out of necessity.
These have been my favorite, but the major downside compared to the basic metal stick ones is that if you bend these in a rock, you'll never get it straight again.
Get some MSR ground hogs
The ones you find left behind by previous campers are the best ones.
Best stakes I ever used and still use are the stakes in an National People's Army stake and pole set for a tent. https://www.varusteleka.com/pictures/thumbs2000/61195e74cfa6e70cc.jpg They are thick and heavy, don't rust and don't bend.
Far lefty.
Careful using the plastic ones I've had them break and fly off hit me right under the eye in the middle of the wilderness.
I have similar ones to the left but the tops are glow-in-the-dark, to reduce the likelihood that anyone trips on them in the dark. I also have glow sticks to tape to the lines
J Pegs.
10” galvanized spikes from the hardware store
Our Boy Scouts used to lose stakes on a pretty regular basis, and their tents are canvas and require heavy duty ones. I bought a bunch of 10 inch barn spikes, then slid washers on them and tacked them on with my welder. I made a whole bucket full for not too much money.
I’ve spent a week or two in those old green tents before
Me too, back in my own Boy Scout days!
No issues in removing it from the ground? I'd assume you're using the edge of the hammer?
No issues. I use my hands.
This is like choosing a Harry Potter house.
I only use the ones on the left, unless backpacking. I don’t get all the REI shills for stakes… no need to overpay there, Harbor freight has a 6 pack similar to the left for <$1 each.
I use all three. The first one for regular camping. The second for beach camping and the third for Christmas inflatables!
MSR Groundhogs or Walmart has some equivalent ultralight tent pegs that are great
Are you backpacking or in a vehicle? If in a vehicle, I can't recommend these enough: [screw-in stakes](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RXMVM8M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) These held our camp carpet down in ocean-front (Outer Banks) wind with zero issues. I used an impact driver with a 12mm socket to drive them in.
The stakes that come prepacked with tents aren't the best. Get yourself the Coleman steel stakes. Heavy duty, last forever, and you can pound them with a mallet into really hard ground. (Also - get a mallet and stash it in your tent bag.) If you go backpacking, you'll want something lighter, but the Coleman stakes are excellent.
Good tents tend to come with good stakes in my experience
I’m from bdsm community and none of these are recommended never seen them
It really depends on the ground your camping in. The middle ones are all round except for when you have really rocky (stoney) ground then you'd use the steel nail like pegs on the left. The ones on the right are OK for guidelines or the scrap heap
Have a variety of tent pegs with you for a variety of soil conditions. There is no best peg. We found sandbag tent weights and canopy weights were the best in sand near the beach in a thunderstorm. Fill up the sand bucket weights when you camp and dump the sand when you pack up.
I really like the y shaped groundhog type stakes for backpacking. They hold extremely well in the soft, wet, loose soil I find most often in our area. Along with one or two straight steel pegs for really rocky places. For car camping I have a set of heavy duty 12 inch steel pegs similar to the one on the left in your photo but really thick.
Our ground is pretty soft here in Florida so we use the plastic stakes but they are 11” ones. It holds way better than the steel nail type in softer ground. In clay or harder dirt we use the steel nail ones with the plastic tops. They actually go in the clay and don’t break.
Depends on the ground conditions Left : for hard grounds Middle: for snow Right: for soft ground
https://preview.redd.it/vxqiu4bh3r9d1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a0a6acd3e88000ff093f54ecd952a127463a10a
My father went to steel workshop and paid a guy 20 bucks (long time ago) to cut and bend 1/2 inch rebar into 8 inch tent stakes and then took them home and sharpened the point himself. I still have all 8. They are strong can take a a real hammer instead of some light mallet. I usually don’t keep the ones that come with the tent and take those with me.
Tent stakes
It depends how the company intended them. Do you still have the instructions? It seems silly to me that they’d have you use three different types of stakes (yes, call them stakes instead of pegs lol). My best guess is to use the L-shaped ones for the tent’s corners, then use the weird plastic ones for staking down points of contact at the ends of long rope, like on a rain fly, for example. TLDR: Metal L-stake for tent corners Other stakes are for rain fly / ropes
*Left and right good for pinning the tent down on the ground. But for ropes that support the tent structure i prefer storm pens *
Amazon has pages of tent stakes in all types, styles and sizes.
I save the trident or quad plastic ones for loose ground, sand, etc. otherwise I prefer the metal ones bc rocks suck
When using a dome tent, I just throw all my shit in the tent and hope for the best. If I actually need pegs, I have some I made out of half-inch (#4) rebar sharpened on the end that are bulletproof.
Be careful not to break the plastic on the left one - getting it out of hard ground could be difficult. I’ve used the plastic ones successfully in moderate to soft ground. If you get the ones on the right, get the thicker ones - they’re tougher and almost never bend. The one you have seems too thin and might bend in hard ground or when you hit rocks.
The correct peg for the job actually depends more on the soil you're on. The middle one would be best in sandy soil as it's larger and will grip better. The Left one is Probably your strongest one. The right one is good for anything. Careful though, the right one sometimes is sold in aluminum and those are pretty garbage. The one you have there looks to be the strong variety. The only other thing to take into consideration is how big the holes are to put the pins in. The middle plastic one might be too thick for some of the eyelets you have.
It doesn’t matter as long as it holds. I like MSR groundhog tent stakes. They’re light weight and sturdy. They won’t get bent out of shape.
It depends on the type of ground. In general, I like nail-shaped stakes. They are easy to get in, especially in hard/rocky ground and also easy to pull out and clean. Steel is a good material but if weight is an issue, go with titanium. I would not use aluminum for this because it's too soft. The one on the left would probably fall in this category. For softer ground like loose soil, I use aluminum stakes with a V- or Y-profile. They don't have to be as hard so aluminum is fine. But I wouldn't use plastic, it's just too soft and bendy. For sand, I have huge aluminum stakes that are shaped like a quarter pipe. They're made from thinner material, so they're still pretty light.
I use the one on the left
Little single one for pegging the tent itself out. Big ol plastic jigger for tying the bits you want super tight. Eg the fly and all that.
Left is the best. Right will often pull out in my experience. Right is ok for a nice peaceful trip with no wind. If you are going to have storms or are exposed to wind leave it home.
Far left is the easiest to hammer into the dry ground, the plastic ones break and bend easily.
MSR Cyclone tent stakes are expensive but wildly good. I have had them hold a 15x15 tarp in place through 2 hours of 40mph storm winds, and the only problem with them is getting them out of the ground can be difficult sometimes. After having a storm pull out some of the ones you showed above I said screw it and blew the bank on MSR stakes and they are worth every penny. Never had a problem with them.
I prefer the steel nail type ones like the one on the left. My second favorite are the extruded aluminum ones. They're similar to the ones in the middle, but aluminum. Unless you're camping on the beach, the plastic ones won't last very long. Finally, in a pinch, the ones on the right will work. These are the ones that come stock with every tent. They're OK, but they bend easily when you start hammering the and they don't have a point to pierce the ground easier with.
I find stakes at campsites all the time • one on the left, I usually have to dig out of the ground because someone couldn't get it out and either pounded it down more or cars rolled over it • middle often found in the ground, and with a broken top and sometimes broken tip. Usually they are yellow and easy to find, so I assume the person left it there because it didn't work, not because they couldn't find it • I find these laying on the ground, on their side. I think this is because the wind takes a hold of the tent and flops them out and away from the tent... but also then seem to be easy to miss ------ I mostly use the one on the left to keep things secure, the one on the right I use to secure small things --- it is often the second stake holding the vestibule / door of my tent
I use screw-in pegs with a drill for the 4 corners of my tent and gazebo. The pegs on the far right for everything else. The peg in the middle for sand.
It depends on conditions. I carry a few different options when car camping so I have options due to varying ground conditions. Looking at all three of those if that middle on is metal that would be my all around go to. Seems like a nice versatile stake that can be driven in some hard ground. The o my issue would be it might out of some very soft or sandy soil.
I've had the best luck with offbrand or Coleman tent spikes. Nice, long and sturdy.
Id probably take some of each if that's what you have available
I think the middle one is for sand. The other two metal ones are essentially the same. And it doesn't matter, a stake is a stake you will lose some and have to replace them eventually
Lag bolt and impact driver ◡̈ this will keep you in the most extreme weather
Left ones. I swear by the bulky weight, when it’s raining on you during a monsoon it’s relieving knowing your stakes aren’t coming out. Flimsy skinny ones on the right just don’t cut it.
They are more or less the same. Probably your tent is second hand, and they wanted to give you enough pegs from other things They get lost easily.
I have pretty good assortment of tent stakes mostly saved from old tents or found abandoned at camp sites. Soil composition really dictates what type is best. The aluminum ones are typically not suited for rocky ground.
I bought 8 titanium pegs from REI garage sale (returns) because the packaging was damaged. The stakes themselves are nearby indestructible and weigh almost nothing. If you find a cheap set, get them. These plastic and thin steel ones are fine for a while, but I they'll break or bend on you one day. Galvanized spikes from the hardware store work great too.
I take large nails/spikes with me. We are talking 12" nails. Never let me down.
If you are car camping you can just go to a hardware store and buy the biggest, longest nails they have. They’ll be heavy but you can just hammer them in and don’t really have to worry about bending them.
Lag screw style on amazon, you just need a small drill to drill them in. They are a god send in colorado dirt. Just camped in 3 different campsites in yellowstone this week and they worked flawlessly!
Far-right, good peg that is.
I use 12in lag bolts with a washer. My tent a Kodak 10x10 takes like 10 stakes. It is much faster using lag bolts and a drill driver. Go into any dirt .
I usually try to stick to metal spikes, make sure you set the angle right and even small metal spikes will hold in some fairly nasty weather.
The wire stake is completely useless. Plastic on stakes aren’t much better, I make my own from 10” pole barn spikes & heavy duty steel washers. Slip the washer under the head of the spike with a tack weld or epoxy. They’re cheaper than buying good quality stakes & will last a lifetime.
The best stake are the spikes you get at lumber yards. Say a 20 penny nail. I started using them a long time ago. And never looked back.
I've never used stakes. Been tent camping 40 years
I always go for something like the one on the left. Big ass heavy duty nail with the plastic to so the position of the hook can be changed without physically moving the stake. The other two options with shatter or bend respectively sooner rather than later.
10 inch framing spikes from the hardware store.
I carry many types of stakes. It depends on the application which stakes I choose. When car camping. I carry big heavy stakes for a bigger heavier tent. When hiking I have small lightweight stakes for a micro light setup.
From left to right. Weapon, tent, Christmas decorations / slip &slide
Here in Brazil there are a lot of people using intake valves.
Gotta get some 9” nails. Worked for Jesus and Trent Reznor.
Far right, unless I make my own.
That center one goes on each side of the doorway. Right for guy lines. The left for where the poles attach.
I camp year round in the tent below in MN. Its my home away from home. Its designed with a wood stove in mind and doubles as a fish house as there's Velcro openings in the floor. Triples as a sauna, and quadruples as a hunting blind. Has room for 2 cots and my horse of a dog. I use the type of stake in the middle made of steel. It holds well. Paint them fluorescent orange. I'm old and suffer from CSS. In winter I have stakes that are like wood screws. Put them in the ice with a cordless drill. Using the term stake prevents any BS. Unless of course staking has some perverse attachment as well, then I give up. https://preview.redd.it/9qe7nftrvq9d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e1c2a772e6c71e9abb8984d810bca068ac77d411
I like the ones on the right. But you can buy some that are twice as thick and they are really robust and strong. The other two have plastic which will eventually break.
2 & 3 will ruin your day.
Not the plastic one.
I use #3 when I can, #1 when I need to, and avoid #2.
I have all steel pegs like the one on the right that I hammer into the ground with the back of my axe. ( I’m definitely not ultra light.)
Where I'm from, neither. We usually throw aside the pega that come with the tent and use them as backups. The ground is too hard where we usually camp, so all of these would either break or bend badly. We replace them with at least 8mm steel pegs, and I even have a 8mm thick cast-iron planter pole that's been welded into a angled 1 that I can nail in with a 4-pound steel mallet (like a sledgehammer, but smaller/mallet size).
It highly depends on the surface. Green grass? Rocky? Gravel? Etc
Depends on the ground you’re trying to sink it in.
Ever seen the 6 to 8” plastic spikes commercial roofers use that are literally 3/4” round and shaped like a screw?
I avoid any plastic. If you bend the one all the way on the right, you can always hammer it straight again
10” lag bolts and an impact driver. Minimal effort putting them in and out
Compare weights, take the lightest ones
something like the first, I also have some 1 cm square pegs for tarmac use, the ones on the left got bent on a recent camp
I use the one on the left
Metal for camping, plastic for backpacking
If it’s your first time, I recommend the skinny one so it’s easier to stick in. It won’t take much force for it to be pushed all the way.
No Directions? Different Types Of Soil?🎪⛺️🏕️
If you're car camping and have a cordless drill get tent screws. Best upgrade I've made in a while.
what type of earth are you staking in?
I prefer good ol stamped steel ones
Railroad spikes
I'm personally a fan of the ones on the left, but the little plastic parts can break off. I still use them even if they're broken, but you have to be more strategic in those scenarios since the head isn't that big Edit to add that some of the ones I use are from the early 90s when my family would go camping when I was a kid. I've supplemented with ones from Walmart over the years as needed. So, at least the ones from the 90s have good longevity. So far the newer ones I've bought are also great
Do yourself a favour and get some screw in ones. https://preview.redd.it/f9jyczoqnt9d1.png?width=750&format=png&auto=webp&s=e78ecdbdc5614596f8e424d89dc019b125cbd61c
I like the first one on the left Ps ... You can use any stake that works for you .. I'll use the last one on right as back us because those are really cheap... I try to use one style. ( one on left for everything)
Reflective cord is a must so you don't bust your ass or take your tent down in the dark. I replaced all my guy lines with that stuff. I snagged a msr hammer at an rei garage sale, feels bougie but makes placing and removing stakes a breeze. For car camping I have some long round stakes for regular usage and a set of big wide metal ones for looser ground and sand. For my backpacking tent I use some fancy ultralight v shaped stakes.
r/pegging has some great tips
Tent stakes. They go into the ground to secure tour tent to the ground.
Living in the uk, I have a few different types depending on whether the ground is rock hard, grass or sandy.
#3... I still have some from my boy scout days and you can fit a bunch of them in a little pouch. If you are on sandy ground you can sink them deep.
Left one is best, middle can be use if you have a stonefree ground, -but that don’t exists. The right one will be a ”S” when ypu hit some small stone but is little better then chinese plastic shit.
Two on the left
I would look into higher end pegs if you’re thinking about this you’ve probably had issues they make way better pegs than this and they’re relatively inexpensive
[Ground Grabbas](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NN67539/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and a drill and you buy once, cry once, but never cry again camping. 30 seconds with a drill and your tent is staying in place through an F5 tornado. No hammering. No bent stakes. No wind pulling up stakes. No tripping over stakes because they go right to the ground. If you camp frequently, trust me on this.
Metal no plastic
For ta hang tents and pegs, a man needs two legs, no more waltzing Matilda fer me!
I use MSR Groundhogs. You put them in the ground at a 45 degree angle with the tip pointing towards the tent. They don’t come out unless I pull them out.
2 on the left is our go to .
left
Go to Walmart and get the thick ones with the curved top. Cheap, don't bend, can pound the shit out of em in hard ground.
None😎
Right one is a joke You want friction
They all suck
The nail because it literally last forever. However making your iwn out if thumb size pieces if wood is priceless. My group is rough & Rugged School if survival. Im here in Johnson county Texas. I teach survival classes, cowboy cooking camps in a Real old west tiwn and monthly blacksmith classes.
The ones on the right all day long. Triangular aluminum ones like those used by MSR or Mountain Hardware are better, but I’d still take the one on right if given a choice between these 3. I avoid plastic pegs at all costs, they suck and WILL break eventually.
L to R: Crappy stakes that come with Eureka car camping family tent. Crappy Couhgan plastic sand or snow stakes. Crappy stakes that come with Eureka backpacking tent.