Stakes

Featured review by Gazedrop

Lightweight, strong tent stake with good holding power. A tent stake is a low-key, basic item that just needs to work. These do.

 A tent stake is a lowly item that just needs to address some very basic issues: Easy to drive into the ground; Stays put when in the ground; Easy to remove from the ground; Light and small enough to be carried; ...yet durable enough to do its job when replacements are not readily available. With such a basic list of requirements, you'd think that this would be an easy job to fulfill. Well, anyone who has ever set up a tent more than once already knows that this is not necessarily the case.

Read more: MSR Groundhog Tent Stakes reviews (14)

Reviewed by Sean Van Cleve

The Cyclone Tent Stake is designed for holding power without compromise. Ideal for loose soil or windy conditions, this is the go-to stake for ease of mind.

Mountain Safety Research (MSR) has been a titan in the industry for decades, well known for their design and attention to detail. Regardless of one’s chosen shelter, upgrading/customizing stakes is a very important factor in ensuring a good night's rest.  Product testing the MSR Front Range Ultralight Tarp Shelter prompted additional needs for such a large shelter—adding stakes with strong holding power during windy and stormy weather.  A spiralized design provides increased gripping power.

Read more: MSR Cyclone Tent Stakes review (1)

Reviewed by Daniel Oates

For their smaller size (6”), these stakes are deceptively strong and lightweight. While a dollar more expensive than other aluminum stakes, a few of these will go a long way holding down any tent, tarp, or even recreational equipment. I have encountered no problems in the slightly sandy/red clay/compact soil of central and western N.C.

I originally didn’t have any thought to review these MSR Mini Groundhog stakes as they were part of a tent I purchased. The Hubba Hubba NX comes with a pack of 6 stakes. I have never used the mini or regular size before buying this tent. I am used to the typical shepherd’s crook style aluminum stakes that come with a basic car camping tent. These stakes are actually available to be purchased individually, and this was the catalyst for me to review my experience for others. To begin, I’ll touch on the con listed above; there is one caveat though in that I really don’t much if anything bad to say about the stakes at all.

Read more: MSR Mini Groundhog Stake review (1)

Featured review by Vladimir Gorbunov

The stakes of ultimate choice for most smaller tents (1-2P). They are lightweight, quite strong and durable, endure careful hammering and may be equipped with cord loops. Of course, such stakes are not designed for sandy soil and for large tents.

DAC J-Stakes are blue, yellow, and silver in this photo I’ve been actively using these pegs since 2012, since five of my tents were equipped with them: MSR Hoop Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2 Hilleberg Kaitum 3 Fjallraven Abisko Lite 3 Hilleberg Nallo 3 I also purchased a spare set of these pegs in 2013. In comparison to other pegs I found the DAC J-Stakes being almost perfect for smaller tents (1-2P and lightweight 3P): They are extremely strong in comparison to “shepherd hooks” made of aluminum rod (such pegs bend too easily).

Read more: DAC J-stake reviews (3)

Reviewed by G00se

Tentsile's Giant Pegs are a quick and easy solution to placing stakes in hard soil when a rock or hammer is not readily available. This reviewer found these pegs so handy, he is left wondering why screw-in tent stakes are not more common.

Recently, I tested and reviewed the Tentsile Flite for Trailspace. While I did not care much for that product, I did find the stakes that came with it to be superior to the cheap J-stakes that normally come with a tent or tarp. In fact, I felt these X3 Giant Pegs deserved their own review. Unlike other stakes that are driven into the ground by force, the X3 Giant Peg screws into the ground by hand. There is no need to use your foot, a rock, or a mallet. One simply presses down and screws the stake into the ground.

Read more: Tentsile X3 Giant Pegs review (1)

Reviewed by Vladimir Gorbunov

Extremely strong 6x145/165 mm titanium pegs for pitching on rocky, compacted, or frozen ground. Such pegs are successfully hammered into ground, which would otherwise damage any aluminum stake.

Since 2016 I've owned several tunnel tents, which require four stable pegs for successful pitching: Hilleberg Kaitum 3, Nallo 3 and Fjallraven Abisko Lite 3 (all reviewed by me). Quite often the stock DAC J-stakes don't work well, namely on rocky, compacted or frozen ground. Hammering the peg in such conditions may lead to its damage, sometimes — beyond repair. To simplify the pitching, in early 2017 I decided to purchase a set of strong titanium nails, not usual ultralight stakes made of titanium wire.

Read more: TiTo 6 mm Titanium Tent Pegs review (1)

Featured review by XterroBrando

My version differs from the picture in that it has drilled holes at about 1.5 inches o.c. down the entire length of the stake. I used 6 of them (8-1/2 inch length) in moderate snow conditions: 2 in a dead-man and 4 driven down into 2/3 snow 1/3 soft earth. The dead-man stakes were in snow entirely and upwind. The flexibility of design and weight are all pluses for me — the drilled holes and alloy construction keep the weight down for their size, the rolled lip holds tent lines very well, and the design allows them to pack together tightly, something I can't say about the impressive but cumbersome 8.5" MSR X-Stakes I have for the same purpose in the same length.

Read more: SMC Perforated Tent Stake reviews (2)

Reviewed by Dirtwheels

Strong and light best describe my favorite tarp stakes. As a hammock guy knowing the tarp is secure is a great feeling. And with these titanium sheppard hooks with most Southeast soils these stakes will hold your tarp tight. These babies are tuff too, not one has been bent even with stepping on them to drive them home.

Weighing in at a whopping 6.25 grams or .22 oz. each I can carry six of these and barely break an oz., and at 6.25 inches they aren't taking up noticeable space in your pack. And you'll have spent only $14 for the lot + a little shipping and Lawson has all kinds of little goodies to make visiting his website worth your time and order. I haven't tried these stakes in sand, but in all other soils in the woods around the Piedmont and mountain regions of the Carolinas they've worked like the ultralight little champs they claim to be.

Read more: Lawson Equipment Titanium Tent Stake review (1)

Reviewed by Sheila Bergin Goss

Okay, I admit...lighted tent stakes are a bit silly. But for those of us who are nocturnally visually challenged, they are an easy technique to avoid tripping over tent lines, rocks, or stumps during dark hours. They also provide a nice little glowing ambiance to the tent site!

I had seen lighted tent stakes in an outdoors magazine, and thought it was kind of a neat idea…but did not want to invest too much money, since I was not sure how much I would actually use them, nor how long they would last. I purchased the ATAK stakes online, since the set of stakes was only $14 incl. shipping. I have been pleasantly surprised with this purchase. As tent stakes, they are only marginal. They are stubby and wide, and are not easy to push into some soils. They are only 6" long, and are made of plastic; the tie down hook seems as though it would not sustain much pressure.  So we use the stakes adjacent to primary stakes, and I usually only use two. When illuminated, that allows me to avoid tripping over lines, or they can...

Read more: Atak Outdoor Lighted Tent Stakes review (1)