Tent Stakes Archives - Page 3 of 3

Have you been burned too many times with your tent blowing away? Are you planning a camping trip where they’ve been known to be high winds? Not all tent stakes are made equally when it comes to windy weather, and the last thing you want is to go running after your tent. I’ve seen this many times in my years of camping. If you want to avoid this problem (and who doesn’t?), it sounds like you need one of the best tent stakes for high winds. The best tent stakes for high winds are longer, made of steel or titanium, and have a V-shape or auger shape. Our picks for the best high wind tent stakes are: AceCamp Steel V Peg Tent StakesKeeper 05400 Severe Weather KitYesland 8 Pack 15 Inch Black Ground AnchorSTADELHORN Titanium Ultralight Tent StakesDAC V-Best Tent Stakes Check out the rest of the article for what to look for and our detailed reviews of the products to help you pick the best ones for your needs. All links in this post are affiliate in nature which means we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you buy through the link. However, all the products chosen have been reviewed carefully or tested personally. Direct Comparison Of The Best Tent Pegs For High Winds Use this table to help you determine which is the best product for your needs. Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, check out the review section below for more details. Tent StakesProsCons Ace Camp Steel V Peg*Affordable *Good length and material strength *Easy tie hook *V-shape for security *Only 6 included *Medium-weight Keeper 05400*Secures great *Nice and long *Comes with 2 tie downs *Thick steel *Heavy *More expensive *Little difficult to screw in Yesland Ground Anchor*Very secure auger design *Thick and long steel stakes *Good value at 8 stakes and one rope *Designed for high winds with heavy furniture *Higher price *Very heavy Stadelhon Tent Stakes*Very strong for thickness *Great vaue *Holds strong with V-shape *Very light * Little shorter than some other stakes Dac V-best Tent Stakes*Very light *Stronger than other aluminum *Good length and V-shape design *Lower price *Weaker metal when compared to steel and titanium *More likely to bend Features Of Tent Stakes To Look For In this section, we’ll go over the important aspects of tent pegs to look for when buying with high winds in mind. This section is meant to help you better understand what to look for in the tent pegs reviewed below. Material Tent stakes are typically made from these 4 types of materials. Each one has its pros and cons. Plastic - Plastic tent stakes are cheaper, and they often come with the tents when you buy them. They’re usually short and break fairly easily. These are only useful as a backup or if you don’t want to spend any money on nicer ones. Big pluses: cheap and light. Big negatives: Break easily and too short. Aluminum - This metal makes a nice tent stake. It’s tougher than plastic by far, but it's still a much softer metal than titanium or steel. Big pluses: affordable and light. Big negatives: Tends to bend. Steel - This is possible the strongest of the tent takes materials. They can be made pretty hefty and strong, and they don’t cost as much as titanium. Big pluses: Strong and hold well. Big negative: Heavy. Titanium - This is probably the best material for tent stakes you can get. The metal is as strong as steel at a lighter weight. The only downside: it costs quite a bit more. Big pluses: Strong and light. Big negative: High cost. So what do we recommend for high winds? Steel or titanium is the only way to go. Shape There are a few different shapes of tent stakes you’ll find, and not all of them work well with high winds. Nail/Straight - This is the standard type. Like the name implies, it looks like a big nail. This doesn’t hand wind super well even in steel and titanium. Corkscrew - The spiral shape is the best for sand, hands down. With high winds, it works pretty well; as long as it’s made from titanium. Auger - This looks like a corkscrew with only one big spiral at the bott om. This works better than corkscrew and almost as well as V-shaped ones. The auger shape disturbs less dirt while still providing the disc for every grip in soil. It’s a little harder to install than V-shape. V-shape - The stake looks like a nail with the middle cut into a V-shape. The “v” cuts through tough ground easier while allowing for more soil to hold the stake and tent in place. This works well with high winds, and it’s my personal favorite type of tent stake shape for its versatility and reliability. Length With high winds, the longer, the better. Most tent stakes will be around the 6 inch (15.24 cm) or lower mark in length. You definitely want longer than 6 inches (15.24 cm), and some of the most hard core ones will go up to 15 inches (38.1 cm). Longer ones are harder to drive in, though. So you have to balance this. Weight The weight of the tent peg won’t actually make too much of a difference with how the stake holds under high winds, but it does affect your pack. A heavy steel stake holds well in wind, but it weighs you down if you’re backpacking where every ounce counts. Check out the best tents for backpacking. Reviews Of The Best Tent Stakes For High Winds This is the section where we dig into the specific design features of each product and help you understand how this impacts the use of the tent peg. Use this section to help you decide if the stake is right for your needs. AceCamp Steel V Peg Tent Stakes Click To Check Item Price This is the budget option for campers looking for a tent stake that checks off all of the right design elements for high winds at a lower price. For a lower price, you get 6 stakes made out of a sturdy steel. This amount will cover most tents easily. They’re designed in a V-shape to both go into dirt easier and stay there more securely. This makes them good for high winds. With a length of 8.6 inches (21.84 cm) long, these stakes are longer than most which is great for more stability. There is a 30-day return policy if you’re unsatisfied, although this return period is short. Your guy lines will connect easily with the L-shaped hook on the top. This also gives a little more bite into the ground as you drive it in. The stakes are 0.7 inches (1.78 centimeters) thick which is the main reason the stake is a little cheaper. Each stake weighs 1.44 ounces (54.43 g); backpackers aren’t going to want the overall 8.64 ounces (0.33 kilogram) from all 6 stakes to carry around. Pros For This Product: AffordableGood length and material strengthEasy tie hookV-shape for security Cons For This Product: Only 6 includedHeavier Keeper 05400 Severe Weather Kit Click To Check Item Price This is a more expensive option as a tent stake, and this is because the Keeper Weather Kit was designed to hold furniture in extreme weather. It will work more than fine for even large tents for this reason. With this kit you get 4 welded steel stakes. The stakes are corkscrews which is normally only a mediocre option. But the heavy welded anchors make up for this. The U-shaped loop on top of these pegs is easy to tie and secure to. With this pack, you also get two 30 foot tie downs. These won’t really help you too much with the tent itself, but you can get creative in securing your gear around the campsite if you notice the weather turning bad. It’s a small feature, but these tie downs also have reflective webbing, so you won’t trip over them in the dark (as often, anyway). This product is designed for tornadoes and hurricanes, so even in severe storms, your tent will be tied down. Although, we recommend you seek a stable shelter in case of storms of this severity. In fact, your tent is going to rip before these stakes will give out. Guy lines are helpful in preventing this, so make sure you use them. Keeper’s anchors are 10 inches (25.4 cm) long and require some effort to twist in. Pro-tip: Use a strong stick, hatchet handle, or pole to thread through the loop and give you leverage for twisting. Pros For This Product: Secures greatNice and longComes with 2 tie downsThick steel Cons For This Product: Very heavyMore expensiveLittle difficult to screw in Yesland 8 Pack 15 Inch Black Ground Anchor Click To Check Item Price The Yesland anchors are another premium option, but for the higher price, you get a product designed specifically for high winds. When you buy this tent stake, you get 8(!) ground anchors for your tent. These are 15 inches (38.1 cm) long which is more than enough to handle any amount of wind. The stakes are designed for heavier items such as furniture, but they’ll also work very well with tarps and, yes, tents. These are made from 3/8 inches (20.32 cm) of steel in thickness and 15 inches (38.1 cm) long. The thickness and length are more than most other tent stakes and help a lot in high winds. Yesland made these with an auger shape (see above). This works well with security in high winds, but makes it a little harder to drive in. They also include 25 feet (7.62 m) of rope for tying objects down to. The rope will work well with a tent as well. The stakes also have a black, powder coating for rust-resistance giving these pegs a longer life. Each stakes weighs around 8 ounces (0.3 kilogram) making it the heaviest on our list. For backpackers, this eliminates these from your choices. Pros For This Product: Very secure auger designThick and long steel stakesGood value at 8 stakes and one ropeDesigned for high winds with heavy furniture Cons For This Product: Higher priceVery heavy STADELHORN Titanium Ultralight Tent Stakes Click To Check Item Price The Stadelhorn tent stakes are a medium-priced option for those looking for the traditional stakes that handle the wind well. This option is perfect for backpackers and handles high winds very well. The V-shape designed cuts into the ground easily and holds well. Stadelhorn makes these pegs out of titanium. For half the weight of steel, this metal gives you as much strength. A pure GR2 titanium, in particular, makes this a quality and durable product unlikely to bend or break. The metal has been treated for protection against rust and corrosion further extending the life of the stakes. When you buy this bundle, you get 6 stakes and a carrying bag. Each stake is 6.3 inches (16 cm) long. This may be a little shorter than the other options, but the V-shape and titanium material make up for the shorter height. Each peg also weighs .45 ounces (1.7 kilogram) making this one of the lighter products available with higher strength. All 6 of these would equal 2.7 ounces (0.1 kilogram) total. Pros For This Product: Very strong for thicknessGreat valueHolds strong with V-shapeVery light Cons For This Product: Shorter than some other stakes DAC V-Best Tent Stakes Click To Check Item Price The DAC tent stakes are another budget option for those looking for tent stakes to handle wind while not breaking the bank. These 8 tent stakes come in different sizes and are made from a special aluminum, TH72M. Though aluminum is usually weaker than steel or titanium (and still is), this is the toughest alloy aluminum and head and shoulders above other aluminum tent stakes. The V-shape and 7.8 inch (19.81 cm) length help to be even more secure in high winds. The material helps the state stay affordable and light. With a 0.7 ounce (26.46 g) weight with the longest option, you’ll still be lighter than most other tent stakes. Even comparing similar lengths (6.3 inches (16 cm) with the small option compared with the Stadelhorn stakes) the DAC stakes are 0.4 ounces (15.12 g) each when the Stadelhorn are 0.45 ounces (17.01 g) each. The loop for tying is a bit trickier to use. Pros For This Product: Very lightStronger than other aluminumGood length and V-shape designLower price Cons For This Product: Weaker metal when compared to steel and titaniumMore likely to bend Commonly Asked Questions In this section, we’ll answer some of the questions we hear most often in relation to tent stakes. What are the best tent stakes? - There is no single “best” tent stake because you may want to get a set that fits your situation. For going into hard ground, V-shape steel or titanium is best. For sand, see the next question. For normal staking down, aluminum can be just fine. In general, you want to pick from a trustworthy camping company such as the ones above. Additionally, you may also want to check out MSR, Coleman, or REI. What are the best tent stakes for sand? - Sand requires a different type of stake. Normal straight (also called nail) or even V-shaped pegs will just pull out. Look for a corkscrew type of peg. The spiral shape spreads the pressure out more and holds better in loose soil and sands. How long should tent stakes be? - It depends on what you need. Most of the time, you’re able to use a stake around 6 inches (15.24 cm) with minimal problems. In other cases, you may want to opt for longer ones such as 9 inches (22.86 cm). Some are even available up to 15 inches (38.1 cm). However, these are only for heavy duty or snowy options. In most cases, 6 inches (15.24 cm) is plenty. We don’t recommend going much shorter than this. How do you get a tent peg in a hard ground? - First, you need to make sure you have a metal stake such as steel or titanium. Aluminum could work, but you need to be careful you don’t put so much pressure on the stake it bends. The best shape for hard ground is V-shaped. Auger shaped ones will work as well. Pour a cup of water over the area you want to drive the stake into and then wait a few minutes for the water to sink in. Then, use a mallet to firmly drive the stake into the loosened soil. Conclusion We hope you found our list of the best tent stakes for high winds helpful. Any of these products would be great, but if forced to recommend one, I would pick the Stadelhorn ultralight titanium stakes. This tent stake may cost a little more, but the titanium body, good length, V-shape, and durable design make it perfect for resisting high winds. I’ve used these many times with great success. Now get outside and enjoy the fresh air! You may also want to check out the best tents for high winds.