Are you struggling to get your tent stake in the tough ground?
Have you had a frustrating experience with hard ground and you want to make sure it never happens again?
We’ve all been there.
If you try too hard to drive a tent stake in the wrong way, you may end up bending or snapping your tent stake all together.
It’s best to know how to put tent stakes in hard ground.
Putting tent stakes in hard ground is much like any other stakes with a few tricks to soften up the dirt first. Basically, you need to get the soil wet and provide a wider base for driving the stake in.
Read the rest of the article for more details and recommended tools to use.
What You’ll Need
Here is a quick list of things you may need to help you get a tent peg into the hard ground.
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Strong Tent Stakes – The first thing you need is a strong tent stake (obviously).
I like the ones linked above made by Stadelhorn.
Steel or titanium would be a great material for a tent peg going into hard ground.
These are tough and won’t break or bend as easily.
Aluminum and plastic pegs may be OK, but you have a much higher chance of bending or breaking.
Water and Water Bottle – Water is needed to soften the hard ground.
You probably already have one at home; you don’t need to buy this one.
But if you’re looking for a new water bottle at all, I love my Hydro Cell one like the link above shows.
Mallet – A rubber covered mallet is a must for all campers, especially when it relates to tent stakes.
This steel cast one by BareFour is my favorite one I’ve ever owned.
The steel doesn’t bend, but the rubber covering won’t damage the stakes.
On top of this, there is a hook with a hole in it to make pulling the stuck pegs out even easier.
Wide Rock – There is no product out here with this one!
You may need a wide rock to help you out as well.
Don’t just read this and start banging!
Make sure you actually check out the directions below.
And that’s it!
You probably already have these; you now need to learn the tricks to drive the pegs in.
Step-By-Step Instructions On How To Put Tent Stakes In Hard Ground
In this section, I’ll go over the step-by-step directions for how to put tent pegs in hard ground.
These directions will help you avoid looking like a fool and impress those around you with their outdoorsmanship.
#1 Check The Ground
The first thing you need to do is check why the ground is hard.
This will kind of change how and what to expect when putting the stakes in.
The two main reasons ground is hard is either due to impacted dirt or rocks beneath the soil.
Put the end of the stake into the ground and tap the tent stake with your mallet.
Listen to the sound of the strikes.
If there’s a metallic clang, the ground is rocky.
When you hear thudding, the ground is impacted.
For rocky underground, you may not end up able to drive the stake in all the way.
In this case, step #8 is now a necessity.
For impacted soil, just follow the steps.
#2 Pour Water And Wait
Take a bottle of water and pour a cup of it in the spot where you want to drive your tent peg in.
The water will loosen up the soil and make it easier to drive the stake in.
Don’t go for driving in the peg right away.
Wait for 3-5 minutes for the water to get deeper into the ground.
#3 Find A Rock
While you wait for the water to soak in, look around for a wide rock or another hard object.
The rock should provide a wider surface to spread out the pressure from your pressing on the tent stake (coming next).
It doesn’t have to be a rock, but it needs to be able to handle decent pressure.
Weight isn’t as important as a wide surface area.
#4 Press Stake In
Once the time is up and you’ve found your rock, it’s time to start putting the stake in.
Put the rock on top of the stake (you may want to tap it in as far as possible at first).
Using your foot or hands, press down on the rock as hard as possible with even pressure.
Don’t kick it, just press.
The stake should go in at least a little.
If you’re lucky, the stake will go in all the way, and then you just repeat with other tent stakes.
Most likely, you’ll need to do the next few steps as well.
#5 Tap When Stuck
After you push on the rock which is on the stake and it gets stuck again, you need to try tapping on the rock with your mallet.
Don’t hit as hard as possible, but do put a little power behind it.
If you feel it gives way at all, then you’re ready to move on to the next step.
If you don’t feel any give at all after 10 strikes, try the next step anyway to see if it gave way without you noticing.
Your goal here is to either break through the tough dirt a little or shift a rock in the ground just enough for the stake to get by.
#6 Repeat Until In
Now, go back to pushing on the rock with your feet or both hands just as in step #4.
Repeat as needed until the stake is all the way in or it won’t move anymore.
In some cases (especially with the rocky ground), you may not get the stake in all the way.
Aim for at least half of the length of the peg, but 2/3 would be better.
#7 Repeat With Other Stakes
Once you’ve got one stake in, repeat these steps with the other stakes until you’ve gotten everything in you want.
Hopefully, the ground isn’t so hard at every stake spot, but if it is, you know what to do.
#8 Weigh Down The Stakes With Other Rocks (Optional)
If the soil is rocky or the stakes won’t go in all the way, you may want to add a small pile of rocks or weight to the stakes.
This will have the dual effect of keeping the stake down and stopping you from tripping over it constantly.
Congrats! Now you know how to put tent pegs into hard ground.
Commonly Asked Questions
How do you use tent stakes? –
Tent stakes are meant to be driven down near the tent using tent loops or guy lines.
The line or loop should be put through the hole or hook in the tent peg; then, the pegs are driven down until the top is flush or just above the ground.
It’s up to you whether you angle the stakes towards the tent or drive them straight up and down.
I prefer straight up and down because this provides a more spread-out area of security when winds are switching directions.
Read more at how to use tent stakes the right way.
How do you secure a tent without stakes? –
Tents without tent stakes aren’t advised in medium or high winds.
If you need to do this, use rocks or logs on the edge of the tent body or tied them with a rope.
Look for more tips on how to secure a tent without tent stakes.
What tent pegs are best for hard ground? –
The best tent stakes for hard ground are made out of titanium or steel.
They also should be shaped in either a V or a coil/screw/auger type body.
How do you get tent pegs out of hard ground? –
Use a tent hook or mallet to provide constant pressure (no jerking!).
The water trick will help with getting the peg out too.
Read more about how to get tent pegs out of hard ground.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed learning how to put tent stakes in hard ground.
These little tricks make a huge difference in getting those stakes without damaging them and embarrassing yourself.
Of course, none of these tricks matter if you have a poor quality tent stake, so make sure you get a tough material tent stake like suggested above.
Hard Ground Tent Pegs [Bonus: My Top 2 Favorites]
Earlier in the article, we touched briefly on the types of tent pegs you need for hard ground, but it really does make a huge difference.
Wimpy tent pegs will break in hard soil, and they won’t give you a good enough grip to keep your tent down.
The two best types are typically considered the V-shape and the coil.
V-shaped pegs or hardened steel spikes cut through the soil better, and the slopes on the sides of the pegs help provide some traction.
Still, they require some effort to get the pegs in.
But that’s where our guide from above comes in.
Coil/screw/auger pegs are easier to put in because you get some serious leverage with the screwing motion.
On top of this, the coil grips a lot of soil and provides are very secure base.
I have massive pegs like this for my portable shed at home, and it’s lasted through many storms with no issue (even a tornado last year!).
Steel Spiral Ground Anchors
These are my favorite ones to use for things around my house, but you can easily use them as tent pegs for hard ground too.
With 10.6″ of steel, this anchor provides a grip like no other.
Make the whole process even easier by attaching the peg to your electric drill and watching it go down in seconds.
These do cost a tiny bit more than many other simple pegs, but the quality you get is well worth it.
There are different length options if you think the 10.6″ inches isn’t going to do it for you; it goes all the way up to 16.2″ inches!
Honestly, though, for camping tents, you won’t need more than the “shorter ones.”
My main complaints about these anchors are their weight and size.
A coil shape takes up more room, and when you’re camping, you’re often limited on space.
Hardened Steel Spike
If you want tent pegs for hard ground that’ll do the job without taking up a ton of space, check out these 11.8″ inch hardened steel spikes.
With this option, you get 8 spikes for securing your tent.
It may not provide quite as much stability, but you likely won’t notice the minor difference.
It’ll take a little more effort to drive them in, but with the hardened steel material, you won’t have to worry about breaking them with your mallet.