Have you ever had problems driving your tent stakes into the ground? Did you ever walk away from your set-up tent only to come back and find the stakes have pulled out and your tent has gone floating in the wind?
We’ve all been there. Believe it or not, there is a right way and a wrong way to use these tricky yet important tools.
Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered. Read on to find out how to use tent stakes.
Using tent stakes the right way boils down to correct placement, proper angle, and orientation. Making sure to place the stakes in the right type of ground using the right tools ensures the stakes hold more firmly. When you drive the stake in at a vertical angle, it gets more security in the soil. You need to make sure the “hook” part of the stake faces away from your tent.
Read on for more details on exactly how to use tent stakes the right way.
Table of Contents
PLACING THE STAKES
As obvious as “sticking the stakes in the ground” can seem, you need to take care to place them in the right place. Failure to do so can set your camping experience up for failure.
To start, be sure to pick the best spot available. Look for ground that is dense. Sand and loose soil are your enemy when placing tent stakes.
Pro-tip: When you have a spot picked out, try to push one of the stakes in with your hands. If you can do that with ease, the ground is too soft. Look for a different spot.
If you’ve found the right spot with dense soil, next you need to get ready to put the stakes in the ground. When it comes to putting the stakes in, one important consideration is the tools you use to do it.
Warning! Do not push the stake in with your foot or hands. I’m guilty of this too, but the awkward way stepping on the stake puts pressure on the stake could result in bending the stakes.
You need use a rubber mallet such as this one to hammer the stake in. Worse comes to worst, use a flat rock or thick branch to do it.
Once you’ve got this ready, you need to check your tent stake angle.
TENT STAKE ANGLE
As a kid going through Boy Scouts, I was always taught to angle my tent stakes so the point of the stake was going towards the tent. Logically, this makes some sense. If the wind is pulling the tent away from the stake, it’s almost as if the stake is leaning back against that pressure.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned (the hard way) that this isn’t the case. Whatever you do, always drive the stakes in vertically.
Going deeper into the dirt gives the tent stakes more ground to spread the pressure into and is much more secure. On top of that, when all the stakes are vertical, each and every stake is playing an equal role in holding the tent down no matter what direction the wind is blowing.
It took me a long time to get behind this idea, but once I did I never looked back.
ORIENTATION COMPARED TO THE TENT
This next part always seemed obvious to me, and maybe it does to you as well. But it’s always a good idea to double-check to make sure you know the best ways to use tent stakes.
Most tent stakes come with a “J” shaped hook on the top. When driving the stake in, it’s essential the J points away from your tent.
No matter how many stakes you use in the toughest ground the tent is going to move. Let’s face it, they’re made of a fabric.
As the tent moves in the wind, the lines or loops the stakes are driven into flop around too. If the hook is pointing towards the tent, the loop or line is much more likely to slip off the stake.
Now you just have a stake in the ground attached to nothing. What a waste! Oh yeah, and your tent is going to collapse.
OTHER GENERAL TIPS FOR USING TENT STAKES
By doing the above three things, your tent stakes are going to effectively keep your tent in place despite high winds. But if you’re still worried, here are some more general tips you can follow for optimal security.
- If you can’t find denser soil to stake into, use more stakes.
- Always carry extra stakes.
- Place heavy rocks on stakes for more weight.
- Use a carabiner to secure the loop/line to the stake even more.
- Upgrade your tent stakes to a heavier material such as aluminum for camping in snow or sand.
- As you place the stakes, make sure they line up with tent seams where possible.
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CONCLUSION
Staking down a tent isn’t hard, but no one wants to get their exercise in by chasing down a runaway tent. Not to worry though, now you know how to use tent stakes the right way.
By making sure you pick the right spot and tools, drive them straight down, and face the hook away from the tent, you’re camping experience is sure to be a good one for you and your companions.
Now get out there and enjoy the fresh air!
If you enjoyed reading this article, you may also enjoy learning how to set up a tent by yourself.