11/1/2022 0 Comments Best tent for heavy rain![]() But their superior holding power kept them in the top slot, so I kept testing. ![]() All three held onto tons of dirt that had to be scraped off by hand after each test (annoying), and all three were kind of uncomfortable to use (the trade off for that effective Y-beam design). All three had excellent holding power-the most important criteria during testing-at a low weight. It was so close, in fact, that I added on a few additional testing protocols after I’d finished with the rest of the stakes just to try to separate out the Zpacks Super Sonic from the MSR Groundhog from the Sea to Summit Ground Control. It was a tight race for the best tent stake, but in the end, the lightweight MSR Groundhog had superior holding power to the Sea to Summit Ground Control and a lower weight than the Zpacks Super Sonic. The final test was a return to the ideal ground for testing to see if the boot test had impacted performance. Stakes that bent during this stage were noted. During this stage, I looked at how easy each tent stake was to use, and how easy it was to take out again, checking for durability issues (either dents, chips, or bends).Īfter the hard ground test, I put each tent stake through a durability, or “boot test,” placing the stakes at a forty-five degree angle and then stepping down (not stomping) on them with my foot. After that, I switched to the more notorious hard ground, most commonly seen in heavily used camping areas, including those where cars or RVs may have run over the exact spot you want to stake your tent in.įor the hard ground site, I used both a rock and the Snow Peak Steel Head Peg Hammer to push the stakes into the ground. Here I checked the holding power of each stake and looked at how much dirt or other debris the stakes were holding onto and how difficult they were to clean off afterward. The next test was conducted on soft ground, where the top layer of forest floor debris makes it especially difficult to secure stakes. ![]() Pulling on two shepherd’s hook stakes during the first stage of testing. It should be noted that while I tried to find similarly firm ground for each stake I looked at, there are inevitable differences-rocks, roots, soil density-that can and do occur during testing. ![]() Laura Lancasterĭuring this first stage of testing, I also checked the holding power of each stake by securing a guyline to it and pulling it in several different directions. Pulling up a broken tent stake without a pull loop took longer than I expected. One stake broke at this stage, the TOAKS Nail Peg, and was removed from further testing. The first one was on what could be considered ideal ground for pitching a tent-firm enough that a tool (in this case, the MSR Stake Hammer) was useful for pushing the tent stake into the ground, but not so firm as to be arduous. Tent stakes were then tested in tandem at four separate test sites. Generally, these matched what the manufacturer provided, although minor discrepancies were noted in the above table. The first step in testing was to check both weight and length against the manufacturer-provided specifications out of the box. ![]() **Measurements provided are based on manufacturer specifications instances where I measured a different weight or length are noted in the parenthetical How I Tested Tent Stakes *Prices are provided for individual stakes however, instances where stakes are only sold in bulk are noted in a parenthetical
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