Tent stakes

The tent is a constant companion of tourists. When landscaping the parking lot, it is very important to securely fix the tent on the ground. This article will focus on tent pegs, their varieties, features of choice and design with your own hands.

Stakes are needed to fix the location of the tent and are usually included in its kit. But often situations arise when it is necessary to replenish their number - in case of loss or breakage.

According to the material used for stakes, several types are distinguished.

• From a tree. The simplest type, self-production does not present any difficulties.

• From steel wire. Thin and heavy, but cheaper than the next two types. The section diameter is approximately 0.5-0.6 cm.

• Made of aluminum wire. Like steel ones, they have significant drawbacks - they scroll in the ground, are not fixed in the sand, and in strong winds they can jump out of the soil.

• Dural, V-shaped section. Today, the most common devices that have good fixing ability even in the case of uncomfortable soil (sand).

• Titanium, V-section. The most durable, but also the most expensive tent accessories.

• Reinforced (pin). Designed for setting up a tent on rocky ground, but suitable for use on any type of soil.

• Pegs-screws. Used to anchor the tent on the ice. They are designed on the principle of self-tapping screws, they do not require much effort to screw into the ice.

• Anchor stakes. Used to fix the tent on loose snow and sand. Usually they are T-shaped devices.

The easiest way to carve wooden pegs. To do this, you only need sticks of suitable sizes, which need to be planed on one side.

Metal fixtures are also quite easy to make yourself. Aluminum or steel strips 15-20 cm long are required. They need to be bent along the long side, then pointed at one end, and drilled a hole for the fastening ropes at the other.

As a starting material for screw heads, they are usually used anchor bolts, the thread pitch of which is quite wide.

First of all, before choosing tent accessories, think about what season you plan to go out into the countryside. Requirements for pegs for summer and winter tents are different.

If you decide to purchase new pegs in the store, pay attention to the following factors:

• Pegs Material. Steel pegs, although subconsciously perceived by us as very strong, are actually quite fragile - usually a cheap alloy is used to make them, and their considerable weight is a big disadvantage, especially when hiking long distances.Aluminum fixtures are good for non-problematic soils, are light and fix the tent well, but are not suitable for mounting on rocky and dense soil - they bend easily. Dural stakes are devoid of such shortcomings, but are not suitable for winter fishing. Titanium accessories are recognized as the highest quality - durable, light and rigid - but they also have a drawback - high cost. There are also plastic pegs on sale - they are also quite durable, and besides, they are the lightest among all analogues.
• Cross section shape. Pegs with a flat and round section easily come out of the ground, so the quality of fixing the tent in difficult climatic conditions leaves much to be desired. A strong gust of wind can blow away your temporary shelter along with fasteners. The V-shaped section of the fixtures will ensure a secure fit even in the sand. T-anchors and screw fixtures are designed primarily for anchoring winter tents.
• Fixture sizes. Usually, the reliability of fastening is directly proportional to the length of the fastener element, because the greater the depth of driving the pegs, the more difficult it is for the wind to pull them out of the ground or other surface.
• Manufacturing firm. Among the well-known companies producing accessories for tents, it is worth highlighting such companies as MSR, Tramp, Outwell, Redfox, Nova Tour, BTrace, AceCamp, High Peak.
• Additional qualities. Some fasteners are equipped with reflective (LED) properties - to improve orientation in the dark.
• The number of items in the set.

How to fix the tent from the wind with pegs, see the following video.