Screws for a winter tent: varieties and recommendations for choosing

If you like winter hiking and fishing, then a tent is a must for you, because when it's cold, you can always hide in it and spend time in comfort, despite the harsh climate. But to strengthen the tent in the winter is not an easy task. In today's article, we will tell you how to securely fasten a tent so that even the strongest wind is not afraid of it.

Usually, the tent comes with the pegs needed to fix it. But they are not always enough, or suddenly you need to replenish the lost stakes, so it is important to understand what stakes are, as well as what materials they are made of.

1. Wooden. The simplest pegs that are not difficult to carve on your own, if the need arises.
2. Wire. Inexpensive, different in weight, these stakes are very popular with fishermen.
3. Aluminum. They are also quite popular, but not ideal in practice - they often pop out of the soil if the wind is blowing hard, and they are quite difficult to fix in the ground.
4. V-shaped. Dural stakes with excellent fixation. They are in particular demand among travelers due to their easy fixing even in difficult soil or sand.
5. Titanium. Cross-section, as in duralumin.These pegs are the most durable, but also the most expensive.
6. Pin. The initial use of such stakes is for difficult soil, but they are used for any soil. Incredibly strong and stable.
7. Screwdrivers. Designed specifically for ice, the principle of operation is similar to a self-tapping screw, these stakes are screwed into the ice, securing the tent.
8. Anchor. If you have to "drop anchor" in the snow or sandy terrain, these pegs will be simply indispensable. They fit securely and last a long time.

However, industrial fasteners are not without drawbacks. Obviously overpriced and quality that leaves much to be desired, make fishermen refuse to purchase stakes in the store, and take matters into their own hands. Anyone can make an elementary screw. To do this, you will need a SHG screw 10200 model, a few nails and tools.

Using a drill, drill a hole right under the hat. Bend the nail that plays the role of a crossbar a couple of millimeters on both sides for strength, cut off sharp edges and other irregularities. If there are not enough pliers, grind the sides so that they are perfectly smooth.

If you are one of those who do not particularly enjoy hiking without rest or fishing, then you will definitely face the task of attaching the tent with screws. This is just mandatory knowledge if you do not want the wind to blow away your temporary "home" or break the fasteners. The tent on the ice is attached in two main ways - with and without stretch marks (in this case, the skirt of the tent is attached to the ice itself). Depending on which method you choose, pegs and the manner of fasteners will be selected.

The tent will be firmly anchored if more than 2 screws are used. On ice, no other stakes are effective. The ice should be as hard as possible and safe for drilling. Use only well-made screws, otherwise you will spend more than an hour on the ice, trying in vain to screw in uneven models.

• Using a self tapping screw. Most often, large-sized construction screws are meant for fixing the tent, if the reservoir is really frozen enough to avoid unpleasant incidents. The surface of the self-tapping screw is ribbed, with a hook on top. This hook is just a godsend when you need to attach tent cords. Advantage - low price. The tent is really great. There are also disadvantages. Do not screw in stakes without a special tool. Not everyone is able to cope with twisting. Often the self-tapping screw freezes and is literally tightly riveted to the ice. It is not right to chip away without the risk of deformation, you can only pour hot water from above, working as quickly as possible so that the water does not freeze back, worsening the situation even more.
• Homemade screws. You can always make a turntable that is perfect for your circumstances.
• With the help of an ice drill. The advantage is reliability. The disadvantage is that if you don’t have to worry about drilling, then not everyone likes to drag such a structure with them, and if an ice drill freezes into ice, then extracting it is an almost impossible task.
• Long nails. A common, but not at all recommended, method of securing a tent, because the nails remain in the ice, spoiling the knives of the ice screws of fishing mates who come to the place after you.

If you prefer to attach the tent skirt directly to the ice, that is several options for increasing the strength of the structure.

• Covering the skirt of the tent with snow. Dignity - no hassle with screw-in or stretch marks. Provides excellent thermal insulation, especially in severe frosts. The disadvantage is that in windy weather this is not a suitable method. It will take a lot of snow to strengthen, otherwise the tent will “walk” from side to side. A sudden wind immediately changes all plans, forcing you to take up stakes.
• Having pressed the tent with heavy objects. Usually the skirt of the tent is pressed down with an ice screw, various equipment, or heavy backpacks. Advantage - instant fixation. The disadvantage is that the tent can still be blown away by a strong gust of wind, deforming it.
• Attaching the tent to the wet ice. Advantage - if it is impossible to screw the stakes, then this option is very practical. The disadvantage is that the skirt of the tent can get very frozen in the ice.
• combined method, that is, by collecting all the possible options above. If there is a strong wind, stretch marks are fixed, pegs are driven in, the skirt is thrown with snow from all sides, and for complete reliability, an ice screw is also added from above. This method serves to provide complete confidence in the safety of fastening the tent in cold and windy conditions.

See below for how to screw the screw into the ice.