Best Tent Stakes For Anywhere You’re Going

Your Tent Stake Mini-Guide

Tent stakes come in a variety of shapes, materials and are designed for different uses. Understanding exactly how each type works, which materials are best for different scenarios, and how to choose the right stakes for the camping scenario you are in, is really useful if you want to keep your tent secure wherever you are. Let’s take a more detailed look at tent stakes:

The Different Types Of Tent Stakes

The Classic

The classic stakes that come with tents and is a long piece of metal with a hook at the end. They come in different lengths and work in soft to medium ground, but really don’t work well with rocks as they bend easily. You can get tent stakes that are thicker, longer and stronger which are better for more seasoned campers. Crossing two pegs just under the surface of the ground will create an extra strength peg.

The Skewer

Skewer stakes are like classic stakes only they have a metal pattern like a meat skewer. This twist is there to provide better grip in the soil, but like classic stakes, they can bend easily when pushed into rocks. You can also cross skewer stakes just under the ground to create an extra strength peg.

The Ripple

A ripple stake is made of metal and has punched dents along it which cause a ripple effect. This makes them wider in the ground, and harder to pull out. They work well in the same kind of ground as the classic tent stakes, only they are harder to pull out so are more effective at keeping the tent and guylines in place.

V-Shaped and Y-Shaped Stakes

These stakes have fins joined together to form either a V or a Y (Imaging looking at the stake from a top view) and have more holding power than the classic stakes.

Because of the flat fins, they are suitable for hard, rocky and sandy ground. Y-shaped stakes work in all terrains, have more holding power and are heavier and pricier compared to V-shaped stakes. If you value your tent more than your wallet, you can get the Y-shaped stakes for better security.

Ground Anchors

Ground anchors are designed for extreme weather conditions and actually delve deeper into the ground when they are pulled. The way they sit is also extra flat so that they minimise trip hazards. Ground anchors are the extreme camper’s choice.

Plastic Stakes

Plastic stakes are similar in shape and effectiveness to the classic, and also have a hook on the end of a spike, but they tend to be even less able to deal with stones and rocks in the ground. If you do have some that have bent, soaking them in hot water for a few minutes should make them malleable enough to bend back into shape.

Nail Stakes

Nail stakes are shaped like flat headed nails and work by keeping your tarps secure without much sticking up out of the ground. It usually has a plastic stopper on its head. This type of stake would not be suitable for holding guy ropes but works well for pinning your tarp down.

Heavy Duty Stakes

They are shaped like nails, only they are much bigger and durable. You can place them in the ground with a full hammer, rather than a wooden mallet, and work really well in rocky or stony ground.

Threaded Heavy Duty Stakes

Threaded heavy duty stakes are the same as above only they have a screw shape at the bottom, for increased ground security.

Screw Spiral Stakes

Screw spiral tent stakes come with handles you can twist into the ground. They are suitable for rock free ground, for beaches and for windy conditions. Sometimes the manufacturer will come with a handle to easily pull out the stake.

Biodegradable Stakes

For the eco-conscious camper, biodegradable stakes are designed for repeated use, but if you do accidentally leave one behind, it will degrade over time.

Snow Stakes

Snow stakes are designed specifically for snow camping, are usually very strong to withstand the physical pressure on them and tend to have holes in them for maximum sturdiness in difficult conditions.

How Do You Choose A Tent Stake?

As a general rule, the tent stakes that come with the tent will match the purpose of the tent itself. So, if you are new to buying a tent, you’re good to go with the stakes you get with it. However, you may want a bit more versatility to when and where you camp that isn’t hindered by your tent stakes.

In this instance, it is best to have some hardier stakes as well as standard stakes because you’re then set up for various different situations. There are always creative ways to use even basic tent stakes so you’ll be well set up for most camping scenarios. If you’re planning on more hardcore camping that involves varied terrain and weather, you’ll want to look into the more hardy pegs like ground anchors.

Here’s a video for a good starting point for understanding the uses of different tent stakes.

Different Tent Stake Materials

As we previously mentioned, there are biodegradable stakes usually made from materials like potato starch, but generally you should expect them to be made from sort of metal, or plastic.

The most common tent stake materials are plastic, steel, aluminum, and titanium:

Titanium

Titanium tends to be very strong and very light and tent stakes made from titanium are usually smaller than pegs made from other materials, and therefore easier to place in the ground. Because titanium is able to bend without breaking, it is also an excellent choice for using in hard ground or tricky ground because it can be bent back into shape if it goes out of shape in use.

The only downside to titanium stakes? They can cost a lot more than stakes made from other materials so they are a bit of an investment.

Plastic

Plastic tent stakes are durable and can come in standard shapes like bog standard stakes, or specialist shapes as with ground anchors.

Aluminum

Aluminum is a great fair weather stake material because it is lightweight, cheap and easy to replace. It does snap if pushed to bend and used with hard ground so isn’t suitable for more advanced camping trips.

Steel

Steel tent stakes are extremely tough, but they are heavier than other materials so aren’t a popular option with hikers. Because of how tough the material is, steel stakes can be used for all kinds of ground, even frozen ground.

How To Use Tent Stakes

Here’s a quick and easy video on how to stake out a tent with really useful tips.

Although every camping situation requires a different approach, there are lots of general rules for using tent stakes that everybody should abide by for the best results:

• Push your stake all the way in the ground to maximise its strength
• Use a rock or a hammer to secure stakes, because using your boots can result in a bent stake
• Use the right stake for the camping situation you are in IE: fair weather pegs for soft ground, hardier pegs for harder or frozen ground
• Drive the stake directly down rather than at an angle for maximum strength
• Face the hook away from your tent
• Place a rock over the top of your stake for extra visibility and security
• Ensure the guy lines are taut
• Follow the X rule with guy line placement where the guy lines go out to make an imaginary X across the top of the tent
• Use ground that is firm enough to hold the stake in place

Tricky Tent Stake Questions

As with any tool or adventure gear, there are a few common questions surrounding stakes and their use.

For example: whether or not to use a mallet or a rock for placing stakes is a common question. This article gives a pretty good run down of the two options and, rocks come out winning, which is no surprise because they are free and you can find them anywhere.

Another common question is whether or not all tent stakes are necessary, which can only be answered by individual circumstances. There is a ton of flexibility with tent stakes. Some can be used for multiple ground conditions, others can be combined together to create additional strength, others are only suitable for specific conditions.

More often than not, it comes down to how much you want to carry. If you have an RV or truck you can afford to take a selection of stakes, if you are hiking with your gear, you have to go for light options that have been chosen carefully. The best thing is, there is always an option to suit your needs.