Tent stakes (or pegs) come in a huge array of different shapes, lengths and materials and are all designed for a variety of specific purposes. Some even have design features on top of that!
So, with this many options to choose from its easy to get confused or become indifferent about the stakes you pitch your tent with, but there are times where it is an important consideration.
A combination of Y stakes and shepherd hooks are used to secure all 16 points of a Luxe HexPeak
Y stakes
Three varieties of aluminium Y stakes
These are amongst the most preferred variety due to their high level of adaptability and strength, although it comes with a weight penalty. They’re often included as standard with mid-high range tents, otherwise spend a bit extra on a quality set to make sure they can withstand rough treatment.
Advantages: Extremely grippy. Possible to hammer. Hard to bend.
Variations: Y’s are available in a cyclone/twisted pattern, which increases the hold in the ground even more.
Most suitable for: As main pegging points, these pegs will hold in nearly all weather conditions and terrain types: from dry compacted soil to wet blogland; storms and calms alike.
Least suitable for:
- Rocky or shaley ground can make it difficult to hammer Ys down because of their surface area.
- In especially muddy sites they may start to lose grip a little in strong winds or highly tensioned pitches.
V stakes
Two varieties of aluminium Vs
Similar to Y stakes but with only two sides. Vs have less holding ability due to the bottom of the V pointing to the tent rather then holding the soil like a pocket.
Advantages: Pack better than Ys. Easier to clean. Possible to hammer.
Variations: V’s are a popular choice for ultra-lighters as the option of titanium construction allows the structure to be hollowed out along each side to save even more weight while still holding strong.
Most suitable for: V stakes will hold in most soil terrain types, ideally not too soft. Suitable for general use main pegging points.
Least suitable for: Rocky or shaley ground can make it difficult to insert these pegs, similar to Ys and generally more bendable if you hit a rock.
Windy conditions may wreak havoc as the pegs lack the stability of three sides for support.
Shepherd hook stakes
Bulk standard and a lightweight titanium versions
An iconic tent peg and still popular to this day, these stakes are easy to use, durable and don’t weigh a lot (and the bent ones are easier to straighten!). Although the aluminium variety are the standard issue by many tent manufacturers, other companies have developed versions that appeal to ultra-lighters.
Advantages: Easily cleaned. Pack well. Cheap.
Variation: Called skewers, they’re available as 1g per peg -the most ultralight option (available in titanium).
Most suitable for: Firm ground. Secondary pegging points
Least suitable for: Very soft ground and hard ground, windy conditions – their minimal surface area means they don’t have a lot of grip.
Nails
Nails are thick, straight stakes with a flat ‘section ‘roof’ to hold the rope and make them comfortable to push in to softer ground. They look like an actual nail. Often they are constructed from carbon fibre.
Two examples of needles
Advantages: Light. Pack well. Comfortable to use and easy to clean. Possible to hammer
Variations: Needles, which don’t have the flat-top rather a hook carved into them (instead of protruding like a shepherd hook), they remain totally flat from top to bottom.
Most suitable for: Hard ground, rocky ground as main pegging points, or secondary points in softer ground.
Least suitable for: Ground with deep brush as they are easy to lose. Very soft ground.
Sand and snow
Snow pegs look like giant convex stakes with many holes down the length of the shaft. The key to pitching in sand or snow is to have the widest surface area for grip as possible and the peg needs to be buried under the surface to increase tension resistance. This method is known as a deadman anchor.
Heavy duty plastic pegs
Tips for using stakes
Terrains
Its the first thing to consider when deciding what stakes to employ. Hard terrains are guilty of bending pegs too!
How to position stakes
The most effective angle is to insert the stake into the ground is at 45 degrees.
Double staking
Occasionally it happens that there is nowhere suitable to place a peg where you need it and in this case two pegs can be used in line with each other. Pegs like Y’s or nails often come with a short cord tied to them. This cord can be used to double peg another stake behind the first to increase its holding strength. By placing the original peg in the most advantageous position for the tent – which might mean it can only get half way in the ground – the second peg can then be fully used behind it which will make a huge difference. Remember to keep the 45 degree angle to the stake rather than the tent.
A similar method can be used with the guy line by twisting a few rings around the peg which is best for the tent, then at the end of the guy line, peg another into the ground for ultimate support.
Y stakes are used to secure a tarp in dry dense ground
Most of the time I carry whatever stakes were issued with the tent. With one particular tent I usually carry a variety of stakes because in most of my backpacking situations, Y stakes is overkill except for the windward direction.
Things to avoid
The golden rule of what-not-to-do when inserting a stake (and its something I think everyone is guilty of including me), is never to use your foot. It’s not only bad for the sole of your shoe (mine have even been cut up from sharp peg ends), it also increases the chance of bending the peg by a lot!
A combination of Y’s, needles and shepherd hooks in a very windy place.
What length to buy?
Shorter pegs (around 6″) are preferred as a weight-saving point however they are also more heavy-duty than longer options (up to 7.5″) as there is less likelihood of them bending. Plus they’re an advantage in harder ground since there’s less of them to insert.
In windy conditions, longer pegs are more effective. A good combination to use is long ones for the guy lines and shorter ones for anchoring the tent. For any other optional staking points its good to use something easier to insert and retrieve – like a titanium hook.
OUTDOORSY GIRL 
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