Best stake for Rocky terrain???

Ryan Pent

FNG
Joined
Jun 9, 2018
Messages
67
Location
Wisconsin
Just got back from a Boundary Waters camping/fishing trip, and while happy with my shelter (mountainsmith Mountain LT) I did run into some problems with stakes bending and snapping. This was my fist time using the shelter, and this was sort of my R&D trial run for this. I am a fan of floorless, but I do want to know if there is a good tent stake out there for rocky soil so that I don't have to try 3-4 different spots before I get the thing up properly. Any suggestions out there?

Thanks in advance everyone-
 

Whitetoptom

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Messages
252
Location
Southwest Virginia
Just got back from a Boundary Waters camping/fishing trip, and while happy with my shelter (mountainsmith Mountain LT) I did run into some problems with stakes bending and snapping. This was my fist time using the shelter, and this was sort of my R&D trial run for this. I am a fan of floorless, but I do want to know if there is a good tent stake out there for rocky soil so that I don't have to try 3-4 different spots before I get the thing up properly. Any suggestions out there?

Thanks in advance everyone-
These are called durapeg. I have been a fan of the plastic pegs for a while now. Where most of my ventures take place you find very few areas with no rock. I have been through the aluminum stake thing and they are great for good soil. The one pictured is the six inch model. I run the 9 inch with my tipi and have been stoked with em so far. No bending warping or noticable damage driving in rock and root. Breakage seems to be a non issue so far.
01b449a8b2a65b1a0d0513f07eec403e.jpg


Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk
 

Beendare

WKR
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
8,296
Location
Corripe cervisiam
I use a mix of 12" and 8" T type aluminum stakes. If is solid granite like some areas of the sierras........I tie off to trees, big rocks, down logs, etc.
 

sneaky

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
10,063
Location
ID
I had a couple of ground hogs bend this past week in a mix of semi frozen/rocky soil. Might have to take a look at those durapegs

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

Whitetoptom

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Messages
252
Location
Southwest Virginia
If that be the case I'll be buying out the local outfitter pretty soon. I have bought the ones I have from a local outdoor store, haven't saw them anywhere else that I recall.

Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk
 

sneaky

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
10,063
Location
ID
I found the longer ones online, but looks like supply is limited. If you have a source you should buy them

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

Whitetoptom

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Messages
252
Location
Southwest Virginia
I found the longer ones online, but looks like supply is limited. If you have a source you should buy them

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Looks like they are still in business. There was a little activity on their Facebook page this year.

Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2014
Messages
3,158
I had a supply of Durapegs which came with my Kifaru 8-Man a decade ago. My personal experience with them was that they either broke or deformed when encountering underground rocks. I think I had 3 or 4 broken ones. The MSR Groundhogs are decent enough and they are relatively short which can be an advantage in rocky soil. I've bent them when encountering rocks while driving them. The toughest pegs I've ever owned are the MSR Cyclones. They're made of thick (and hard) aluminum with a twisted configuration. I've managed to blunt a couple tips against underground rocks but I've yet to destroy one. The truth is there are no stakes you can drive through rocks. Do the best you can and work with what you've got on-site.
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
849
Location
Poulsbo Wa.
Take one pole barn spike to make pilot holes.You obviously can't drive them directly into a rock but they will usually glance off and re direct around obstacles.Pull it out and you have a hole for any stake
 

Akicita

WKR
Joined
Aug 3, 2016
Messages
498
Location
Colorado
Just got back from a Boundary Waters camping/fishing trip, and while happy with my shelter (mountainsmith Mountain LT) I did run into some problems with stakes bending and snapping. This was my fist time using the shelter, and this was sort of my R&D trial run for this. I am a fan of floorless, but I do want to know if there is a good tent stake out there for rocky soil so that I don't have to try 3-4 different spots before I get the thing up properly. Any suggestions out there?

Thanks in advance everyone-

In very rocky terrain I use the "Big Rock" - "Little Rock" stake out method and leave my stakes in the bag - Loop your guy lines around a baseball or soft ball size rock and draw it out in the direction you want. Lay a large football or soccer ball size rock over the guy line in front of the small rock you tied off to. The small rock will wedge into the large rock and you're all set. The greater the winds and weather the larger rock I will use over the guy line. For tent corners you can do the same thing with shorter lines.
 
Joined
Nov 25, 2016
Messages
3,721
Location
Utah
In rocky areas this year I bent 3 MSR stakes. Ended up using rocks, and tieing the guys and corners to same stake on some areas where it was too rocky and not enough big rocks. My shelter wasn't pitched pretty but it was secure.
 
Top