How to stake a tent in the sun baked caliche soil found in Texas
If you’ve ever tried setting up camp in West Texas, the Hill Country, or parts of the Panhandle during summer, you know the sound: the dull, hollow clack of a tent stake hitting what feels like solid concrete, followed immediately by the sickening bend…
How do I prevent my tent guylines from slipping off flat-headed nail stakes?
You’ve finally ditched the flimsy, bendable aluminum pegs that came with your tent and upgraded to industrial, heavy-duty hardware nail stakes. Whether you’re car camping along the hard-packed, sun-baked clay soils of Texas, setting up camp on the rocky,…
Can I use heavy-duty landscape spikes from a hardware store instead of tent stakes?
Every car camper, overlander, and festival-goer eventually faces the same dilemma. You arrive at your campsite—whether it’s a sun-baked clay plot in Texas, a gravelly mountain terrace in New York’s Adirondacks, or a rocky, hard-packed clearing near San…
Best heavy duty tent stakes for camping in the hard packed clay of Texas
Any seasoned camper who has tried to pitch a tent in the Lone Star State knows that Texas soil is legendary—and not for its hospitality. From the sweeping expanses of West Texas to the hills surrounding Austin and the dense pine woods out East, the…
What are the strongest metal tent stakes that will never bend in rocky soil
There is a distinct, frustrating sound known to almost every camper: the dull twang of a lightweight aluminum tent stake bending in half beneath the strike of a camp mallet. Whether you are trying to anchor a shelter into the unyielding, sun-baked…
How to secure a large family tent in high winds on open camping ground
Few outdoor experiences match the joy of a family camping trip. Setting up a basecamp on an open prairie in Texas, along the rugged coastlines of Washington and California, or near the exposed bluffs of New York provides spectacular views and…
How to prevent your tent stakes from pulling out of the ground in wind
There is nothing quite as disruptive to a wilderness experience as the middle-of-the-night sound of a tent wall flapping violently against your sleeping bag because a stake has failed. Wind is the ultimate stress test for your shelter, and when the gusts…
Best lightweight tent stakes for ultralight backpacking in loose sand and soft soil
When you are miles into the backcountry—whether you are traversing the shifting dunes of California’s coastal beaches, setting up camp on the soft, mossy forest floors of Washington, or navigating the loamy, damp terrain of New York’s river valleys—your…
Best way to clean muddy tent stakes after a rainy weekend camping trip outdoors
You’ve returned from a rainy camping trip with memories of a great adventure—and a bag full of mud-caked tent stakes. It’s tempting to toss them into your gear box and deal with them later, but ignoring them is a recipe for rust, corrosion, and a…
How to remove stuck tent stakes from clay soil without damaging the tent webbing
Every camper knows the specific, sinking feeling of a “stuck” campsite. You’ve enjoyed your weekend in the arid landscapes of West Texas or the heavy, moisture-laden soils of the Pacific Northwest. Now, it’s time to head home. You grab the…