How to repair a bent aluminum tent stake while out on a camping trip
You’re miles into the backcountry, the sun is dipping below the horizon, and a sudden wind shear starts ripping through your campsite. You pull out your tent, grab your ultralight aluminum stakes, and start driving them into the ground. Thwack. Your…
Proper angle to drive tent stakes into the ground for maximum wind resistance
You’ve spent hours researching the perfect tent, you’ve picked a scenic spot in the high desert of West Texas or the windswept coastal bluffs of California, and you’re ready to hunker down. But all that preparation can be undone in seconds by a single,…
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…
How to anchor a tent properly when the ground is too hard for stakes
You have arrived at your destination—whether it’s the sun-baked, clay-hardened plains of West Texas, the rocky, glacial till of New York’s Adirondack Mountains, or the granite-laden terrain of the California Sierras. You lay out your tent, excited for a…
Should I use a rubber mallet or a rock to drive tent stakes in
Every camper, from the weekend warrior in the Adirondacks to the seasoned overlander navigating the hardpan of West Texas, has faced the same moment of truth: you have your tent laid out, your stakes are in hand, and you are staring at a piece of ground…
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…
What to do when you cannot push your tent stake into the hard ground
There is nothing more frustrating than arriving at a campsite, exhausted from a long drive or hike, only to find that the ground is as impenetrable as concrete. You’ve found the perfect spot, you’ve unrolled your tent, and you’re ready to relax—but your…
How to drive tent stakes into hard rocky ground without breaking the tent peg
You have finally arrived at that perfect, scenic campsite. Whether it’s the rugged, sun-baked terrain of Big Bend in Texas, the granite-strewn mountains of New York’s Adirondacks, the wind-whipped coastal bluffs of California, or the dense, root-tangled…
