Tent stake/spike suggestions - Moab

[tremors834]

Whats a good type of tent spike everyone is using in and around Moab, Canyonlands, White Rim Rd campgrounds??
I'm guessing rock and sand terrain mostly?

 

[UNI]

We use and have had great luck with the MSR Ground Hog tent pegs when used in hard dirt and rocky areas. The MSR Blizzard tent pegs work great in the sand/snow areas.

We camp in the Missouri & Arkansas Ozarks, I would think the pegs would work in your part of the country.

 

[jeepdreamer]

idea...

Wondering if you are vehicle camping or backpacking? During "windy" season?
I usually carry a half dozen military tent stakes in my hee...er, Jeep for the tent if I'm gonna use it. These things are like 5/8 solid steel rod with a little J-hook on it...usually drives in anything and stays. Break out the mattox and it comes right out..usually.

 

[HenryJ]

We carry four reusable shopping bags. Fill with sand and rocks and tie off to them.

 

[Desert Dan]

I have free standing dome tent(s) which doen't require stakes except to hold it down.

I made some tent stakes using 12" metal spikes (like giant nails) and put a "J" on the end. If the ground is loose I put a rock on top of the stakes

If I can't put stakes in the ground I put heavy gear (water jugs, action packers etc) in the tent to hold it down or use rocks as time down points.

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: I don't remember the name/No., but

Harbor Freight has 1' green heavy plastic encased-hammer head with twist lock on top they are super strong and durable !!

:costumed-smiley-007:bike_rider: JIMBO

 

[nwoods]

We use and have had great luck with the MSR Ground Hog tent pegs when used in hard dirt and rocky areas.

I use those same pegs. They are inexpensive and the work awesome, with great pull-out resistance in a wide range of conditions, from Sand to Tundra. The are strong enough to be pounded into very rocky terrain as well.

However, in Utah if you are on slick rock, you need a "free standing" tent that is self-tensioning, usually with shock-corded aluminum poles. Here is a shot of an REI Basecamp 4 set up without stakes:

 

[squatch]

free standing tents are nice. snow peak makes some heavy duty stakes and a copper headed stake hammer. can be pounded into pavement I hear.

 

[Moody]

free standing tents...snowpeak stakes

If you are unfamiliar with the area you are staying in, and are concerned about the ability to stake in your tent (especially if it necessitates staking to be erected), I would certainly go with a freestanding tent, and weight in down properly.

Otherwise, the Snow Peak stakes are superb.

I try and just use freestanding tents.

 

[IdaSHO]

I always have a freestanding tent, but I stake off as much as I can. I use the stakes (or some that look just like them, without the ties) as show above.

But what I also do is pack a few extra bits of strap. Tied around the tent corner strap, they can be held down/out with rocks.

 

[tremors834]

Great info everyone. Thanks.
I also use a free standing tent also and stake down when possible, but with the cheap garden variety type stakes.
I'm more concerned about being able to stake the guy lines for a tarp canopy while camping on White Rim for use as shade.
I'l love to get a truck mounted awning, but I don't think thats gonna happen just yet.
In the mean time I think the MSR pegs should work out.

 

[mudbutt]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rebar-Tent-Stakes/

 

[overlander]

Wondering if you are vehicle camping or backpacking? During "windy" season?
I usually carry a half dozen military tent stakes in my hee...er, Jeep for the tent if I'm gonna use it. These things are like 5/8 solid steel rod with a little J-hook on it...usually drives in anything and stays. Break out the mattox and it comes right out..usually.

X2. the military stakes are best I've used.

 

[rusty_tlc]

You can set a tarp or tent using rocks, just find a few largish rocks (small enough to move into position but big enough to hold the tent/tarp in the wind) and tie off to them. I've used this method on granite and in areas where the ground is just to rocky or sandy for tent stakes.

If there are no rocks, like a beach camp, just dig a hole and bury a stick with the tie off around it, keep the stick perpendicular to the line of force. It's amazing how much force it takes to pull the stick out even if it's only a foot or two deep.

 

[WVF150]

If there are no rocks, like a beach camp, just dig a hole and bury a stick with the tie off around it, keep the stick perpendicular to the line of force. It's amazing how much force it takes to pull the stick out even if it's only a foot or two deep.

I build powerlines for a living and this technique we call snubbing. We run a powerline as far as possibly on new construction and when we cant go any further waiting on more towers to be built we take several logs, place them in the ground, wrap a cable around them, and push dirt over them, then take the powerline and tie it off to the cable to keep it from pulling back through the pullies we just pulled it through.

Works great, never thought of using for a tent.. ha ha.. I will now though.