I normally use Ti Shepherd hooks and 6" Blue Eastons for tent stakes for my shelters here in the Southeast, but I will be doing a week long trip in the Sierras in late summer and realize this is a vastly different soil than what I am used to. I was trying to find the best tent stakes for the region and wanted to get the opinion of those that hike in that part of the country. I am currently thinking about MSR Groundhogs or Vargo Ti Nail Pegs. What are your thoughts?

Nearly all of my backpacking is in the Sierra Nevada. I also use eight titanium shepherd hooks and a couple of longer Eastons.

--B.G.--

The Easton's work quite well. I have used both titanium sheppard stake as well as Easton's. I prefer Easton stakes myself because of those sheppard stakes being pulled out in high winds

A lot, even most of the soil in the Sierras is decayed granite (think very coarse sand). I've not had good luck with the ti shepherd's hooks in decayed granite, unless weighted with a large rock. The MSR groudhog style has worked well there for me. YMMV.

I use both the MSR Ground Hogs and Vargo Ti Sheppard hooks... I use the Ground Hogs for my tarp at the ridge lines and the Sheppard hooks for corner and side guys..I always bring 12-14 stakes for a easy set up or storm set up.. One should never try to save weight when it comes to stakes and guy lines--Don't skimp on these items!!! Never- Ever!!!

I also have had issues with really thin Ti stakes holding in some locations. My experience is that the 6" easton are a good compromise. There are a few places I would have liked some additional holding power from a Y stake, and other that a Ti nail who have been easier to drive in, but the eastons have always gotten the job done.

The only problem I have had with eastons was at some heavily used locations (like Sunrise in Yosemite) where the ground was so hard that I couldn't push the stake in with my hand or foot, and have to pound it in with a rock. The top of the easton stakes seems to be epoxied on. Too many shocks and it seperates. Then you have to dig your stake out becuase they is nothing to pull on.

--Mark

Edited by verber on 01/09/2011 19:19:10 MST.

I've used mostly Eastons in the Sierras, worked fine. I usually carry one snow stake (i.e. something like this: http://cascadedesigns.com/msr/tents/tent-accessories/blizzard-tent-stakes/product) for a bomb-proof anchor for the wind-ward side of the tarp (the foot ideally) and then a mix of Eastons and hooks for the rest. I think you can get by fine with just hooks as long as you're careful about site selection and make judicious use of rocks and deadwood.

PS: the snow stake is also perfect for digging cat holes :)

My previous stake setup which worked well in the Sierras (weighed down by rocks when needed): 1 Vargo titanium nail stake plus titanium shepherd hooks. I used the Vargo to pound holes into the ground when needed -- making it easy for the shepherd hooks.

Now, I have replaced the titanium shepherd hooks with Big Sky Ultra C aluminum stakes -- which weigh just as light as titanium shepherd hooks (0.23 oz. each) but have better ground penetrating and holding power.

Edited by ben2world on 01/09/2011 19:44:32 MST.

Ben,

I haven't seen those Big Sky stakes before - they look sweet. How easily do the bend? Thanks.

I really like them. They are much tougher and harder to bend than titanium shepherd hooks. I just started a thread here..

Edited by ben2world on 01/09/2011 20:13:03 MST.

I was worried that the head of the eastons would pop off if I had to pound them in. I have never had one pop off, but it isn't often I cant push them in by hand either. So you think they would work as well as the groundhogs or ti nails?

Your combo--Ti shepherd-hook and Easton nails--works in 95% of the spots I camp in the Sierra. For the other 5% I have to add or completely switch to deadheading or anchoring to nearby vegetation (when there is any).

Last fall a surprise windstorm kicked up and as my tarptent collapsed I could hear my Ti stakes ping against rocks after they took flight. I never did find them all, and had to drag over the biggest rocks I could find and tie the tent to them with my bearline.

Cheers,

Rick

I find lots of cord rather than stakes, to work best for me in the upper sierra nevada. Large rocks, trees and rock climbing protection-like pebbles in cracks are what I like.

> I could hear my Ti stakes ping against rocks after they took flight.

Rick... this put a smile on my face because several years ago I heard the same thing. At the time I was unhappy, but now it's a funny memory. I over compensated I carried Y stakes (with extras) for a bit.

Ben... the Big Sky stakes look interesting, thanks for bringing them to our attention. For a bit I tried the Vargo Ti Snow stakes which had good holding power but were also prone to bend when the ground was really hard. Duh... meant to push into SNOW, not hardpack. Those look like they would work as stakes, and maybe also digging small cat holes.

--Mark

Good point David, I do plan on adding longer guylines to my shelter before I go. That way I should be able to use rocks if I need to.