Choosing the right stakes for individual lines can make or break your outdoor tents's stability in challenging surface. We look for stakes that hold well and are light-weight for backpackers counting every ounce. We also think about longevity metrics like whether the stake can be wacked with a club without breaking or flexing.
1. Product
For those that are trying to conserve every last ounce in their packs, the material utilized for the risks can be a crucial factor to consider. Light weight aluminum and titanium risks use excellent toughness at a practical weight, while carbon fiber risks are ultralight however can be more at risk to damaging or breaking under tension.
The Toaks Titanium V-shaped risks are lightweight and load down to a remarkably small dimension. They're easy to drive into rocky dirt and have a plastic top that safeguards the metal from rocks and origins. Though they don't included a pull cable, there is an open up to add one and an opening for permanently connecting guy lines. The only downside is their fragility. The blunt ends aren't as resistant to strikes from a club as some other stakes, and they might damage under excessive stress in a severe tornado. Regardless of this, they remain our choice for a light backpacking stake.
2. Length
This metric is essential almost specifically for backpackers, considering that every ounce counts when you're hoofing it with the wilderness on a 10- to twenty-mile hike every day. We seek stakes that pack down tiny and that are simple to mount with a mallet and by hand, while offering appropriate durability for the conditions you will certainly run into on the path.
Needles (or pegs) are cylinder-shaped stakes with sharp ends and a head or notch on one end for guy-line accessory. They are most convenient to pound into the ground, but are prone to bending. Shepherd's hook risks, which have a comparable form to needle stakes however a directly just one end, are more resilient than needle risks, yet call for an extra step in configuration to protect the line. V-stakes, which have a v-shaped body that gives greater surface area and are extra resistant to flexing, are additionally an option. Some come with a paracord loophole, that makes it easier to eliminate the stake when you need to move camp.
3. Idea
The risk pointer's ability to withstand flexing and turn is a vital metric for those using person lines on rough terrain where the line might scrub against the rocks. The risks with a spherical factor, like needle stakes or guard's hook stakes, often tend to flex and turn much more quickly than those with a level or V-shaped tip. They can also trigger the line promotional bag to fray as it rubs against the rock. Lastly, for the ounce counters out there, we measured each risk's weight and exactly how portable it packs down right into its things sack. The very best risks pack down to an extremely small size.
