One comment about my tent stakes totally changed how I camp now

I used to buy those cheap plastic tent stakes from Walmart and just shove them in the ground. Last year a guy on a forum told me I was basically asking for a collapsed tent in windy weather. He said spend $20 on some MSR Groundhogs and watch the difference. I was skeptical but tried them on a trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. That night a big storm rolled in with gusts around 40 mph and my tent held solid while my buddy's cheap stakes bent and his tent sagged. Has anyone else switched to better stakes and noticed a huge change?

3 comments

3 Comments

river9521mo agoMost Upvoted

Started using MSR Groundhogs after my dad's tent collapsed on us in a downpour back in 2011. I remember waking up with rain in my face and a fiberglass pole bent like a pretzel. Now I won't use anything but those orange stakes, even if they're a pain to pack.

davidkim1mo ago

Tbh that sounds terrifying. Glad you found something that works.

hannah3201mo ago

I mean, aren't Groundhogs like 8 inches long? They're great for soft ground but I've seen people snap them trying to get them into rocky soil. The hook on top is nice but you have to wiggle them out just right or you're bending the stake. I still use the old MSR mini groundhogs myself, the shorter ones. They pack way better and hold just as good in most conditions unless you're on a sand dune or something. Just saying, don't sleep on the smaller version if packing space matters to you.