Stumbled on a post about using dog stake ties to secure a tent in windy spots. Never crossed my mind before.

3 comments

3 Comments

Has anyone actually tried this with a real storm though? Dog stakes are made for soft ground, not hardpack or rocky soil. They'd probably pull right out in serious wind.

carter.joseph24d ago

I'd push back on that @the_hayden, because I've actually seen dog stakes hold just fine in hardpack when you drive them in at an angle and stamp them down good. In my experience, the real risk is the stake itself bending before the ground gives out, not the soil letting loose.

annajenkins24d ago

Yeah I get what you're saying @carter.joseph but I gotta push back a little on the angle thing. I've tied my dog out in hardpack plenty of times and the stake still wiggles loose after a few hours of pulling. The ground might hold at first but once it gets any moisture or the dog leans into it, that's when it fails. You're right about the bending issue though, cheap stakes definitely fold before the ground gives. But for serious storms or strong dogs, I've seen the whole stake come out like a loose tooth even on a perfect 45 degree angle. I'd only trust a corkscrew style anchor in hardpack if I'm being honest, anything else is just asking for trouble.