Warning: cheap rainfly stakes nearly ruined my trip in the Smokies

I was setting up camp near Clingmans Dome last fall when a gust of wind ripped my rainfly clean off. A guy from the next site over walked up and handed me a set of MSR Groundhog stakes, said he always carries spares. He showed me how to angle them at 45 degrees for better hold. Now I never trust those little wire stakes that come with budget tents. Anyone else had a stake fail on them at a bad time?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_max14d ago

And my buddy learned that the hard way out in Big Bend last spring, his cheap stakes popped right out of the sand and his tent ended up wrapped around a creosote bush by morning. Says he just bought a set of the MSR ones after that too.

carter.casey15d ago

Yeah the cheap wire stakes are basically useless in any real wind. I've had them bend or just pull out of the ground on windy nights more times than I can count. Now I run Groundhogs or even the mini Groundhogs for less wind spots, they're worth every penny.

clairen8515d ago

Literally bent a cheap wire stake into a pretzel shape trying to get it out of hard ground last weekend, so yeah I feel that. Guess I'm the common denominator on windy campsites at this point.