What Are The Best Tent Stakes?

[razorback]

Hey Starleen2
My EZ Up from Gander Mountain sporting goods comes with tie-off lines at each corner of the top. The five gallon buckets have handles and I tie the tie-off lines to the bucket handles. The first link is at Petite Jean II gathering.
Photos by Dave. My TD is the green one with the EZ Up and mosquito netting. You can see the lines attached to the bucket handles. Last summer we were camping and the fire at the site next to us got out of the ring. Just untied one bucket and doused the fire!
http://www.tearsoftexas.com/pj2008/index.html.
The second picture is from Matagorda Bay. Pics again by Dave. It is harder to see the buckets but you can see how hard the wind was blowing. My attached side panel is really billowing. The buckets are easy to transport empty. You can go to just about any store that has a deli or bakery and get their empty pickle buckets or icing buckets.
http://www.tearsoftexas.com/Matagorda/index.html
Larry

[Cruiser]

I use angle iron,, cut into 12-16" lengths,, bottom cut at an angle to aid cutting into the ground. Upper end I drill a couple holes to attach the cords.. Cheap if using scrap.. If you find think angle alum, it works great,, I had a nice set,, but somehow it found legs one camping trip..

[Big Guy with a Little Guy]

Man, I never thought of using lag bolts. What a great idea! I'd much rather twist a ratchet handle than swing a hammer. Also, removal would be much easier. Put a monster-sized washer on it with a hole drilled in it, and you've got your tie-down ready to go.

I also like the idea of having several choices for different situations.

The 5 gallon buckets are a good idea, too, because a big, fat, easy-to-see bucket is going to prevent you from walking into or tripping over the cord. You would just need to be aware that a wind strong enough to lift a 40-pound anchor is going to make that anchor a 40-pound projectile...

[ParTaxer]

I use a coleman 14' event canopy over my tear. The lag bolts have proven to do the job. I carry an 18 volt dewalt drill and zip em in and out easily. Lag bolts are 1/4" by 6". I also use the long green tiipped spikes from wally world to temporarily set the feet of the canopy.

[Laredo]

sixty-penny nails when I can find 'em, "landscaper spikes" when I can't.
Last ones I bought cost me $2, but I came home with three dozen...

[Joanne]

I use a length of rebar with a link of chain welded near the top. (not quite at the top so I hammer the rebar not the link when I'm driving it.)

They come in any length I want since I'm cutting them myself! I cut a length of rebar twice the length that I want the stake to be, then cut in the middle at 45° for the sharp end. Of course, the rope gets tied off to the chain link.

Joanne

[moto403]

i use 1x1 aluminum angle wit a 45 degree angle on one end and a hole drilled in the other with a s-hook from a bungee cord to tie off too. been working great for years.