Is 6" enough?

[u/blanchinator]

Has anyone actually had 6-7" stakes pull out, where 8-9" stakes did not?

It seems common practice to use 8"+ stakes on the major tie-outs for extra peace of mind but are we just packing our fears?

[u/BarnabyWoods]

At the risk of stating the blindingly obvious, that depends on the kind of dirt you're in.

[u/Amazing-Fox-6121 → u/BarnabyWoods]

And skills. Super sandy but rocks are around? Stake and put a rock on top of the stake.

[u/laurk → u/BarnabyWoods]

The sexual innuendos continue from the post to the comments.

[u/Alternative-Wafer8]

6” is plenty, right? RIGHT?!?!?

[u/zombo_pig → u/Alternative-Wafer8]

After some rough use, mine curves hard to the right. I still take it out, of course; staying home alone with my stake is obvoiusly less fun. Plus, everyone who tries it always assures me 6" is more than anybody needs. Unnecessary, really. It's more about how the ground vibes with the stakes, right?

[u/oldwatchdan → u/[deleted]]

That's what she said?

[u/bionic_cmdo → u/[deleted]]

Oh we're talking about stakes?

[u/WestBrink → u/[deleted]]

Could save at least a half ounce by trimming down to four inches.

[u/MeHoyMinoy_69]

6" is perfectly sized, maybe even above average stake length. I'm sure it will handle just fine without destroying the ground while being enough to penetrate deep for a good hold.

[u/TheTobinator666]

Personally I think 6" is plenty. Some would even say it's above average

[u/fuzzyheadsnowman]

It’s not all about it length but, girth is important. 6” Shepard hooks are not the same as a mini ground hog.

[u/imnotsafeatwork → u/fuzzyheadsnowman]

My gf has to have an emotional connection. The length of the stake doesn't matter, as long as she feels a bond with it.

[u/Jolly_Efficiency7237]

If you trim the grass around it, it'll look bigger.

[u/PlasticCantaloupe1]

I’ve heard that it’s really more about width and technique

[u/obi_wander]

I’ve gotten by just fine with four inches for most of my life.

[u/dasbin]

Here you go:

https://backpackinglight.com/tent_stakes

TLDR; yes, longer stakes hold more force when shorter ones would pull out. Design does make a bit of a difference though, with Y-stakes beating out nails slightly, but generally longer is more important than wider/design. The strength to weight of the Groundhog Mini is good, but the regular Groundhog is not so great compared to lighter options that are just as long or longer. Different designs are better optimized for different soil types.

[u/ccoakley]

I have had the “front” stake pull out in sand. This caused my trekking pole to fall in the middle of the night. But you don’t need an extra 2” to solve it if you can find a couple rocks. I just reset the stake and add a rock. 

I once forgot my tent stakes (and spoon, same trip). One site took me an hour to gather a sufficient amount of rocks. So if you are patient enough, maybe all stakes are optional.

[u/Murky-Contact-6377]

My wife says 6” is enough, but sometimes I think she’s lying.

[u/TinCanFury → u/Murky-Contact-6377]

it's the mid-tenting doom scrolling that gives it away.

[u/Mabonagram]

if you take the time to warm up the ground a bit first, it will actually open up and be able to take much more stake than if you just jam it in cold.

but for real, in my conditions (PNW 3 season) 6” stakes work fine with some occasional supplements from local rocks. this is very contextual.

[u/blanchinator → u/Mabonagram]

This one's my favourite 😂😂

[u/Xx_GetSniped_xX]

6”???! Man and here I thought I was good with 3”….

[u/ScottySummits → u/Xx_GetSniped_xX]

I'm working cheese wheel; 2" deep but 6" wide. No tent has flown away on me yet!

[u/tyler2u]

Like everything else, it depends. If you're in the forest with a 3" layer of duff before you hit anything solid, longer stakes are going to help. A little extra length can help in sandy/loamy soil as well. If you're staking into hard dirt, there's little difference.

[u/Fair-Search-2324]

Yes stakes pull out. Sandy, loamy, etc.

[u/blanchinator → u/Fair-Search-2324]

Agreed, but would the extra 2" have made the difference?

[u/Avocadosforme → u/blanchinator]

I mean if we’re talking about the difference btw regular groundhogs and mini, yes sometimes the regulars will stick in stuff that minis won’t.

[u/blanchinator → u/Avocadosforme]

Definitely agree in that case, but I feel that's because the regulars are a lot thicker.

[u/Avocadosforme → u/blanchinator]

I kinda realized I didn’t read your full thing (sorry, lazy brainrot habits), and I agree with your thought that it doesn’t make sense to use long stakes on the important tie outs as a matter of habit. I use the short ones for all tie outs 95% of the time, and I bring more robust stakes if I’m gonna be in sand. I do not have the short stakes pull out in what I consider “normal” conditions, regular forest floor.

So basically, my answer is yes to your first question, I’ve had short stakes pull out when longer stakes didn’t. But also yes to your second question, I think people are packing fears if they’re bringing long stakes for the major tie-outs on every single one of their trips.

[u/WATOCATOWA]

I use groundhogs (7.5”) on corners and mini ones (6”) on the rest (vestibules, guy outs, etc).

[u/romulus_1]

I was just in a massive hailstorm in Northern California where my mini groundhogs couldn’t keep my tarp up.

Rain and lightning moved in fast when I was on a rocky ridge, and by the time I ran down to safe ground i was soaked. My stakes could not hold in the soft ground, and there were no rocks anywhere to buttress them. The tarp collapsed 7 times over 2 hours while I focused on keeping my pack dry and kept myself warm doing push ups and sit ups.

Eventually the hail died down and I was able to peel off my wet clothes, dry off with a bandana, pull out my sleeping bag and bivy and put on wind pants, sweater, puffy, gloves and socks. It took many hours for my core temp to stabilize… I was shivering for hours and especially losing heat out of my bum —putting one fleece glove on each butt cheek under wind pants helped a lot.

It was a little scary as I was solo and resolved to always carry full sized groundhog(s) for apex tie outs from now on. There was no rain on the forecast.

[u/MolejC]

To be serious for a moment,  the blue Easton 6 inch stakes are pretty poor in anything but hard ground whereas the gold 8" Easton stakes on corners are great in soft ground. I always carry the latter for the corners of my shelters, and mini groundhogs and shepherd's hooks for the rest.   I got rid of all my blue Eastonss because they are not as good as mini groundhogs. 

[u/TinCanFury]

Any engineer can tell you first principal is: more surface area=more friction.

you can go longer, you can go wider, you can go corkscrew (quacks like a duck).

there are several options to increase surface area.

calculate the coefficient of friction of the soil you're camping at, draw the free body diagram, and you'll know how much surface area you need 🤪

[u/comma_nder]

An hour in and not one comment directed at OP’s mom. smh.

[u/vrhspock]

No stake length or type will work in every situation. I carry 6” shepherds crooks because they are the lightest although they don’t hold in loose soil or penetrate rocky ground. “Y” shaped stakes like MSR Groundhogs are probably the most versatile although folks argue over ideal length. Even then, they don’t work in sand or rock (or forest duff or mud or loose gravel…) Accept the fact that you have to pick campsites based on numerous factors and sometimes you just have to be adaptable.

[u/sigfan86]

Much like other things in life, more loose =more length needed.

[u/Worried_Process_5648]

That’s what she said.

[u/Boogada42]

I recently added some 8'' stakes to my arsenal to support the 6'' ones I already had. Had a stake pull out and the tent collapse on me in a stormy night. Not even sure that would have made a difference once the ground got totally soaked - but its worth a try.

[u/blanchinator → u/Boogada42]

As in, the 6" stakes pulled out, hence ordering the 8"?

[u/Boogada42 → u/blanchinator]

It's worth a try. I probably won't bring them all the time though. But adjust for the conditions expected.

[u/Amazing-Fox-6121 → u/Boogada42]

I recently added some 6" 2g stakes

I ain't trying to go ultraheavy

[u/Adventurous_War_4055]

For typical 1-2 person shelters, I've used 6" stakes for a long time and never really wanted for more. I use Groundhogs for the 2 main tie outs, and carbons and/or Ti nails for the rest. This mix of stakes seems to be a sweet spot for me.

But really, it is more about adapting to the conditions. If soil is loose, I probe around for a good spot, then add a medium rock atop the stake if it seems shifty. (a variant of big rock, little rock technique). When I am in alpine areas (limited sites, loose sandy soil) I most always end up using a rock or two.

[u/Rocko9999]

Too many variables. I will say when holding the apex line is critical-high winds, crap soil, etc. a 7.5"-9" Groundhog or Tube Steak stake has worked fantastic.

[u/Owen_McM]

I've used 6" Easton Nanos exclusively, except for some ti shepherd hooks, for >15yrs. In many hundreds of uses, I've wished for longer stakes maybe once(very loose soil between sections of solid granite as the only options for stake placement, and no rocks or anything else to stack), but don't actually know they'd have done any better in soil I could stick my finger straight into. 

I usually have rocks to use when my stakes' holding ability is questionable or nonexistent, and sometimes the stake placed sideways through a guyout becomes the little rock in the little rock/big rock equation.

[u/blanchinator → u/Owen_McM]

That's really helpful experience - what sort of area/ground was this mostly in?

[u/Owen_McM → u/blanchinator]

That'd be quite a list, including the entire Southeastern US, plus trips to the Rockies, Uintas, Sierra, and SW desert. Pretty much anything you can imagine(edit: except for deep snow)..

Mind you, I'm not saying they're great for everything, but that I've made them work. I've camped in places I didn't put stakes in the ground at all, and just used them to help keep my guylines from slipping out from under rocks-longer stakes wouldn't help there, either, though.

[u/laurk]

Best is a mix. Two 8” and 4-6 6”. Easton nail stakes are the king if you can find them.

[u/mistergrumpalump]

6" but GIRTH. Does not apply to carbon fibre. Please do not pack your fears.

[u/originalusername__]

I decided after my tarp flew off and my shit got wet that using shepherds hooks or puny stakes was the definition of “stupid light” so now i carry an assortment with the long stakes for my most crucial tie outs.

[u/TMan2DMax]

I've only had issues with 6inch in gravel tent pads

[u/_haha_oh_wow_]

Depends on the terrain IMO, buuuut, you know what's lighter than stakes?

Carving your own when you get there! It's quick and easy, as long as there's sticks.

r/Bushcraft

[u/thelazygamer]

All the time. Here in Colorado the top few inches are often much looser and drier. I find that a slightly longer stake gets  deep enough to prevent the wind from shaking it loose. 

[u/Igoos99]

I use MSR mini groundhogs for absolutely every trip. If they won’t work (which is extremely rare ) I use rocks or vegetation to help me along.

I’d only use something else if I was going somewhere where I knew my stakes wouldn’t work the majority of the time- like having to camp on a beach or in snow.

[u/Fickle-Moment-9472]

On the AT, AZT & Pinhoti trails my 6” stakes worked great but on the CDT I had issues with a couple of them pulling out. I picked up some 8” stakes and never had any more issues.