Delta anchors use an interesting principle where forces are transferred so that they act in a similar way to a deadman. The ones most commonly used by backpackers, primarily in the UK, are a whopping 49g each. Titan ground anchors are aluminium deltas that work on the same principle but with a large flat surface area like snow anchors; the smallest weighs 22g (0.78oz).
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Why carry such stakes? Because delta anchors are excellent in just one particular kind of substrate &#; spongey, soft, shallow sod over rock. You need long stakes for holding power in the spongey turf, but long stakes can&#;t be pushed all the way in, and the substrate is too shallow for burying deadman anchors, which would in any case be precluded by LNT principles with this kind of vegetation. Nor are rocks lying on the surface for modified deadman anchoring. Here is the cheap Australian version (bulky and even heavier at 60g each). In our opinion, these aren&#;t useful for Australian backpackers with our substrates.
Interesting alternative designs come and go on the market (can you deduce a potential issue with these stakes?); whenever trying new tent stakes, consider the principles from part 1 of this article to determine where they will work best, and how best to deploy them.
Use this table only as a rough guide: as we have seen, not all stakes are equal, even when they are nominally the same. We&#;ve used examples from our stake bag and from online suppliers. Substrate gradations of Loose, Soft, Medium, Firm and Hard are subjective and are to indicate stake suitability relative to each other. Stake length and the presence of gravel, fibrous roots or rocks within the substrate also greatly impacts stake suitability. The following selections are for windy rather than still conditions: in the latter many of the stakes will hold in soft and even loose substrates.
On every trip, almost without exception, Geoff and I return home with more stakes than we left with. A routine when setting up your tent and before you leave the campsite to account for every stake is useful because it is so easy to lose them. Without a check, you won&#;t discover the absence until your next pitch, 8 hours and 15km later. On a long hike in wet weather, a missing stake can significantly increase pitching time as you devise a workaround.
You have numerous routines and checks to choose from. Here are a few ideas:
Carry the stake bag while you pitch, removing one stake at a time so stakes are never anywhere except in the bag or in the ground
Place stakes in your pocket and take them out as you go: stakes are never anywhere except in the bag, in your pocket or in the ground
Count your stakes before putting them back into your bag
Paint dull stakes with bright paint or tie bright pull cord to them
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Just before you leave, walk around the campsite once everything is packed and on your back to scan for any items left behind; do this also in any adjacent areas you&#;ve used eg huts, picnic tables etc. Once all your stuff is packed away, it&#;s easier to spot things left behind, including things left behind by other people!
As we have seen in Part One, deploying stakes at the correct angle and depth maximises their holding power. This is rarely an issue when you&#;ve perfectly matched substrate to stake, but is important at times when you&#;ve misjudged or when rain wets and loosens soil, and the stake begins to move. Changing the angle or pushing it all the way in, so the guyline is right at ground level, can be enough to stabilise the stake.
We also saw in Part One that guyline length (hence angle) changes how the forces are borne by the stake and soil. Apply your new knowledge and think about whether you need to lengthen your guyline to achieve a firmer hold if you have reached the limit of adjustability for your stakes.
Deploy the guyline at the correct angle from the tent. This usually means extending the line of a seam, or exactly out from a corner, but some tents have little quirks, such as the peak guyline of the XMid that is best slightly offset to the door side instead of exactly inline with the ridge. Research your particular tent online and watch manufacturer videos to learn its quirks.
Always test your stake with a little pull on the guyline (or a decent tug if you are expecting strong winds). Even when you are tired at the end of the day, it will be easier correcting it now, than in the middle of the night when your stake pulls out. Knowing your tent is perfectly secured is also preferable to lying awake in your sleeping bag, wondering when you will need to restake!
Silnylon stretches when it absorbs moisture and in these tents it&#;s essential to plan for this so that there is enough play to tighten your guylines after your initial pitch without having to move your stakes. Check your guyline tension before you go to bed, and be prepared to tighten them further if rain or heavy dew arrives during the night. Some hikers attach bungee loops to their silynylon tents to take up this slack:
Roger advises,
&#;This is absolutely NOT recommended for the windward end/side. That way lies death and disaster. However, although bungee should never be attached to the windward side, short bungee can save a lot of readjustment on still nights or on the leeward side/ends [of tents with a single dedicated orientation into wind such as tunnels].
&#;On my tunnel tents I have very short loops of 3mm (0.12&#;) nylon cord at the windward corners, and the pegs at this end go in first. At the lee end I have 150mm (6&#;) loops of 4mm (0.16&#;) bungee cord, and these get stretched maybe 50%. The nylon may get wet and slacken off a bit, but the bungee takes up the slack and the tent stays taut. I do this for both my summer tents and my winter tents.&#;
Because silpoly and DCF materials don&#;t absorb water nor stretch, you won&#;t need bungee for tents made of them; being able to tension your tent and know it will remain so throughout the night if your stakes stay put is one of their biggest advantages.
Want more information on u shaped ground stakes? Feel free to contact us.