I must admit that tent stakes never really crossed my mind as a worthy ultralight upgrade; that was until I palmed the sub 2 ounce tent stakes handmade by @Stakes.
The seeming weightlessness of the 6” glow-in-the-dark carbon fiber tent stakes — combined with the smooth and comfortable feel of the round arrow shaft that forms the body of the stake — won me over right away.
After using my set of @Stakes for two months straight in a variety of conditions and terrain, I’ve found them to be very versatile. They keep my tent taught in heavy winds and hard rain, and the guy lines have never slipped up over the rubberized top ridge.
The bright neon, rubberized tops are coated with a fun and functional glow-in-the-dark spray that, with a few minutes of exposure to any light source, will stay lit all night long. This proved helpful for finding my tent at night, and not getting tripped up when nature called.
I’m a big fan of the color coordinated cord pulls that are seriously well-attached to the top of the stakes. These pulls make morning extraction easy, and they only add a paltry ½ gram to the overall weight of the stake. I also love that dirt doesn’t seem to stick to these stakes.
I wrap the stakes together with an elastic band, which keeps them all in one spot and stops them from jangling around. They don’t stack quite as well as V-shaped or flat stakes, but they are so small and light that I don’t mind the little bundle.
At times, I found it challenging to drive the stakes’ aluminum tip into seriously hard pack ground. The old me would have used a blunt rock to bang the stake in. However, knowing that carbon fiber can splinter under brute force, I opted for a different approach.
I placed a thick piece of bark as a buffer between the top of the stake and my hands. Then, I used the continual, downward force of my body weight to push the stake into the soil. It worked well and made for a sturdy night’s stay.
Overall, I’ve found that upgrading to @t Stakes glow-in-the-dark carbon fiber, UL tent stakes has been an easy way to: lower my overall base weight, add a bit of brightness to my backpack, and light up my camp at night.
SPECS
Size: 6” L x 0.25” D / 8” L x 0.25” D (review is of 6 inch version)
Weight: 0.15 oz
Cost: $6.99
PROS
- ultralight
- packable
- durable
- glow-in-the-dark
- versatile
- easy to use (especially easy to extract)
- dirt doesn’t stick to them
- made in the USA
-
aesthetically pleasing
CONS
- more expensive than other stakes
- doesn’t hold well in rocky terrain (my solution is to place a heavy rock on top of the stake)
- don’t stack quite as well as V-shaped or flat stakes
Ali Becker is a freelance adventure writer and narrative storyteller who shares compelling conversations about personal transformations, overcoming limitations, wellness education and adventurous situations. You can follow her rambling adventures on social at @thisisalibecker or at her blog thisisalibecker.com.
