Tent Stakes: Dont buy Cheap

I know most of you have been tempted to purchase cheaper gear once or twice. hopefully this will save you some time and money with the my experience using Coghlans tent stakes

[@bwillan]

I have the same Coghlan's stakes and haven't had any trouble with them breaking. If you happen to find you can't insert the stake because you hit a rock, might I suggest pulling the stake out and moving it to another spot to avoid said rock. Trying to pound the the stake through a rock with another hammering device is asking for it to break. My coghlan stakes also came with cord pull loops on them.

[@leoreodcinn9153]

@@christinemiles7756 You guys whack your tent stakes? I just push it in, or use my boot.

[@CyberCacique1]

Makes sense. I do love those MSR stakes. Things are built to last!

[@danzak44]

You don't know your own strength Beast!! You're right, don't buy cheap, and that includes almost everything. Thanks for the vid!

[@EatCarbs]

LOL wow The first thing I did when I bought my tent was swap out the tent stakes to the Groundhogs.. Thanks for the video

[@floppinfish]

So if the tent stakes that I make out of sticks will work just find in thunderstorms. I think these cheap metal stakes will work just fine. What are you camping in a hurricane on a solid boulder? If that's the case well you forgot your premium jackhammer too. Better not skimp on that Jack hammer. Your life could depend on it.

[@wyattoneable]

Great comparison, thanks.

[@FullSpectrumSurvival]

Great video mate! Really enjoyed it!

[@StormLaker]

Aluminum vs Titanium. In a pinch, I'll use the Coghlan's stakes, but the ground hog stakes are the cat's meow. I go to the Boundary Waters in Northern Minnesota every year- solid granite just under the dirt.

[@gunrunnerusmc03]

Ground hogs are pretty fragile too. I snapped one completely in two just giving it a light side tap with my toe to try to loosen the stake in the snow. Snapped in half like a saltine cracker...I was shocked how little effort it took.

[@mike-mc1kl]

I have broken the MSR stakes as well. I now like the titanium stakes that look like a nail.

[@TheHBHikerBoyScout]

Couldn't agree with you more on that brother! Take care.

[@GunznGear]

Great vid! Quality gear is worth the price. I carry the same MSR stakes to use w/ my tarp.

[@MrM2hb]

Good review.

[@lucid1060]

Thank you so much u just saved my from buy them at scheels rn 😂

[@flyntfishing2662]

@Beast12101 I was curious, I haven't heard in any of your videos if you carry a small hammer to pound stakes in or if you just used your line tools or a rock? Thanks

[@WanderingBeast]

Iv used all of them, but I carry a roofing hatchet now

[@BruceNitroxpro]

beast12101 Me, too... I use a Plumb Shingle Hatchet with a 4" straight face and a nice hammer poll. It pounds in stakes well. Leave the guard on the blade while using it as a hammer!

[@Patriot36]

If this will help any of the skeptics; I recently took 4 of my generic alloy tri-sided stakes out of my 7 Day Wilderness Pack for some hammock camping. I broke the 2nd one that I pounded in with a 3/4lb hawk head. Snapped it at the narrow, just like Beast's stake. I tried another stake about 8" away from that spot and bent it over a little bit and the next hit broke the alloy and folded in half. The MSR stakes are definitely made of a different alloy, not just re-branded generics.

[@YankeeWoodcraft]

OH! And thanks for the PSA Beast!

[@fepowson]

Cheapies can throw metal shards towards the eyes too, Good advice you're giving beast, Best Wishes.....Les.

[@Patriot36]

Good advice beast. The others are a obviously a brittle alloy.

[@MuleysAndBushcraft]

Thanks for the warning. I usually try to get quality, but I was actually thinking about getting the Coglin's since it appears to be the same design and materials. Guess not...

[@wcndguy718]

my friend had a broken 45 degree tent pole so I grabbed one of those cheap tri-pegs, actually managed to bend it by hand to 45 degrees and duct taped it to the pole section. I am not a very strong guy so yea they do bend. I have a pile of bent tent pegs and there isn't a single MSR in the bunch.

[@WanderingBeast]

awesome

[@tormodosen4746]

You make a point of not being able to bend the MSR. Can you bend the Coghlan? WADR, having broken one peg is not enough to conclude that the make is no good. You have no control over the circumstances under which it broke, after all.

[@BigFootSurvival]

good vid, my stakes are tri-design as well, but made by Integral Designs, Ive used the crap outta them, and theyve held up great.

[@Bauks]

I use the aluminum MSR needle stakes Had them for 4 years used heavily every season and never bent one up like that. Just requires some care and they should last nearly forever. Don't step on em to drive them in, and use a smaller rock if your pounding them :)

[@SonofCastille]

I have those Easton aluminum tent stakes and I destroy a few each camping season. I have some MSR steaks SOMEWHERE in the pile of stuff. Recon I will be swapping them out!

[@QDude72]

Good to know thanks

[@paulandalyssagetmarried7888]

Or you could just *not* *POUND* them in...and find a part of the ground you can just STEP GENTLY on them. 150-250lbs of pressure from a foot should be enough to push through *any* soil...if it's not going in it's a rock...and you're gonna have a bad time with any stake. You can use a stick if you're desperate/short a stake...a wood stake isn't going to hold up any better but it'll work if you do it right.

[@WanderingBeast]

thanks

[@RidingMann]

wise advice. Buy once cry once.

[@KenGray]

I always just make mine when I show up. kukuri and a couple of small saplings or or small limbs and I'm in the money. been wanting to make them fire hardened by burying them into hot ash next to a strong fire for a couple of hours but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

[@couchcamperTM]

believe it or not, I just wanted to order Coghlan's Stakes xD thx man!

[@driewiel]

I hate to tell you but.......you're right. I bought cheaper ones. Bent already setting my foot on it. It wasn't even rocky.

[@YankeeWoodcraft]

I did not know that. I tend to think in "survival" mode all the time (not "recreational camping mode"). They are still the baddest budget tent stakes around; For tents. Okay Beast! Forget the part about using them as "nails" after all. ;)

[@IntenseAngler]

Gotta admit that I've bent more than my share of those Coghlan stakes. Never had the point sheer off like that before though... not good man.

[@XxPackerManxX]

Odoland stakes 7075 aluminum same as MSR same design, fraction of the price. Yes, you can go cheaper if you know what to look for.

[@WanderingBeast]

I'll take a look

[@bobnazareth4863]

seriously dude i dont think any form of alluminum would survive if it came head on with a rock while you beat hell out of its tail....only way the msr ones could be stronger is if other metals were added to the ally. Maybe some sort of heat treatment or curing process might have an effect...not complaining but your evidence for saying the cheaper brand is crap is a bit flimsy. You could be putting people out of a job doing this kind of thing. How about doing some sort of test. ??

[@WanderingBeast]

my testing is real world experience over lots of excursions, the aluminum MSR uses is just stronger, thicker, meant for repeat use

[@r.w.7232]

Bob, he is right though. The MSR stakes are made of a stronger aluminum than the coghlan's. Lightweight aluminum Stakes are a must for Backpackers. If you're not camping or backpacking in a hard or rocky soil, then the coghlan's work well. And there pretty cheap.

[@jonriley5695]

I bought these cheap ones and they failed. I then payed for better quality ones and they lasted. It's crazy how that works.

[@sengalang]

I own several different types of Tri-stakes. Trust me, the MSR's can take a pounding. All others (including coghlan's) bends when using my foot to push in stake to the ground or breaks at the head. I have yet to break a single one of my 16 Ground hogs or my mini-ground hogs. The other ones are just dropping like flies. Yes, i abuse them, but that's kind of the point right?

[@tomwaits4205]

The only differences between the two stakes are the color and the length. Same aluminum same manufacturer. I've been using them for a few years now and have never broken one. Including the JMT....

[@booksRbad]

How do you know it's the same aluminum?

[@meatloafzombie]

Buy the depleted uranium ones next time!

[@justingreene5951]

You all ways get what you pay for good tip!

[@CampfireTalk]

Those tent stakes by MSR & the pocket rocket will keep them in buis. FOREVER : )

[@YankeeWoodcraft]

The Common Man's Tent Stake: Roofing Gutter Spikes. About 8", .39¢, rust proof, can be used for other needs (spiking into trees to hold gear up above ground, SUPER light, lasts forever and made to be pounded into solid wood so ground won't be a problem. Having said that, after being introduced to Easton stakes, I just can't go back to cheap stakes! LOL

[@cannonball666]

I pitched a tent this morning. lol

[@pyrofful]

If you break yours go to the ER ASAP or else there will be no more tents ever in you're future. Lol

[@Smith28Adventure]

Wow.. BUSTED!

[@ThoroughbredZone]

I have the cheap ones now. Yes. Don't buy. I will upgrade soon enough.

[@idsoftware7]

Those are for Sand or snow. Never use them On rocky soil....

[@flashmanv3260]

Actually MSR markets them as "any soil condition" They do work ok, not great in rocky soil. A streetlight nail TI stake works better in rocky soil.

[@Jollyprez]

Coghlan's stuff is almost all junk. The only things I buy with their name on it is the solid fuel tablets. They're cheaper than Esbit ( but that's not saying much ).

[@mrmonkeyman50]

My rule has always been "Don't buy Coghlans".

[@TheOneeyedclay]

So I deliberately pounded a coghlans tent stake into a rock through dirt and it only bent. Then i used a 2 pound beater on it amd it only bent more. Point is that there is NO WAY in the Universe that we live in that uou can shear a tent stake unless uou apply lateral force. Im pretty sure your tent stakes were damaged intentionally for use in this video.

[@earthman4222]

You can't pound anything through a rock. They are the same quality. Difference in size is all.