I'm curious as to what staking method

**mataharihiker** · 11-25-2007, 10:49

Confession time...I have a multitool I picked up years ago with a hammerhead instead of pliers...my excuse to myself to justify the weight? I have bad hands...

**steene** · 11-25-2007, 15:17

Not being a backpacker myself I wanted to see what tools a backpacker would use to drive these stakes into hard ground. I had considered a "fencing pliers" as we call them on the farm. Basically they are a big pliers that resemble a hammer. They can pull staples out of fence posts, cut barbed wire and twist it as well. (will look for a picture later)
The other candidate was the hatchet that has the hammer face on the back, pry bar sticking out the top w/ nail puller groove. (box hatchet) Both are heavy and bulky items.
I have learned and copied many things from you all. Sometimes looking at something from a different perspective can make all the difference in the world.

**steene** · 11-25-2007, 15:56

would work as well. Don't they have a solid steel pummel for pounding things. Neo carries one doesn't he?
Just trying to find something that could be used for multiple tasks. I have just used gutter nails as stakes myself.

**cavediver2** · 11-25-2007, 16:09

I have in the past went tents use screw in deer stand steps and found they work real good and easy to get out and put in. also for those of you out there that ice climb they make screws for that as well that work good and give you a place to tie too. I find the steps work just as good. now that I am a hammock hanger I will when it get's that cold use them to tie out the tarp.

and im useing them with out a tree which i think over time will kill trees but dont think it will bother the ground in which I had to sleep on anymore.

**Patrick** · 11-25-2007, 17:14

Am I the only one who camps where there are rocks?

**skar578** · 11-25-2007, 17:25

im with you patrick, with the Vargo ti nail pegs, rocks are scared of being used as hammers, ive had sparks with them.

**pure_mahem** · 11-25-2007, 17:25

I usually don't camp in the winter but have drove stakes in frozen ground. durring the summer I carry a Cold Steel Trail Hawk. It weighs about a pound and a half. good for chopping and splitting wood for a campfire and driving tent stakes in hard or compacted soil. I suppose you could get it really sharp and use it to skin game if you were into that. It also definately doubles as a self defense item. You can pass some time by practicing throwing it, if you can find a dead tree or a tree stump to do that with. Never throw it at living trees that's just wrong! It would create wounds that could most likely kill the tree or at the very least open it to a store of diseases. Always respect nature! Why bother using tree huggers on your hammock just to mutilate one with a hatchet...etc.! Don't mean to rant but I have seen people get one of these and start right off by whacking every thing in sight, and that just makes me mad! I don't think any members of this forum would do such a thing but you never know who visits and what they read.

**warbonnetguy** · 11-25-2007, 17:26

Originally Posted by pure_mahem

My experience with stakes and frozen ground is to get a larger hammer. Funny how a little thing like an 8 lb sledge makes light work of driving a stake into frozen ground. I am not saying that the 8 lb sledge isn't a difficult thing to pack in but you have to make sacrifices some times. 8 lb sledge is more handy for car camping JMO!

i bet a 2# sledge would work just fine