Unexpected Space Launch...

[Ramblinrev]

no.... I don't _think_ that was me.... I've had couple come loose but not launched I don't think. I could be wrong tho... But I use big mama wooden dowels so they wouldn't go very far and the don't nock like arrows so I think it must be someone else.

[Youngblood]

I recently switched from

these:


to these:


specifically because the shepherds hook style weren't holding well enough in serious wind.

They have shepherd hood style stakes with a thicker diameter that will have different properties in how they work. I consider those a mid range stake for tarps. You have holding ability and ground penetration issues with stakes and different styles have advantages/disadvantages with soft soil, forest duff, dirt, clay, rocky, water soaked, etc. I run in to a wide variety so I like the mid range that isn't too much of a problem with most of it.

Another thing I do is use a clove hitch that stays attached to the stake until I slide it off the smooth shaft. When I get into real soft stuff I can pound the stake below the surface with the heal of my shoe, often a few inches and pack the soil a little at the same time. Then I can pull the stake out with the free end of the guyline.

[Peter_pan]

RR, et al,

While this thread is certainly interesting, and peg design and capacity is worthy of note and discussion (personally I carry a variety of pegs, couple ground hog types, few regular alum shephards, few small diameter ti shephards... thus ready for a variety of ground demands)...There is another real safety point here.

Because silnyl tarps stretch a little it is desirable to use some form of self tensioning lines to keep a taut tarp..... The issue here is to keep the risk/ benefit reasonable....Home made or puchased self tensioning lines with stretch limits of 4-6 inches are much safer than full length shock cord or bungie approahes with 2-3 times their initial length of stretch. While all could certainly pull/throw a peg not properly selected or secured, it is only necessary to provide or a small stretch in the tarp, which the self tension lines can easily do. As stated before on this subject, use of full bungies is unnecessary and dangerous.

Pan

[Ramblinrev]

Just for the record... I am currently refitting my tarps to remove all the full length shock cord. I have not yet settled on a tensioner design but I am seriously considering the options.

[rigidpsycho]

RR I had almost the same problem at Mammoth Cave last year with neo and his boys. We had just turned in for the night when high winds and rain moved in, I had just laid down in my hammock and got comfortable when all of a sudden one side of my tarp took off and went over me. I got out of my sleeping bag in record time to grab the tarp and put it back in the ground. I happen to find a couple of medium size rocks and put them over my stakes in the ground and didn't have anymore problems, although neo did a nice laugh out of it. I was just using the aluminum stakes that came with my Kelty Noah-9, I still haven't changed stake yet. But after reading this thread I think I will soon.

[Mustardman]

You have holding ability and ground penetration issues with stakes and different styles have advantages/disadvantages with soft soil, forest duff, dirt, clay, rocky, water soaked, etc. I run in to a wide variety so I like the mid range that isn't too much of a problem with most of it.

Yeah, the shepherds hook style stakes I have are the Vargo titanium ones, so I usually keep a couple of them in a spare pocket on my pack, since they essentially weigh nothing. If I get into that heavy, rocky soil where my MSR ground hogs won't go in, the hooks are a nice backup to have. I can also use them to make a stand for my stove or similar stuff, so they serve multiple purposes.

[ricegravy]

At least be glad that they didn't poke a hole in your tarp. Thats what happened to me!!
MSR GroundHog strait threw my tarp!