When using stakes for tarps etc. which way do you place them in the ground?
IE. Angled toward the tarp, away from the tarp, straight up and down?
I would think away would be the strongest but swear I've seen someone report pulling it out of the ground that way.
What say you to the ultranoob?
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Originally Posted by body942
Me big. Me like hammockgear burrow. Long. Problems no. People good.
Stakes can pull out in just about any position if the ground conditions and stresses are right. I slant mine top away from the tarp but I also try to get as much of the stake in the ground as I can so it is anchored the best it can be.
Edit: Don't use shock cord on the tarp tie outs. That's when I was launching stakes the most. There are ways of self tensioning the lines without risking a shock cord launch.
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Definitely angle the stakes with the head away from your tarp. The closer to perpendicular it is the more it is trying drag the stake sideways through the ground. The other side is the more it is angled the closer the bottom tip is to the surface (i.e. less ground to pull) so there is a bit of a balancing act going on.
I always use a shock cord tensioner on my tarp tie-outs and have not had a problem with them being launched. I guess it all comes down to the ground you are going into. The easier the stake goes in, the more likely it will pull out.
We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. - Ben Franklin
(known as a win-win on this forum)
Ditto here too.
I use the MSR Ground Hog tent/tarp stakes. Top end angled away from the tarp. I also use about 1/3 length utility cord & 2/3 length shock cord without incident. the utility cord I attach to the tarp attachment points, the shock cord attached to the utility cord.
Has worked for me everytime, and in blowing storm winds up to about 40mph.
p.s. since you're coming to the Florida Group Hang, you can see different setups there and use what works best for you. Maybe bring some excess cord/line to makeup a set once you decide what you like.
I like to put a rock on top of my stakes too just for added piece of mind, finding a rock in PA is never an issue though and the top is always angled away. Another lesson i learned is to never bring the titanium stakes when the kid is going out as well, its easier to enjoy watching a cheap plastic stake getting launched than the titanium one when the kid is tripping over the lines.
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