advice on stakes for at thru-hike

**Conure** · 10-02-2013, 17:15

I have searched the forum for advice on this but couldn't find anything worthwhile so any help will be appreciated.

For an AT thru-hike, or any extended eastern hike, what type of stakes should one bring: shepherd's staff, y-stake, spike (nail) stake, etc? Also, titanium or aluminum?

**Bic** · 10-02-2013, 17:20

I've used titanium stakes, cheap aluminum stakes, and the nicer aluminum y-stakes. The titanium stakes suck.... big time! At least the ones I had did. They were too thin and didn't hold for crap. In even a mild storm they came out. The y-stakes are nice, but generally were over kill and harder to put into the ground. The killer was the difficulty of hammering them in. I have come full circle back to using the cheap aluminum stakes. They just work great...plain and simple.

**DuctTape** · 10-02-2013, 18:30

I haven't used stakes in about 3 years. Eastern forests have plenty to tie off to, and if needed push a stick into the ground.

**Nighthauk** · 10-02-2013, 18:37

Originally Posted by DuctTape

I haven't used stakes in about 3 years. Eastern forests have plenty to tie off to, and if needed push a stick into the ground.

same here. I haven't brought any stakes in several months now.

**desmobob** · 10-02-2013, 18:42

It's hard to pick a stake in the east. If you're exploring off trail in the transitional forests you usually find a really thick, soft layer of duff on the forest floor and the smaller/shorter stakes don't hold well at all, so I prefer the bigger Y-stakes like MSR Groundhogs for that kind of use. It would be no problem to leave the stakes at home and use sticks. The area I camped this week had this thick duff layer and I pushed the Groundhogs in with my fingers. But if you spend any time at campgrounds, the ground may be so hard, dry and packed that you can barely get a Groundhog pounded in half-way. I like the smaller J-stakes (good quality tempered aluminum) for those kind of conditions. In winter, you may need the small J-stakes to penetrate frozen ground, snow stakes, or buried branches, depending on the snow cover.

It's nice to have a selection in your bag. If I was doing a thru-hike, I guess I'd take the smaller, lighter J-stakes and improvise if I needed more holding power. That's what I'm guessing, but I'm sure I'd do a lot of research before that kind of a trip and would rely on others' experience to help make my choice. After reading a couple of books by thru-hikers, I believe it's a much more specialized pursuit than regular backpacking, and lots of first-time thru-hikers end up ditching some of their regular gear along the way for more suitable stuff.

Take it easy,
desmobob

**EZ-DOES-IT** · 10-02-2013, 19:22

groundhog stakes been using them for at least 10 years and on all my Thru-Hikes

**Floridahanger** · 10-02-2013, 19:36

Originally Posted by Conure

I have searched the forum for advice on this but couldn't find anything worthwhile so any help will be appreciated.

For an AT thru-hike, or any extended eastern hike, what type of stakes should one bring: shepherd's staff, y-stake, spike (nail) stake, etc? Also, titanium or aluminum?

Originally Posted by DuctTape

I haven't used stakes in about 3 years. Eastern forests have plenty to tie off to, and if needed push a stick into the ground.

Exactly. Not taking any stakes is also an option. For making the stake yourself, if you "accidently" leave it behind or break it, make another.

This will also help in reduceing a little pack weight for the thru hike that would otherwise always be with you, if you like UL.

Good luck and bring us back some pics.

**Dos** · 10-02-2013, 21:14

Originally Posted by hikingdad

i've used titanium stakes, cheap aluminum stakes, and the nicer aluminum y-stakes. The titanium stakes suck.... Big time! They just work great...plain and simple.

here! Here!!

**Bannerstone** · 10-03-2013, 05:15

It's always nice to have a couple of MSR Groundhog type stakes in your kit for the windward side of the tarp in heavy winds, the rest can be whatever.

For those situations where a thin shepherds hook doesn't have enough holding power, I will often set the stake about a foot further out then lay a nice sized stone on top of the guyline. I don't know what the physics are of deflecting a load by 45*but it's a fairly significant reduction.

David

**heyyou** · 10-06-2013, 11:40

set the stake about a foot further out then lay a nice sized stone on top of the guyline. I don't know what the physics are of deflecting a load by 45*but it's a fairly significant reduction.

It is the weight that matters, a piece of a log works too.

@OP Start your thru with the lightest ones that you think will work, but stay open to changing or adapting to what works better. A wet year or dry season on some part of the trail could change what works better there. Changes in latitude may bring changes in stake performance. Could a couple of different stakes travel in your bounce box, not a full set, just a few?