Shoutout to the old timer at Acadia who showed me why my tent stakes were useless

I was up in Acadia last fall, setting up late after a long hike, and this guy maybe 70 years old walks over from the site next to mine. He sees me hammering those cheap aluminum stakes into the rocky ground and just laughs. He pulls out these heavy duty steel ones that look like railroad spikes and says "those dollar store sticks won't hold through a stiff breeze up here." He lent me a set and I slept like a baby through a 30 mph gust night. Now I only use those for anything rocky or windy. Anyone else had an old timer just save your whole trip with one piece of advice?

3 comments

3 Comments

linda_clark2mo ago

Those aluminum stakes are trash in rocky ground. I learned that the hard way on Katahdin. Lost two tents to wind before a guy with a voice like gravel told me the same thing. Steel spikes or MSR Groundhogs are the only way to go for anything above treeline. Old timers don't waste money on junk gear.

uma3062mo ago

Yeah but what about the weight difference though... I tried carrying steel spikes on a long trip once and my pack felt like I was hauling bricks. Do you just accept the extra pounds or is there a trick to not hating yourself after mile ten with all that metal jangling around?

linda_clark23d ago

Oh man, are you me? I did the same thing with a full set of steel spikes on a 5 day in the Winds and I swear my shoulders are still mad about it. The trick I learned is to strap them flat along the side of your pack, not inside where they shift around. That way they don't dig into your back and the weight sits low. Still heavy as hell but at least it doesn't make you want to ditch the whole pack after day two. I also switched to the mini groundhogs for anything below treeline and only carry the big ones if I know I'm camping in exposed spots. Saves a few ounces without giving up reliability.