Tent campers, what stakes do you use

[brad813]

Being that we don't really have sand type tent pads in my local area, I was wondering what stakes you use in the coquina pads at Fort Wilderness. I am looking to get a good set of stakes that will hold up in bad weather, but aren't overly expensive. Any recommendations would be most appreciated.

 

[peg110]

I have never tent camped at the fort, but from what I heard, most stakes will work okay. Me personally, I like the military style ones. https://www.amazon.com/Military-Sta...96148067&sr=8-1&keywords=military+tent+stakes They will work in almost any environment. With a good hammer, they will pound through ROCKS too!

 

[MandLBee]

We went to Walmart and bought the twisting stakes.

 

[brad813]

We went to Walmart and bought the twisting stakes.

My tent comes with 20 stakes(18 x 10 tent) so I am definitely going to need something cost effective but strong.

 

[MandLBee]

My tent comes with 20 stakes(18 x 10 tent) so I am definitely going to need something cost effective but strong.

I think they were about $1.25 each.

 

[jwo1976]

I have used the big yellow plastic stakes you get at walmart for about 0.80 each. These work well. The sand is pretty packed and not loose like a beach.

 

[brad813]

I have used the big yellow plastic stakes you get at walmart for about 0.80 each. These work well. The sand is pretty packed and not loose like a beach.

Ok, kinda like a child's sandbox then. That is pretty much what I needed to know......what kinds of stakes to get. Sounds like most any upgrade will work, barring a hurricane(then your tent is just gone).

 

[Sarah_Rose]

We have sand/snow stakes with us, but have never used anything other than standard stakes at the Fort. The pads are REALLY hard-packed. Make sure you bring a hammer or rubber mallet to get them in!

 

[peg110]

Ok, kinda like a child's sandbox then. That is pretty much what I needed to know......what kinds of stakes to get. Sounds like most any upgrade will work, barring a hurricane(then your tent is just gone).

I suspect that almost ANYTHING except the "Wire" type stakes (that usually come with the tents) will work well. I have even heard the Wire type ones will do in a pinch too as long as you have them more at an angle.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

I suspect that almost ANYTHING except the "Wire" type stakes (that usually come with the tents) will work well. I have even heard the Wire type ones will do in a pinch too as long as you have them more at an angle.

Those are the only type we've ever used at the Fort, although we do have "heavy duty" ones in our tent bag that we used at St Andrew's State Park with their looser-packed sand pads. We were there last week and had a pretty serious thunderstorm come through one afternoon (a big tree branch came down RIGHT next to us as we were running for cover in Epcot) and both our tent and dining shelter held firm. The pads at the Fort are MUCH more tightly packed than a child's sand box - believe me, my kids have TRIED to dig in them. Hahahaha.

 

[brad813]

Those are the only type we've ever used at the Fort, although we do have "heavy duty" ones in our tent bag that we used at St Andrew's State Park with their looser-packed sand pads. We were there last week and had a pretty serious thunderstorm come through one afternoon (a big tree branch came down RIGHT next to us as we were running for cover in Epcot) and both our tent and dining shelter held firm. The pads at the Fort are MUCH more tightly packed than a child's sand box - believe me, my kids have TRIED to dig in them. Hahahaha.

I was just looking for a good analogy. New to camping. Got a giant tent(I like my room), a queen size double height air mattress, and will be getting a 10 x 10 screen room. Not quite glamping, but I can make it pretty close. Lol. I had to go with a larger tent because of my height(6'1"). Most tents are made for dwarves(all seven of them, plus Gimli), not humans. If it gives me extra storage, so be it. I will get some good screw in types probably. Now, to get my car running so I can actually go on this trip.

 

[bama_ed]

Brad,

The coquina depth varies greatly but it's not very deep wherever. It's hard packed clay/dirt underneath so it's not like you have 12 inches of loose sand beneath you. Standard stakes (flat or round) should work if driven deep enough.

Bama Ed

 

[Sarah_Rose]

I was just looking for a good analogy. New to camping. Got a giant tent(I like my room), a queen size double height air mattress, and will be getting a 10 x 10 screen room. Not quite glamping, but I can make it pretty close. Lol. I had to go with a larger tent because of my height(6'1"). Most tents are made for dwarves(all seven of them, plus Gimli), not humans. If it gives me extra storage, so be it. I will get some good screw in types probably. Now, to get my car running so I can actually go on this trip.

Yeah, if you're new to camping, it doesn't hurt to have a good set of pegs on hand, even if they are overkill for most sites. We used our sand/snow stakes to peg down our beach blanket at one point last week, so they do come in handy to have in your arsenal.

 

[snowmedic]

I use the 10" steel nails that you can get in the camping section at Wally Weird for, I believe 1.00 ea. That is what I use on my 19 x 17 tent and my 12 x 12 ez-up, @tiggerdad. I had my ez-up on the paved part of the site this past Feb. / March so the only thing that was staked down was the guy lines. With the times that I have been tent camping at the Fort I have never had a problem with them pulling out. One of them was still in the site that I had twice in a row, couldn't get it to pull out, hit a tree root and was surprised to find it still there. There might be another on in site 1516 from when we where there in March of 2016.

 

[brad813]

I use the 10" steel nails that you can get in the camping section at Wally Weird for, I believe 1.00 ea. That is what I use on my 19 x 17 tent and my 12 x 12 ez-up, @tiggerdad. I had my ez-up on the paved part of the site this past Feb. / March so the only thing that was staked down was the guy lines. With the times that I have been tent camping at the Fort I have never had a problem with them pulling out. One of them was still in the site that I had twice in a row, couldn't get it to pull out, hit a tree root and was surprised to find it still there. There might be another on in site 1516 from when we where there in March of 2016.

Now it would be hilarious, if I wound up getting a site with one of your stakes still in the ground.

 

[brad813]

Ended up deciding on some 9" 3 sided aluminum stakes I found at Wal-Mart. Short of the screw in metal type, these were the best ones I could find. Link below.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coghlan-s-Ultralight-Tent-Pegs-9-4ct/20638662#about-item

 

[sweet maxine]

Sorry for the way off-topic post------but is there a chance I might borrow from a neighbor camper a mallet for placing tent stakes? I don't want to pack the extra weight as I'm flying in to the Fort. Maybe a possibility that there is one at the check in desk?

I use aluminum gutter nails, but have no idea if they will work for the tent pads at the Fort.

 

[brad813]

Sorry for the way off-topic post------but is there a chance I might borrow from a neighbor camper a mallet for placing tent stakes? I don't want to pack the extra weight as I'm flying in to the Fort. Maybe a possibility that there is one at the check in desk?

I use aluminum gutter nails, but have no idea if they will work for the tent pads at the Fort.

I wouldn't worry about the weight of a mallet. They are only a couple pounds. Of course if you are right at the weight limit that's different. Also, have you considered shipping equipment ahead?

 

[Shanti]

Being that we don't really have sand type tent pads in my local area, I was wondering what stakes you use in the coquina pads at Fort Wilderness. I am looking to get a good set of stakes that will hold up in bad weather, but aren't overly expensive. Any recommendations would be most appreciated.

I made the mistake of purchasing special sand stakes for our trip, after reading they were a necessity. Baloney. That "sand" is super-packed, it's more like asphault than a beach. We used the regular little metal stakes our Coleman tent came with, & they worked perfectly. Couldn't even get the sand stakes into the ground.

 

[sweet maxine]

I wouldn't worry about the weight of a mallet. They are only a couple pounds. Of course if you are right at the weight limit that's different. Also, have you considered shipping equipment ahead?

I usually travel as lightweight as possible. I've had good luck in the past finding a big rock to pound stakes with, but might not be able to find one easily there. Just wondered if maybe I could find a loaner hammer if I needed one. I'll call the Fort ahead of time and ask if there is one I can use