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OWNER REVIEW
MSR Mini-Groundhog Stake
Dec 4, 2021
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Tester Information
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| Name:
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David
Wilkes |
| E-Mail: |
amatbrewer@yahoo.com |
| Age: |
56 |
| Location: |
Yakima Washington
USA |
| Gender: |
M |
| Height: |
5'11" (1.80
m) |
| Weight: |
203 lb (92 kg) |
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Biography:
I started backpacking in 1995 when I moved to
Washington State. Since then, I have backpacked in all seasons and conditions. I am currently getting into condition
to summit some of the higher peaks in Washington, Oregon, and California. I normally use a tarp/tent or hammock for
shelter. My current base weight is around 17 lb (8 kg), not including consumables.
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Product Information
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| Manufacturer: |
Cascade Designs, Inc. |
| Year of Manufacture: |
(I don't recall when I purchase these) |
| Manufacturer’s Website: |
www.msrgear.com |
| MSRP: |
$19.95 US (set of 6 stakes)
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| Dimensions: |
Listed and Measured: 6" X 0.4" (15.25 cm X 1 cm) |
| Weight: |
Listed and Measured: 0.35 oz (10 g) each stake. |
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Product
Description:The MSR mini-Groundhog stakes are a smaller version of the popular MSR
Groundhog, using the same 7000-series aluminum and Y shape. They are intended as a lighter weight option for a strong
stake with good holding power in the ground. They come as a set of 6 and each comes with a shall loop of cord
threaded through a small hole at the top. There are also small notches in the flukes near the top of the stake which
help to prevent guy lines from slipping up or down the stake.
Note in the above photo I have replaced two of the mini stakes with the full-size Groundhog stakes for size
comparison and because that is what I normally carry.
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Report
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Use:
- I have used these stakes countless times for my tents and tarps mostly in the Washington Central Cascades and their
foothills for the last few years. Conditions have ranged from packed rocky soil, to pine duff, to soft dirt/sand, and
includes withstanding some moderate to gusty winds.
I purchased these stakes in an attempt to strike a balance between minimizing weight, and still keeping my shelter (tent
and/or tarp) firmly anchored in the various types of conditions I tend to encounter. I often have to set up in soil and/or
pine duff that can be rather loose and so I need stakes with good holding power. I also often encounter hard packed soil as
well as rocks and roots so I wanted stakes that were strong enough that they were not likely to break should I be
careless...and I have been careless more than a few times.
In softer ground I simply use my hand/foot to push the stake into the ground, and have found these stakes to hold quite well
in all but the softest of earth. Note the image below where I used rocks in addition to the stakes because I was expecting
wind. I have also used rocks to pound these stakes into harder ground with no ill effect. And the occasions when I have
encountered buried rocks while attempting to pound the stakes into the ground and these stakes have withstood the abuse
rather than bending or breaking as I have experienced with some other stakes. These stakes have surprised me a few times
remaining firmly in the ground despite some unexpected strong winds. To be expected, with a stake that grips as well as these
do, I have experienced occasional difficulty extracting them from the ground. If a first pull does not work, I simply slide
stick or another stake through the attached cord to use as a handle for additional pulling power.
One would think the bright red color of the stakes would make them hard to lose, but I have found times when they were quite
difficult to see among the debris on a forest floor. To keep my stakes together and help prevent me from losing them in my
kit I clip a mini carabiner through the loops of cord. I have also found clipping the stakes to the outside of my pack
offers an alternative as 'bear bells' because they make a rather pleasant wind chime sound when they clink
together.
If there are any down sides to these stakes I would say the edges can be a bit sharp making it painful to push into the
ground with my bare hands. But since they are so strong I just use my foot, a piece of wood, or a rock, so this is a very
minor thing. Second is that since the space between the Y flukes is relatively narrow the stakes can retain mud when pulled
out of the ground, as can be seen in the above image.
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Likes
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Opportunities for improvement
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Light, strong, holds well in various soils
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None |
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