Owner Review of
Simon Metals Titanium Stakes
By Michael Lissner
30 December 2003

Contents of Review:
1. Tester Biographical Information
2. Backpacking Background
3. Product Information
4. Product Description
5. Comments
6. Summary

Tester Biographical Information:
Name: Michael Jay Lissner
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
Weight: 185lb (86 kg)
Email Address: yourmothership@hotmail.com
City of Current Residence: Depending on time of year: San Diego, CA / Claremont, CA

Backpacking Background:
I was first introduced into backpacking through the Boy Scouts, and it was my love of backpacking that made me stick all the way through and get my Eagle. After becoming too old to continue in Boy Scouts, I had trouble motivating myself to plan my own trips, and did not backpack for a few years, until I realized that I should thru-hike the PCT. I am currently in a multiyear training program, practicing techniques, studying backpacking literature, getting in shape, planning the many wee details and perhaps most importantly, converting my ultra-heavy Boy Scout techniques into ones more suited to ultra-light thru-hiking. My current style is a fairly minimalist one relying on more intelligence and discomfort and less on safety gear and toys. I would describe it as nearly ultra-light status, but not quite there yet. My usual stomping grounds are the Laguna Mountains (when in San Diego), the San Bernardino Mountains and deserts of southern California (when in Claremont), and occasionally- when gas prices allow- the southern Sierras.

Product Information:
Manufacturer: Titan Mountain Sports, a division of Simon Metals
Manufacturer’s URLs: http://www.titanmountainsports.com
Product Name: Titanium Skewer Tent Stake
Year of Manufacture: 2003
Suggested Retail Price: $2.95 (US) each
Advertised Weight of Stake: 6 g (.25 oz)*
 Measured Weight of Stake: 6.3 g (.22 oz)
Advertised Length of Stake: 15.2 cm (6 in)
Measured Length of Stake: 15.7 cm (6.2 in)
Advertised Diameter of Stake: 3.2 mm (1/8 in)
Measured Diameter of Stake: 3.2 mm (1/8 in)
*The conversions made by the manufacturer are not wholly correct: 6 g actually equals .21 oz, and .25 oz actually equals 7.1g.

Product Description:
These stakes are a piece of titanium rod that has been bent into a shepherd’s crook at one end, and has been ground to approximately a 60 degree angle at the other. The use of titanium in these stakes makes them stronger than any similarly designed aluminum stakes, but without reducing the amount of material that is used to make them (i.e. reducing the diameter of the rod) they would weigh significantly more than similar aluminum ones would. Hence, rather than using the material of a greater diameter that other stakes are made from, these are made from material that is uncommonly thin (3.2 mm (1/8 in)), making them feel a little bit wiry.

Comments:
I purchased eight (one for each of the four corners and four for the sides) of these stakes online while working on making an ultralight silnylon tarp in hopes that they would be the lightest and strongest way to hold down its corners and sides. For the ends, I knew a more powerful stake would be necessary, so I purchased two 7057-T6 model stakes made by Mountain Safety Research. Before purchasing any of these stakes, I did a fair amount of research into what kind of stakes would best satisfy my needs, and I settled on these because I had gotten the impression that they would be the best combination of durability, holding power and lightness of weight.
My biggest fear with the titanium stakes was that their diameter would be so small that they would not have sufficient holding power in softer dirt to hold up my tarp should a strong wind blow. Thus far, I have used them during several two to four day backpacking trips in the Adirondack Mountains of New York and the San Bernardino and Laguna Mountains of Southern California. During none of these trips did I have too much trouble with the wind. However, as one day came to a close, my hiking partner and I found a nice sandy place that we decided would be the most comfortable place to sleep, and with blatant disregard to my aforementioned tent stake fears, we began setting up the tarp there. This turned out to be a semi-successful, semi-unsuccessful endeavor. The tarp that we were using required that the stakes stay in place in order to stay up. The stakes basically work in pairs pulling in four opposite directions (e.g. North, South, East and West). If one stake from one of these pairs were to fail, the weight of the tarp, and the tension created by the six other stakes that remained in the ground would be directly transferred to its partner, and in most cases, it too would fail, and the tarp would topple to the ground. Hence, it is of utmost importance that none of the stakes give up their ground (pun intended). During our brilliant decision to set up the tent in soft sand, we indeed had a rather difficult time of it, and only managed to get the tent secure by means of large rocks placed immediately inside the stakes, under the guy lines of the tent. Once we had the tent set up this way though, we experienced no further problems. During all of our experiences with these stakes, this one included, it seemed that the stakes would either fail immediately, or not fail at all. I take this as a good thing, because I do not particularly mind if a stake fails, so long as I am not under the tent at the time.
After having used these stakes numerous times in various types of dirt, I have to admit that they look pretty much as good as new. There are two pieces of evidence that they have ever been used: (1) Little bits of dirt are clinging to the stakes here and there, and (2) The top of the shepherd’s hook on many of them is somewhat scratched up from being pounded by rocks into dirt that was landmined with other, bigger rocks. None of them are bent, none of their tips are blunted, and they remain in good condition. I am very happy with the durability that I have experienced thus far. 

Summary:
After having used these stakes for some time, I am convinced that their extra cost was worthwhile. Though they are not especially effective in loose or soft ground, they do save me weight and bulk in my pack while delivering improved durability over most (if not all) other lightweight options.