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Reviews > Shelters > Shelter Accessories > Toughstake tent stakes > Test Report by Dawn LarsenToughstakesInitial Report - 23 March 2011 Field Report - 21 June 2011 Long Term Report - 14 August 2011 Name: Dawn Larsen Age: 50 Gender: Female Height: 5' 4" (163 cm) Weight: 165 lb (75 kg) Email address: vicioushillbilly AT yahoo DOT com Florence, South Carolina USA Backpacking Background: I used to backpack in college a zillion years ago and just in the last few years have backpacked some private trails in Tennessee, Missouri and most recently South Carolina. I have been an avid car-camper for twelve years and I have kayak/canoe camped for five years, both in South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri and Arkansas. I use a lot of the same equipment for both. I hike hilly/rocky trails especially in Missouri (my home state) and Arkansas. I live in South Carolina and am busy checking out the terrain here with my seventeen year-old son. Product Information Manufacturer: Toughstake Year of Manufacture: unknown Manufacturer's Website: www.toughstake.com MSRP: Small 4-pack - $19.99, medium 2-pack - $34.99, large 1-pack - $39.99 Listed Stake Weight: small - 1.18 oz (33.5 g), medium 4.2 oz (19 g), large 7 oz (198 g) Listed cable weight: small - .19 oz (5.3 g), medium .88 oz (24.9 g), large .88 oz (24.9 g) Measured Weight: same as listed for all sizes Listed stake dimensions: Small 9 x 2.45 x .062 in (22.8 x 6.45 x .15 cm), medium 13.5 x 3.55 x .37 (listed as 3.7) in (31.3 x 9 x .09 cm), large 17.5 x 3.7 x .09 in (44.5 x 14.6 x .22 cm) Listed cable dimensions: Small 17 in (43.1 cm), .03 in diameter (.08 cm); medium 26.5 in (67.3 cm), .06 in diameter (.15 cm); large 26.5 in (67.3 cm), .06 in diameter (.15 cm) Stake material: 6061 T6 Aluminum Cable material: stainless steel Stake color: Dark Satin Orange  image courtesy of website Initial Report 23 March 2011 Product Description Initially, I got a package with 8 small toughstakes and cabling, 4 medium toughstakes and cabling, a Toughstakes sticker and two pieces of literature about the stakes. About 5 days later, I got 1 large toughstake and cable in another package. In the first package, I also got an email from their president explaining what was in the package, what they work best for, how they should be used, as well as a web address to view instructional videos. According to the website: The small stake is recommended for * Small Tents * Small Awnings * Small Outfitter Wings * Beach Tents * Sand and Snow Medium is recommended for * Large Tent and Awnings * Large Outfitter Wings * Small Watercraft * Kite Flying and Kite Boarding * Beach Volleyball Nets * Sand and Snow Camping * Small and Medium Portable Antenna Anchoring Large is recommended for * Large Tent and Awnings * Large Outfitter Wings * Medium Watercraft * Kite Flying and Kite Boarding * Sand and Snow Camping * Medium and Large Portable Antenna Anchoring The videos on the website are very helpful. According to the website and videos, the shape of the stake is what makes it work. The wide end creates tension and allows the sand or snow to "do the heavy lifting." In the videos, they show why other stakes come out of sand/snow so easily. It makes sense to me. The instructions in the email state: For maximum holding force, tap the Toughstake into the sand, and continue to pull (cinch) the included guy line. By pulling on the guy line the slack of the line is taken up. You will see upward movement of the stake when pulling on the guy line. Keep pushing the stake into the sand until the top of the stake is even with the sand. This provides maximum holding force. For removal simply pull back on the guy line and remove the stake. These instructions were a little hard to follow. The online videos and the diagram below makes it easier to understand. They also provide an illustration on the stake with a diagram about which side should face the tent. The website also gives instructions with diagrams (see below). The toggle end of the cable goes into the little slot at the wide end of the stake. On the video they say that the tent line attaches to the circular ring at the end of the cable. I like that they explain the instructions in this way (written) AND show a video. I tend to learn better by watching.    I think I can do this. The question is, will the stakes hold in sand in high winds? Summary These look simple enough to use. I hope they work like the website says they do. I wish there was a way to secure the cable to the stake. I'm afraid I will lose it. what I like The stakes are very lightweight. The stakes stack. what I don't like I hope I don't lose the cable. This concludes my initial report. Check back in a couple of months for my field report. Many thanks to Toughstakes and BackpackGearTest.org for providing the Toughstakes for testing. Field Report 21 June 2011 Field Conditions I used these stakes on two different beach trips. The first was in late March on a very windy, clear day at Myrtle Beach State Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I used the small stakes with a small shelter in dry sand (first photo). The second trip was at Huntington Beach State Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 5 June 2011. Conditions were moderate wind and clear. I used the medium size stakes with a large Kelty Sunshade, as well as the small stakes with the small beach shelter in wet sand after the tide went out. On both beaches, the sand is like sugar. Observations There is not really a good way to carry the stakes and cables. The stakes stack and that is great, but the cables are everywhere. I tried wrapping them around the stakes and they would eventually come unwound. I wish there was a stuff sack that would attach to the stakes. If there were a stuff sack, I would not worry about dropping them and losing them in the sand. I am also afraid that I'm going to lose the cables in transit. I finally stuffed them in a beach bag and hoped they would make it there. They did. On the first trip, the sand was very dry. The tide had been out for several hours. The three-sided blue shelter in the picture is approximately 36 in (91 cm) tall by 45 in (114 cm) wide. I looped the cables through the loops on the shelter and then drew the toggles through the O rings and then attached them to the stakes. I then pushed the stakes in the sand, which was easy since the sand was so dry. I purposely positioned the shelter so that the wind would come into it and it could act like a kite. The stakes held for 3 hours, until I took it down, with no problem. It was very windy and it blew constantly for the 3 hours that I was at the beach.   On the second trip I used a much larger shelter. Its dimensions are approximately ten feet by ten feet (305 by 305 cm) with a height of six feet (183 cm). I attached the loops in the same way, by drawing the cable through loops on the tent, then through the O ring at the end. I then attached the toggle to the stake and pushed it into the ground (see bottom photo). It was much harder to push in since the tide had just gone out and the sand was wet and compacted. For me, it was difficult. I think if I had had a small rubber mallet, it would have helped me push them in better. Nevertheless, we stayed at the beach for 4 hours and the shelter remained positioned exactly where I put it. Though this day was not windy constantly like the first trip, there were fairly strong gusts of wind that would come up periodically. The stakes never moved.   On both trips, I made sure to put shoes over the ends of the stakes because I didn't want anyone tripping over them. The thin aluminum could cut a foot or leg and this would be a problem. Even though they are bright orange, they are still difficult to see in the sand because they are so thin. Summary These stakes work great in sand. They are amazingly stable whether the sand is wet or dry. They are a little hard to push in when the sand is wet and compacted. I wish they were easier to transport. what I like They are really stable and hold very well. They are lightweight. what I don't like There is no stuff sack or good way to transport them. I am afraid I'll lose them. I was also afraid that someone would trip over them. Long Term Report 14 August 2011 Field Conditions Because I traveled to and lived in Missouri for the summer, this final part of the report will be short and not so sweet. I camped and played on creek banks in Missouri and Arkansas all summer. I tried to use the stakes on creek banks that consisted of rocks, rocks and sand, and sand and gravel. Only once, on a creek bank on the Current River in Missouri, could I use them since it consisted completely of coarse sand. Observations These stakes absolutely ONLY worked in sand. When I tried them in medium to large sized rocks, I was afraid I would bend them as I could not get them to go into the rocky shore at all. When I tried them in gravel and sand, or rocks and sand, they would go in farther, but still not all the way. In none of these conditions did the stakes hold. Like it says on the website, they are a "sand and snow" stake only! When I got to use them on a sandy bank, they held in the coarse sand as well as they held in sugary sand on the coast. Summary I never got to try these stakes in snow as I live in a southern climate. However, I really loved the way they worked at sandy beaches on the coast. I will continue to use them on sandy beaches, but won't bother taking them to gravel creek banks. Though the orange color is bright, because they are so thin, I'm afraid people might trip over them and get hurt. what I liked On sandy beaches, they hold very well. They are lightweight. what I didn't like They are really a pain to transport. I was afraid people would trip over them. This concludes my long term report. Many thanks to Toughstakes and BackpackGearTest.org for providing the Toughstakes for testing. Read more reviews of Toughstake gear Read more gear reviews by Dawn Larsen Reviews > Shelters > Shelter Accessories > Toughstake tent stakes > Test Report by Dawn Larsen | ||||