RE: [Paddlewise] Hit by a Waterspout in the Everglades!!! - Tent test

From: Dave Kruger <dkruger_at_pacifier.com>
Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 17:39:11 -0800
Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com wrote:

> what is the "proper" way to stake out a tent?????  How
> about giving us a condensed tutorial on it.

Others have covered most of the bases on this, Rick, with the main ingredient
being "make sure your anchors (stakes, rocks, deadmen, boulders, unwanted
relatives, etc.) are solid," and various recommendations for specific stake
material.

I think for almost all of the wilderness campsites you are likely to use,
native materials are the best, with emphasis on use of buried logs, large
rocks, and the like.  Those wimpy 1/8-inch diameter aluminum pegs sold with
most tents are pretty worthless in most coastal sites.  They work well enough
in sod (think grassy campgrounds) or dense "soil," which coastal environments
generally do not have.

To keep it simple, I'd suggest you carry three things:  

1. a set of the more durable version of the 10-12 inch plastic stakes available
at K-mart for the times when you will actually have relatively consolidated
ground. This will handle the campground situation.

2. a small collapsible saw

3. a small hand axe

The latter two will allow you to fashion mongo stakes or deadmen from driftwood
when you camp on sand.

When you need rocks to anchor the tent, you don't need tools;  you need Bruno
to do the heavy lifting, and you to tie the knots.

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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Received on Thu Mar 07 2002 - 17:40:22 PST

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