The Problem With Pegs For Camping
Pegs for camping are used to secure the guy rope to the ground. All bell tents are supplied with standard pegs, and they vary wildly. Peg’s can come loose and so affect the guy rope which in turn affects the canvas.
Damage to Pegs for Camping – From The Start
Pegs can become damaged right away if pitching directly onto the ground. One off-strike with the mallet can distort a peg beyond repair and if this happens, you’re probably using the wrong type of peg for the ground you’re pitching on. Or the pegs supplied with the tent could be inferior.
Most standard metal pegs will struggle to gain a good purchase in wet ground (switching to wooden pegs in this case is key, use ash for durability).
It can also be tough to get a standard metal peg into dry ground (switch to rebar stakes in this case).
Rebar Stakes
What Are Rebar Stakes?
Rebar is a material most commonly used in construction.
Rebar, known when massed as reinforcing steel or reinforcement steel, is a steel bar used as a tension device in reinforced concrete and reinforced masonry structures to strengthen and aid the concrete under tension. Concrete is strong under compression, but has weak tensile strength.
Wikipedia
Rebar stakes are the go-to peg of choice for festival goers to Burning Man festival. Burning Man is set in the Nevada desert where the ground is extremely hard, almost like concrete but not quite! ‘Burners’ will always choose to switch out their manufacturer supplied pegs for rebar as this type of material is so solid it can take a pounding from a mallet or lump hammer without distorting. They’re heavy though, so not always a great choice for those wishing to travel light!
Loose Pegs
Even using the correct peg, it can become loose if they have been in the same spot for a long period of time. With each nudge from the wind (or from glampers tripping over guy lines!) the earth around the peg will move and the cavity in which the peg sits becomes bigger, eventually leading to a completely dislodged peg.
If you’re able to reposition the tents from time to time, this will help enormously. If not, consider re-locating the peg just a few inches either side of the sweet spot, allowing time for the soil in the ground to reposition and re-adjust.
Of course, if you’re pitching your bell tent on a deck, pegs will not be an issue as the pegs are switched out for screws!
