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Appreciation post: a conversation with my nephew about tent stakes
My nephew came along on a trip to Yosemite last weekend and asked why I still use heavy steel tent stakes when everyone else has those lightweight aluminum ones. I explained that I bought my stakes in 1998 and they have never bent or broke on me, even in rocky soil. He told me his aluminum set cost $35 and the tips curled up after three uses. That got me thinking about how gear used to be built with the idea that you would own it for decades, not just one season. I wonder if durability is something we have given up for lighter weight. Has anyone else held onto old gear that works better than the new stuff?
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ward.diana8d ago
Yeah but have you ever tried to carry that stuff up a real incline? I'd rather replace a stake every few seasons than lug extra weight on my back for 20 years.
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wells.evan8d ago
@ward.diana you say you'd rather replace a stake every few seasons but that adds up fast. I bought a set of six MSR groundhogs in 2004 and they've been through maybe 40 trips including some nasty talus fields without a single bend. The weight difference between steel and aluminum is maybe a few ounces total. Hardly the kind of thing that makes or breaks a climb.
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