Hi All,
I wanted to thank everyone for the great advice. I’ve learned a ton perusing these forums.
I need a new tent and I like the Trekker but I’ve only had stand alone tents and rarely used the tent stakes for them. Several times I’ve ended up where there was no place to use tent pegs.
I’m planning to do the PCT in 2013. Is this something I should worry about? Or should I just get the Trekker and thank the fates for such a light weight tent?
Thanks,
Bill
Bill Potter
Bill:
It’s not an issue; take the Trekker (or the even lighter X if you can affords it) and enjoy the trip.
I’ve done the PCT from Mojave to Manning Park. Yes, there are places where getting stakes into the ground is difficult to impossible - just don’t camp there; move on. You usually won’t have to go very far. Flexibility is key to a successful long distance hike.:cheers
If you absolutely MUST camp there, odds are you can get at least a few stakes into the ground. Where you can’t, wrap your guy lines around large rocks or nearby vegetation. Again - FLEXIBILITY.
FWIW, I always carry a mix of stake types with me as soil conditions are variable. That said, there are ALWAYS 2 titanium nail stakes in my bag. They’ll make pilot holes for my regular Y-stakes in hard-packed campgrounds. They will drive into everything but solid rock; I’ve pounded them into logs, cracks in rocks, etc.
If you haven’t already learned, stand alone tents turn into tumbleweeds in any sort of wind. The PCT will be windy. Always stake your shelter down, free-standing or not…unless you like chasing it across the landscape, hoping to catch it before something pointy does it for you, or it sails off the cliff.:eek: Seriously - it happens.
Wandering Bob