Review

Get stuck in with the MSR Mini Ground Hog tent stakes. I’ve tested a number of tent stakes in the past and quickly found that much of the soil on-trail is pretty firm, so why the Mini Ground Hogs?

Why MSR Mini Ground Hogs?

I was using a set of OEX Y-shaped stakes for ages and loved the strength the Y shape gives them and while they were good, I was looking for something more compact, lighter and better at driving into firm soil.

How well do they work?

They worked really well on the Pacific Crest Trail, but I still packed 2 of the larger OEX ones for added stability on the main guylines on the front and rear of my Zpacks Solplex tent, just for some stability where needed. I did encounter a fair amount of snow for the first 10 days so to pitch the tent I tied the guylines around the Ground Hogs and buried the stakes deep in the snow, they held the tent up very firmly.

What’s there not to like?

I did find the pull loops came off a couple of times, but once I tied them back up with a different knot they didn’t come off again.

Value for money

For a light, compact and strong tent stake they’re reasonably priced, but they’re for firmer soils so make sure you do a bit of research on the types of soil you’ll likely encounter on the trail before taking them on a thru and it’s worth having two larger stakes for stability.

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