Tent stakes and anchoring techniques for different substrates, what guylines to use and how to choose which tent stakes to take on your next hike.

Tent stakes are one of the most important items of backpacking gear! They make the difference between a secure night’s sleep and a miserable one spent in and out of the tent as it collapses around you. Here’s how and why you should be installing your stakes differently.

Understanding stakes, guylines, tent orientation, set up technique, rain, snow and human factors is essential when we pitch our tent for or during strong winds and storms.

Many of us in mild climates don’t truly grasp what strong wind forecasts mean, especially extrapolated from the comfort of home to a mountaintop in a tent. Understanding what the forecast you’re relying on actually means, makes for a safer, more enjoyable hike.

Understanding the effects different landforms have on wind and the best ways to utilise or mitigate those effects can greatly reduce the stresses placed on your tent… and you!

Understanding wind, tents and terrain can make the difference between an enjoyable hike or a terrible one so, with a little help from tent manufacturers, we’ve written this in-depth, three-part article to help you get the most out of your tent in strong winds and storms.