Best Tent Stakes of 2025

The MSR Ground Hogs / Mini Ground Hogs have long been favorites among backpackers because they’re ultralight and they have excellent holding power. We’ve put both the standard and Mini versions through rigorous testing across diverse terrain conditions over multiple seasons. They continue to impress us with their exceptional performance-to-weight ratio.

Priced at $6 per stake, the Ground Hogs are on the pricier side compared to other alternatives. However, after experiencing their resilience during unexpected storms, we’ve found this is one area where ultralight doesn’t mean ultra-compromised.

The Y-beam construction is simply impossible to bend by hand. Although we were eventually able to get them to bend after whacking them with a hammer, we never experienced any lack of structural integrity over years of real-life use.

Where these stakes truly distinguish themselves is their exceptional holding power for their weight. The Y-shaped design provides excellent resistance in soft soil and herculean strength in compact, rocky soil. Their decent length provides adequate stability in sand – though, they still don’t compare to specialized options in this area.

Each stake comes with a high-visibility pull cord attached. The visibility is handy for finding your stakes in the morning. Plus, the pull cord makes them easier to remove.

If the best holding power possible in a lightweight package is your goal, go with the full-size Ground Hogs. If saving every last gram – and a little money – is most important to you, the Mini Ground Hogs are a great choice.

For those on a budget, the All One Tech Aluminum Stakes are an excellent choice for all around use. These 7-inch Y-shaped stakes provide sufficient holding power across a range of soil types and are light enough for backpacking.

These aluminum stakes offer solid structural integrity in most camping scenarios. They aren’t flimsy enough to be bent by hand, but they’re fragile enough to bend under multiple whacks of the mallet. Their Y-profile provides more strength than shepherd’s hooks. Although, they’re not quite as strong as some other Y-shaped options.

The holding power of the All One Techs is pretty balanced across various soil conditions. The 7-inch length and Y-shaped cross-section create impressive stability in soft, loamy environments and adequate performance in sandy terrain. In compact, rocky soil, they maintain good holding power once in the ground but getting them in requires some effort.

At 0.5 ounces per stake, these stakes are heavier than ultralight titanium options but significantly lighter than traditional steel stakes. The included stuff sack is a handy addition that helps with packability.

These stakes are easy to use, thanks to their Y-shaped design. The wide head surface also makes for an easy target for a mallet. Plus, the integrated pull cord provides something to hold for yanking.

The All One Tech Aluminum Stakes offer an incredible value for their performance. Their balance of durability, versatility, and weight comes at a cost that’s hard to beat. When performance matters but so does affordability, these stakes deliver remarkable reliability without breaking the bank.

The NEMO Sweepstake features one of the most unique and thoughtful designs we’ve seen in a tent stake. It’s ideal for backpackers that get their kicks from gear that is particularly easy and fun to use.

These stakes are designed with a built-in pull cord and glow-in-the-dark stake cleaner. The glow-in-the-dark feature is obviously nice for packing up in the dark, and the stake cleaner eliminates carrying any extra pack weight in the form of mud. Just pull them out of the ground, slide the cleaner to the end of the stake, and carry on with clean stakes and clean hands.

The Y-shaped design is one of the most durable of its kind, holding up to every bit of abuse we put it through. Even after multiple blows with a mallet, the stake retained its straight shape. At 7 inches long, the Sweepstake has excellent holding power in various terrains, especially in compact soil.

The trade off for the Sweepstake’s impressive durability and extra design features is weight. Although it’s not the heaviest stake in the world at 0.7 ounces, most ounce counters would turn up their noses at a weight approaching a full ounce.

Despite its intelligent engineering, the NEMO Sweepstake maintains an affordable price point at $4 per stake. Its superior durability, usability, and excellent holding power deliver tons of value for this affordable stake. Its unique design is a bit niche, but the right gear nerd will surely consider it a tent stake dream come true.

The REI Snow Stakes are a must-have for anyone planning to camp in snow or sand, offering exceptional holding power where traditional stakes struggle. With a weight of just 1 ounce and a length of 9.6 inches, these stakes strike a great balance between weight and performance in loose terrain. 

Designed with a flat top, the REI Snow Stakes are easy to drive into soft sand or snow with your shoe. Their high-visibility color is easy to spot – which is handy in snowy or sandy conditions when losing a stake is easy. Some members of the CleverHiker team even carry one of these stakes on almost every backpacking trip, as they can double as a cathole digging trowel.

The REI Snow Stakes don’t thrive in compact or icy ground. Although they can easily penetrate some softer soils and pine duff, we struggled to get them into the rocky soil of Colorado’s high desert. In some cases it was virtually impossible. Their wide tip makes them impractical for such situations unless you’re willing to go through the hassle of digging out a hole to use them as deadman anchors.

At $6 per stake, the REI Snow Stakes are more expensive than some standard stakes. Considering their specialization for snow and sand, however, they provide excellent value as a must-have. In their element, they offer exceptional durability, practicality, and solid performance, making them a great addition to your winter or beach camping gear.

We’ve tested the REI Aluminum Hooks across diverse backcountry environments to evaluate their real-world capabilities against more specialized alternatives. At $2 per stake, these classic shepherds hooks provide versatile performance at a reasonable price.

These 7.25-inch aluminum stakes are both lightweight and quite durable. Although we were able to bend them slightly by hand when we gave it our all, the stakes stayed pretty solid when driving them in with a rock or foot. As long as you don’t go crazy trying to pound them into rocky soil, they should keep their basic shape for a long time.

At about 0.5-0.6 ounces per unit, these stakes occupy the middle ground between ultralight options and robust car camping anchors. While dedicated gram-counters might prefer featherweight titanium or carbon alternatives, we found the minor weight penalty entirely acceptable given the enhanced reliability and significantly lower investment. The 7.25″ is a bit on the longer side, providing plenty of meat to increase holding power. Unfortunately, the stakes do not come with an included stuff sack.

Extensive field testing revealed moderate-to-good holding power across terrain varieties. The shepherd’s hook design penetrates soft, loamy soil with ease and offers moderate holding power. On more challenging compacted ground, the width of the stakes makes them significantly harder to drive in. 

The classic shepherd’s hook provides simplistic functionality. While the head is difficult to hit with a mallet, the hook makes secure attachment to guylines easy. 

The REI Aluminum Hook is best suited for environments with soft soil full of rocks and roots to navigate through. At $2 per stake, they’re a reasonable buy and offer a decent range of performance.

The affordable and durable REI Steel Stakes are our go-tos for car camping when weight savings takes a backseat to bombproof stability. These heavy-duty stakes are over eight inches long, giving them excellent holding power in pretty much any type of terrain, from soft soil to rocky ground. Whether you’re dealing with wind or heavy rain, these stakes are built to keep your tent securely in place.

What really sets these stakes apart is their strength. You can pound the heck out of them with a mallet without worrying about them bending or breaking, even in tough, rocky soil. The 8.25-inch length provides extra holding power, especially in windy conditions, where shorter stakes tend to fail. However, the blunt ends do require more force to drive them into the ground, and that’s where a mallet comes in handy. Without one, it can be a struggle to get them in deep enough, particularly in compact soil.

Although they do a great job securing your tent, the simple right-angle end design doesn’t hold guylines as securely as some other stakes. It’s a little inconvenient but not a deal breaker. 

For the price, the REI Steel Stakes offer excellent durability and performance, especially for car camping. They’re heavy for backpacking, and their blunt ends benefit from a mallet. That is, they’re not the best option if you’re counting every ounce. But for anyone looking for strong, reliable stakes for a base camp, these stakes are a solid choice and a great value for the performance they deliver.