Size matters – DIY big 10 inch tent spikes!

It’s true what they say.

Size does matter!

Remote camping in South Florida and the Everglades means anchoring your tent into either clay marl mud or sand most of the time. However the tent spikes or pegs provided with tents often don’t take this terrain into account. The pegs may look fancy and come in different colors, and they may even be titanium or some exotic shape. When it comes to holding down your tent however, they are often inadequate. In my experience of years of camping, the best and easiest to use are the round aluminum ones. They won’t rust, they are easy to secure just with your foot or small rock and they also pull out without fuss when packing up. If and when they get bent up, the soft aluminum is also very easy to straighten out in a shop vise, and will last a long time.

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My big 10 inch spike vs average size 6 inch common aluminum peg.
Size matters!

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The thing is that the common 6 inch long tent spike is just too short to really hold well, especially in sand. A sudden wind gust can then send your whole tent cartwheeling across the beach!

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Working with a bench vise, pliers and maybe a mallet it’s easy to bend up the spike.

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You can buy longer spikes, and the steel variety are readily available, but the aluminum ones are hard to find and then pricey. I decided to make my own set by starting with a 1/4″ x 3 foot round aluminum rod which is easy to find in hardware stores and inexpensive. Just make two cuts to split the rod into three sections. Measure off about two inches on the end and use vise grips and a mallet in a shop vise to bend the hook.

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Be sure to leave an adequate bending radius else the rod will snap!

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I start by bending the neck first and then forming the hook itself. Just pay attention to leave enough of a radius in the bend, otherwise the rod will snap! After forming, this results in a 10″ spike. You will need only two rods to make a set of six tent pegs!

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Use a bench grinder to make the point.

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The final step is for form a pointed tip. A bench grinder makes this easy, just use eye protection and don’t get too crazy. You’re not making a spear head so the tip only needs to be made into a dull point!

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10 inch tent spike works excellent in sand!

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These longer spikes hold well in sand, as seen here at North Nest Key in Florida Bay! 🙂

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You can drive the peg into the sand with your foot, a rock or Jedi mind tricks – “You will go into the sand and hold my tent”!

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Enjoy 67% more holding power!

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Staking down my tent at scenic Middle Cape, Everglades National Park.

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Big 10 inch tent spike, tarp and tent.

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Many Everglades ground sites and also the interiors of most of the islands are of the clay marl mud type and these spikes really hold well! 🙂

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Big 10 inch spike ready to drive down into marl clay type mud, but there may be some small rocks in the way. You can always try again!

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Everglades marl mud has a hard crust, but is soft underneath.

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Shown here summer camping at Little Rabbit Key in Florida Bay.

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Big 10 inch spike with 67% more holding power!

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Camp with confidence! 😉

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! BLESS

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With that said..
Blessings friends!