My brother Dave Canterbury! You said it best, “if you’re not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you’re determined to learn, no one can stop you” !! Nicely done, brother!! 👍🏽💯❤️
Gotta love Dave's humility. This dude is always learning......and like a kid, he unabashedly shares it with others. His enthusiasm is contagious. Dave: "Wow, I've been doing this wrong all this time! And not only that, but I have been sharing the 'wrong' way to all these people. I must correct this now!" You can't make this stuff up. Where else can you find the honesty in content? Love ya, Dave. Keep it up! .................
I really love the fact that you evolve your methods over time and experiment and learn just like the rest of us. That’s part of what makes you a great instructor
I gotta give credit where credit is due, if you hadn’t done some research I’d still be hammerin stakes in at 45*. I’ve gotten pretty much a good portion of my outdoor/survival skills from your channel and I definitely thank you for that. I gotta say you are the man Dave and I respect what you do for all who have watched and learned from you… 🍻
Dave that is the best method I've ever seen to test the total capabilities to test and verify the strength of different staking methods top quality information thanks brother
Dave, I have to say I have been doing it wrong my whole life. Learned 45 degrees in Boy Scouts, reinforced it in the Army and used it thru yesterday in the garden. Not again. Thank you.
One other observation from my experience staking at 45 is that my pitch say on one end of my tent, is not as taunt. These vids were extremely informative and helpful moving forward in my camping!
This was a great lesson in stakeology! I've been watching Dave for 10+ years and it's been a while since i've had this kind of learning something new. This was awesome!
I use bunshee cord as a shock absorber on all the eyelets on my tarps and tents. The bunshee cord is looped through the eyelets three times. Depending on the wind strength, I use 1, 2 or all 3 loops to absorb the energy of the gusts. I learned to drive the stakes vertically into the ground in the military and I still do it that way today. I never questioned why and how. Thank you very much for taking the time to find out and explain this. Greetings from Germany
OK David; The instant i saw your diagram of soil to soil friction area relative to stake length, I knew I was wrong all of these years, like you realized. i.e. vertical stake angle maximized soil to soil friction and stake depth (for 45 degree tarp/guy line angle). This is the 1st order effect, but you went finer and spoke to tarp/guy line angle, and how you could account for variations off of 45 degrees. Perfect. By Part 2 it was already a fait accompli, but you verified your assertions with testing, FANTASTIC !!! Thank you. Plus we don't have to worry about pulling the stakes, since stake to soil friction is the same, i.e. it's based on stake length, soil type, and stake type, and we are already used to that. Thank You !!!
Thanks for being our crash test dummy! I was getting a bit worried about you and your camera during this video. Really interesting information and also explains why so many of my Sheppard hooks end up bent.
The other staking trick I've heard from a military guy was that when they had poor ground, such as sand, you don't run one line at 45 degrees (right/left, not up/down) from the corners of tarps. You run two lines with each one parallel to one of the sides that are meeting at the corner. It reduces the load on each stake and gets you on different pieces of ground rather than putting all your hope in one piece of ground.
Great info Dave, thanks! And thanks for the new ridgeline knot, I had to pause the video so I could grab a length of 550 and immediately test it out myself - works great, will definitely use it at the campsite!
Dave! Everybody learns what they learn. And make sense out of it depending on there skills. This was in an old book I had back in scouts. But when u taught it differently, I 2nd guessed myself. But like the Ridgeline, you learned, adapted, no... I'm terrible, or whatever. You, lived, learned, overcame, and adapted. As good humans do! Thanks for all you do... my suggestion is watch many people, and use what works best for your current skill level. Always learn more skills and up your level! Appreciate it and the Golden ticker opportunities. Good luck to all!
Great advice for us amateur radio operators as well. We have to guy our larger antennas, tripods and canopies for events. Sometimes we resort to weights because staking is not allowed or possible, such as parking lots.
Good stuff. I knew what, but I didn't know why. I really like the geometry aspect of the video and the real world testing. I did learn 1 thing. To use multiple sticks for a deadman instead of a single stick.
Great video. Failure is a great teacher as years ago I failed going with the crowd I dared to be different I was successful. Simple mathematics that's all.
Thank you again Dave for a very informative video. Going right along with your last one on stakes you were spot on. My preferred stake for holding is the military stake for shelter halves or the longer ones for larger tents. Due to weight I use the aluminum triangular stakes in the shape of a Mercedes emblem. I also like the abs plastic just because they have the duel purpose of flame extender. I like to carry a couple of them with me but use the aluminum ones. Thank you for the tip on connecting a line to a tree. Using the slippery half hitch for a marlin spike is a great idea. That will now be a part of my tricks. Loved this video.
I like the bungie cord system you're using Dave. It trumps my 4 inch diameter permanent loops on the tarp eyelets, so I'm switching to your system. Honour and Respect. Cheers buddy.💜👍 Universal Sovereign Citizen
I like the steel v stakes that are used with the old army shelter half tents. They are heavy and sometimes a pain to use in hard soil but you can’t kill them. For a long hike in I like the groundhog style, they can work in multiple soils with just a little mod in technique when needed.
I learned a long time ago that straight up and down is much more secure than an angle. I learned from an old timer and it was relative to beach staking, which is the ultimate challenge. I've banged my head on the wall, so to speak, trying to explain this to others. To simplify, there is friction and the forces relative to the weight and compaction of the soil at play. Also, the angle of your tie down relative to these other forces. When the stake is put in on an angle, there is much less weight/force on the stake because you lessened the maximun depth within the soil the stake resides. Additionally, that compounds the further up the stake you go. With multiple or prolonged pulls on the tie down, an angled stake starts flexing starting at the surface and working its way down. As that happens you start losing the friction coefficient as well as the weight force of the substrate, until it eventually fails. This is why they have sand stake that are longer and ribbed, to maximize weight/mass forces as well as friction. They should always be mounted vertically. Same goes with a beach umbrella. The pros try to make as small and deep a hole as possible to not disrupt the compaction of soil while placing the umbrella perpendicular to the surface.
y'know one benefit of this new finding is that you don't need to wrench on the corners so hard in order to get it taut. A blessing for the less than durable reusable survival blankets.
If you decide to make a part 3, I would suggest to talk about which way a stake should face so it does not bend as easy. If you put a V stake or sand stake in wrong it will bend regardless if its at a 45 degree or straight in. Same with the plastic T shape stakes. If you put them in the wrong way they can slice through the ground and then pull out. I though you were going to hit that subject in this video. Most stakes have an angle or hook at the top and that hook or angle goes the opposite of the tarp or tent that your staking do down. Good video series to teach the basics of securing a shelter down properly. I do believe this is a first.
If you have very soft soil, there is a big version of the GroundHog stakes in 10 inches called MSR Cyclone stakes. They are 10 inches long, in fatter Y design and they have a slow helical twist rather than being straight. They have worked well for me in muddy situations.
I usually use 18cm/7" ground-hog style aluminium stakes at 45°. The forest soil is quite soft, but I can overcome that with a stone. Almost never 90°. I was quite surprised by your 90° test results. I like to use "dead-man" method aka buried branch only in the snow. When possible, I completely avoid using stakes, and use roots, stumps and rocks instead.
Reading the internet is not research. Doing what Dave has done today and gathering data (though it could be a more accurate method, it was still pretty good) IS research. If you want to do secondary research, which is reading, you have to read from people who have done primary research, which is what Dave did today by gathering data. Thanks, Dave, for doing actual research for us.
Back in the early 70's I worked for a circus with a 60 by 90 ft tent. for the ridge line we would triple stake in a pyramid shape with 3 wraps of rope with the flat end facing the tent and attaching the hook in the middle of the stake. We then used a come along to tighten the cable.
Good experiment. Get some Ground Hogs and surplus military tent stakes and you’re set. If truck or car camping with 2 full sets of surplus and a winching devise, you can unstick a vehicle. The shovel driving them was on point!! Just wish it was a folding AMES.
Great job showing the pros & cons of each stake type Dave! I've been using the dead man anchor points for our beach canopy for years (6" pieces of 2x4 with a foot of 550 cord looped through a drill hole) Your wrap up at the end was the best advice everyone should take to heart...Have the ability to adapt to the environment you're in with the proper items in your kit! Bravo Mr Canterbury! Another excellent video! 👍
Fun fact, with the bungie idea. If you gut a chunk of paracord and you take the nylon piece and boil it, it will make it elastic almost like a bungie. No idea how long it lasts, and you will lose about 14% of length. But I find it interesting and could work in this application.
I stumbled on the 90 degree by mistake. The wall of the tent was just a few inches from my face that night. I couldn't really see from the rain and lightning as I drove the stakes in the guys had came out of the ground. We were the only tent still standing, out of 5 ,in the morning. Only ones that were still dry also.
Also the points you made relating to tarp/guy line angle are similar to what a skipper has to account for when anchoring a boat/ship, i.e. "Anchor Scope." i.e. a higher scope ratio is better, just like a smaller tarp/guy line to ground angle is better. again thanks
I personally have always found those cruciform (y profile or groundhog) stakes to be the best in most souls. In gravel, they are kinda hard to drive and stout nail type stakes are best, financially c profile sand stakes are the best for sand and snow. Personally I only really use the ground hog and sand stakes in regular use.
I often bring along a tri-cam or a rock climbing nut, in case I find a perfect spot to set up camp, but one corner is exposed rock, with no staking options.
Usually i will just use sticks. Not even carve a tent stake just carve a point. For great tent stakes the military pup tent stakes are excellent stakes sand dit whatever. Putting a notch in a wood stake though can help or use a stick with a branch on it. or use a longer stick and put it in at an angle.
New subscriber from the UK , could you tell me what outer shirt you are wearing? I looked on your site and no clothing there. Thank you for quality videography while sharing your knowledge. Take care, Mike
driving stakes makes a lot of noise, expecially with the shovel. If you'll use 'pigtail " stakes, and twist them (silently) into the ground, they hold MUCH better than driven stakes.
I just tried yourbalternative to the modified marlin spike hitch. It is excellent, I'll make a video on that and as always credit you. I think it'll become a staple at least in my practice. I like toggles, but sometimes you don't want to mess and find one. That said, maybe a simle overhand around the anchor point + slipper half hitch would achieve the same faster.... I'll have to test it out ! 🫡
I watch a lot of Korean girls solo camping. Yes that's a thing. Rirang on air, BigbodyCamping, Kirin Camp among others. All the campsites there have gravel dumped on them so iron like steel stakes and a sturdy hammer are critical. Just another substrate to consider.
My Grandpa was born in 1885 he taught me to never pound a stake in at an angle. He said that was the wrong way to do it. I guess he was right. If you need more holding power, make the stake longer or add another behind it.
Thank for your views and your support. I appreciate your comments and discussions. We should all learn together
My brother Dave Canterbury! You said it best, “if you’re not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you’re determined to learn, no one can stop you” !! Nicely done, brother!! 👍🏽💯❤️
Gotta love Dave's humility. This dude is always learning......and like a kid, he unabashedly shares it with others. His enthusiasm is contagious. Dave: "Wow, I've been doing this wrong all this time! And not only that, but I have been sharing the 'wrong' way to all these people. I must correct this now!" You can't make this stuff up. Where else can you find the honesty in content? Love ya, Dave. Keep it up! .................
I really love the fact that you evolve your methods over time and experiment and learn just like the rest of us. That’s part of what makes you a great instructor
I gotta give credit where credit is due, if you hadn’t done some research I’d still be hammerin stakes in at 45*. I’ve gotten pretty much a good portion of my outdoor/survival skills from your channel and I definitely thank you for that. I gotta say you are the man Dave and I respect what you do for all who have watched and learned from you… 🍻
Everyone needs a Survivalist friend like Dave.
Watch out poison ivy mixed in with that Virginia Creeper! Great lesson. Thanks
Dave that is the best method I've ever seen to test the total capabilities to test and verify the strength of different staking methods top quality information thanks brother
Dave, I have to say I have been doing it wrong my whole life. Learned 45 degrees in Boy Scouts, reinforced it in the Army and used it thru yesterday in the garden. Not again. Thank you.
Great information Dave! Thanks for the deep dive into this topic. I have never seen anyone discuss this in such detail.
One of the best video's i have seen on staking method thanks David
You are such a good teacher. Thanks for all your hard work and putting up video`s for us. I know you don`t have to do this stuff for free.
This 2 part study was excellent. Leading by example. Thanks for sharing.
One other observation from my experience staking at 45 is that my pitch say on one end of my tent, is not as taunt.
These vids were extremely informative and helpful moving forward in my camping!
This was a great lesson in stakeology! I've been watching Dave for 10+ years and it's been a while since i've had this kind of learning something new. This was awesome!
That was definitely one of the more useful camping videos I've seen. Thanks for that, Dave.
I use bunshee cord as a shock absorber on all the eyelets on my tarps and tents. The bunshee cord is looped through the eyelets three times. Depending on the wind strength, I use 1, 2 or all 3 loops to absorb the energy of the gusts. I learned to drive the stakes vertically into the ground in the military and I still do it that way today. I never questioned why and how. Thank you very much for taking the time to find out and explain this. Greetings from Germany
Thanks for the lessons and demos professor Canterbury!
Great video, Dave. That's amazing, the difference on the stake angles. Thanks!
OK David; The instant i saw your diagram of soil to soil friction area relative to stake length, I knew I was wrong all of these years, like you realized. i.e. vertical stake angle maximized soil to soil friction and stake depth (for 45 degree tarp/guy line angle). This is the 1st order effect, but you went finer and spoke to tarp/guy line angle, and how you could account for variations off of 45 degrees. Perfect. By Part 2 it was already a fait accompli, but you verified your assertions with testing, FANTASTIC !!! Thank you. Plus we don't have to worry about pulling the stakes, since stake to soil friction is the same, i.e. it's based on stake length, soil type, and stake type, and we are already used to that. Thank You !!!
Thanks for being our crash test dummy! I was getting a bit worried about you and your camera during this video. Really interesting information and also explains why so many of my Sheppard hooks end up bent.
Dave you are brilliant! Much love and appreciation! Thank you thank you thank you
Nothing like a visual demonstration, thank you Dave!
Brilliant! Way to reevaluate and improve and make it so easy to understand
The other staking trick I've heard from a military guy was that when they had poor ground, such as sand, you don't run one line at 45 degrees (right/left, not up/down) from the corners of tarps. You run two lines with each one parallel to one of the sides that are meeting at the corner. It reduces the load on each stake and gets you on different pieces of ground rather than putting all your hope in one piece of ground.
A true scholar and teacher. Thank you.
When I saw your other stake video, I thought, "I'm going test this out." Glad you did it for me.
Dave, fantastic information again 👏 like always! Never stop learning .
Outstanding Presentation!
Much appreciated.
He put a lot of stake into that , when there was a lot at stake , and that's our take . Thanks Mr. Canterbury .
Great info Dave, thanks! And thanks for the new ridgeline knot, I had to pause the video so I could grab a length of 550 and immediately test it out myself - works great, will definitely use it at the campsite!
Dave! Everybody learns what they learn. And make sense out of it depending on there skills. This was in an old book I had back in scouts. But when u taught it differently, I 2nd guessed myself. But like the Ridgeline, you learned, adapted, no... I'm terrible, or whatever. You, lived, learned, overcame, and adapted. As good humans do! Thanks for all you do... my suggestion is watch many people, and use what works best for your current skill level. Always learn more skills and up your level! Appreciate it and the Golden ticker opportunities. Good luck to all!
Most helpful and meaningful. Thanks for sharing with us.
Great advice for us amateur radio operators as well. We have to guy our larger antennas, tripods and canopies for events. Sometimes we resort to weights because staking is not allowed or possible, such as parking lots.
It is never too late to change your habits! It’s great to keep researching current techniques!
Good stuff. I knew what, but I didn't know why. I really like the geometry aspect of the video and the real world testing. I did learn 1 thing. To use multiple sticks for a deadman instead of a single stick.
Great video. Failure is a great teacher as years ago I failed going with the crowd I dared to be different I was successful. Simple mathematics that's all.
Thank you again Dave for a very informative video. Going right along with your last one on stakes you were spot on. My preferred stake for holding is the military stake for shelter halves or the longer ones for larger tents. Due to weight I use the aluminum triangular stakes in the shape of a Mercedes emblem. I also like the abs plastic just because they have the duel purpose of flame extender. I like to carry a couple of them with me but use the aluminum ones. Thank you for the tip on connecting a line to a tree. Using the slippery half hitch for a marlin spike is a great idea. That will now be a part of my tricks. Loved this video.
Excellent and very practical info-- thanks Dave!
That's counter intuitive, and I'll be honest, I wasn't fully convinced by the explanation on the previous video. It's always good to learn
Thanks Dave. I have done very well with the ground hog type stakes up here in Western MA.
This is a great video. I learned a lot, thank you!
Great video!
Thank you for always improving and learning, and teaching us when you do! =D
I like the bungie cord system you're using Dave. It trumps my 4 inch diameter permanent loops on the tarp eyelets, so I'm switching to your system.
Honour and Respect.
Cheers buddy.💜👍
Universal Sovereign Citizen
Thanks Dave,you are such a well of information....thumbs up from the South African bush feld
I was literally thinking about using bungie chord instead of 550 for my guy lines and Dave read my mind. Good stuff, I hope SRO starts selling it
Very good video series, buddy thank you
I like the steel v stakes that are used with the old army shelter half tents. They are heavy and sometimes a pain to use in hard soil but you can’t kill them. For a long hike in I like the groundhog style, they can work in multiple soils with just a little mod in technique when needed.
I learned a long time ago that straight up and down is much more secure than an angle. I learned from an old timer and it was relative to beach staking, which is the ultimate challenge. I've banged my head on the wall, so to speak, trying to explain this to others. To simplify, there is friction and the forces relative to the weight and compaction of the soil at play. Also, the angle of your tie down relative to these other forces. When the stake is put in on an angle, there is much less weight/force on the stake because you lessened the maximun depth within the soil the stake resides. Additionally, that compounds the further up the stake you go. With multiple or prolonged pulls on the tie down, an angled stake starts flexing starting at the surface and working its way down. As that happens you start losing the friction coefficient as well as the weight force of the substrate, until it eventually fails. This is why they have sand stake that are longer and ribbed, to maximize weight/mass forces as well as friction. They should always be mounted vertically. Same goes with a beach umbrella. The pros try to make as small and deep a hole as possible to not disrupt the compaction of soil while placing the umbrella perpendicular to the surface.
Excellent, nothing like real field data!
Thats a great way to demonstrate it. Thank you.
y'know one benefit of this new finding is that you don't need to wrench on the corners so hard in order to get it taut. A blessing for the less than durable reusable survival blankets.
If you decide to make a part 3, I would suggest to talk about which way a stake should face so it does not bend as easy. If you put a V stake or sand stake in wrong it will bend regardless if its at a 45 degree or straight in. Same with the plastic T shape stakes. If you put them in the wrong way they can slice through the ground and then pull out. I though you were going to hit that subject in this video. Most stakes have an angle or hook at the top and that hook or angle goes the opposite of the tarp or tent that your staking do down. Good video series to teach the basics of securing a shelter down properly. I do believe this is a first.
Interesting and informative. Thank you
If you have very soft soil, there is a big version of the GroundHog stakes in 10 inches called MSR Cyclone stakes. They are 10 inches long, in fatter Y design and they have a slow helical twist rather than being straight. They have worked well for me in muddy situations.
Dave is the King
Thanks for the F/U video with real world examples.
I usually use 18cm/7" ground-hog style aluminium stakes at 45°. The forest soil is quite soft, but I can overcome that with a stone. Almost never 90°. I was quite surprised by your 90° test results. I like to use "dead-man" method aka buried branch only in the snow. When possible, I completely avoid using stakes, and use roots, stumps and rocks instead.
Reading the internet is not research. Doing what Dave has done today and gathering data (though it could be a more accurate method, it was still pretty good) IS research. If you want to do secondary research, which is reading, you have to read from people who have done primary research, which is what Dave did today by gathering data. Thanks, Dave, for doing actual research for us.
Back in the early 70's I worked for a circus with a 60 by 90 ft tent. for the ridge line we would triple stake in a pyramid shape with 3 wraps of rope with the flat end facing the tent and attaching the hook in the middle of the stake. We then used a come along to tighten the cable.
Reads "Staking Methods"... first comes to mind: how to kill your vampire! :P
Thank you very much!
Almost 50 years been doing it wrong or not ideal.
Thanks for doing this. Would love a link to the article you got this info from.
I'm still learning at 62, won't be driving them in at an angle any longer, very informative as always!
"KEEP ON KEEPIN ON"
Very informative post, thanks!
Learn something from every video.
Having this info now will really change the way we improvise stakes off the landscape I feel like
Good experiment. Get some Ground Hogs and surplus military tent stakes and you’re set. If truck or car camping with 2 full sets of surplus and a winching devise, you can unstick a vehicle. The shovel driving them was on point!! Just wish it was a folding AMES.
Outstanding info!
Your teaching is amazing-this is so important. Truly an expert. Would shepherds’s hook be best for rocky soil?
The Grand Puba of bushcrafting showing us how it’s done! Nice work Dave!🏕️
Did you try a shepherds crook stake straight down, and if so did it also bend?
Great job showing the pros & cons of each stake type Dave! I've been using the dead man anchor points for our beach canopy for years (6" pieces of 2x4 with a foot of 550 cord looped through a drill hole) Your wrap up at the end was the best advice everyone should take to heart...Have the ability to adapt to the environment you're in with the proper items in your kit! Bravo Mr Canterbury! Another excellent video! 👍
Very intresting ! 👍 THANKS
Love, how he gives some tlc to the cat😊!
This is great stuff. How about stake removal, best practices.
Thanks Dave
For hundreds of years in the deserts, very long almost horizontal lines were use with the woven fabric tents.
can always learn something new
Fun fact, with the bungie idea. If you gut a chunk of paracord and you take the nylon piece and boil it, it will make it elastic almost like a bungie. No idea how long it lasts, and you will lose about 14% of length. But I find it interesting and could work in this application.
I stumbled on the 90 degree by mistake. The wall of the tent was just a few inches from my face that night. I couldn't really see from the rain and lightning as I drove the stakes in the guys had came out of the ground. We were the only tent still standing, out of 5 ,in the morning. Only ones that were still dry also.
How about making the rope ring at the eyelet bungee instead of an add on?
Also the points you made relating to tarp/guy line angle are similar to what a skipper has to account for when anchoring a boat/ship, i.e. "Anchor Scope." i.e. a higher scope ratio is better, just like a smaller tarp/guy line to ground angle is better. again thanks
I hope you know, that you ARE, the best!
Make tent attachments loops from the shock absorber instead of static cord.
I personally have always found those cruciform (y profile or groundhog) stakes to be the best in most souls. In gravel, they are kinda hard to drive and stout nail type stakes are best, financially c profile sand stakes are the best for sand and snow.
Personally I only really use the ground hog and sand stakes in regular use.
I often bring along a tri-cam or a rock climbing nut, in case I find a perfect spot to set up camp, but one corner is exposed rock, with no staking options.
Usually i will just use sticks. Not even carve a tent stake just carve a point. For great tent stakes the military pup tent stakes are excellent stakes sand dit whatever. Putting a notch in a wood stake though can help or use a stick with a branch on it. or use a longer stick and put it in at an angle.
I’m wondering if Bushcraft 101 or the Advanced book mentions staking. To the point where there could be a revision. Just thinking.
New subscriber from the UK , could you tell me what outer shirt you are wearing? I looked on your site and no clothing there.
Thank you for quality videography while sharing your knowledge. Take care, Mike
Hey Dave… will you show us how to make a Native American Bullroarer… thanks brother
driving stakes makes a lot of noise, expecially with the shovel. If you'll use 'pigtail " stakes, and twist them (silently) into the ground, they hold MUCH better than driven stakes.
I just tried yourbalternative to the modified marlin spike hitch. It is excellent, I'll make a video on that and as always credit you. I think it'll become a staple at least in my practice. I like toggles, but sometimes you don't want to mess and find one.
That said, maybe a simle overhand around the anchor point + slipper half hitch would achieve the same faster.... I'll have to test it out ! 🫡
Dave, ty
4am and I got your shovel ringing through my house 😂
I watch a lot of Korean girls solo camping. Yes that's a thing. Rirang on air, BigbodyCamping, Kirin Camp among others. All the campsites there have gravel dumped on them so iron like steel stakes and a sturdy hammer are critical. Just another substrate to consider.
Did you have a poison ivy rash after this video?
The other advantage of the bungee is to take up the slack as the tarp stretches in the rain.
My Grandpa was born in 1885 he taught me to never pound a stake in at an angle. He said that was the wrong way to do it. I guess he was right. If you need more holding power, make the stake longer or add another behind it.
That shovel rings like that was a feature lol.