Tent basics // Oshkosh prep

tony roberts wrote:

The best tent stakes are 10 inch nails from the hardware store.

If you have to ask for these, they're called "60 penny nails".

George Patterson
Great discoveries are not announced with "Eureka!". What's usually said is
"Hummmmm... That's interesting...."

I havent used the cheap supplied tent stakes that come with your typical
tent in over 15 years.

What I have used are the army surplus variety aluminum tent stakes.
These things are big, thick, and I have NEVER had one of them pull out,
despite being exposed to wind that caused horizontal rain.

The stakes are heavier, and take up a little more space, as does the
necessary claw hammer it takes to pound them in, but I must say that
they can last virtually a lifetime, and will be still firmly anchored in
the ground long after the tent is in tatters.

Dont forget to scotchguard and seam-seal the tent.. Nothing worse than
leaks when you want to be dry.

Dave

Mike Z. wrote:
awright! I admit this is a bit premature but it has been too poopy to fly lately and a fellas' mind gets to wandering.

We have been gearing up to camp the North 40 for a while.

Last year we even upgraded the tent to a nice stand-up Eureka Headquarters.

Shortly after that, I read Jays' tale of woe and saw the pictures after his tent blew down.

Now my new tent is of similar size, http://www.eurekatent.com/head.asp , as Jays' old one.

My wife thinks that a nice motorhome is roughing it. Wet sleeping bags and the tent self destructing would be the last time we spent
on the north 40 which leads (finally) to my question.

Do I need a different tent or is proper staking and guying the solution. (and all the sub questions like what stakes and what angles
to drive them etc. We are not skilled tenters)

Mike Z