Preventing Sandy Misadventures

These standard hammer-in tent pegs have a large head design to be easily hammered into the ground. While a little bulky, they are light and great for soft ground. They have both a hook and loop on the end and being rounded on the top and plastic, so it won’t hurt if tripped over. They come in a range of sizes and are a cost-effective solution for camping on sand.

Advantages:

• For sand or soft ground

• Have a larger surface area to hold the pressure from the guy rope

• Incredibly cheap

• Have a range of sizes

Disadvantages:

• Easy to hurt yourself hammering them in

• Are often hard to remove

Australian Supa-Peg sells standard grade polypropylene tent pegs — versatile, durable and lightweight — and high impact polycarbonate tent pegs — strongest and durable — from 225-490mm in length and are UV treated for longevity in the sun. These have a Hi-Impact, large head with a hook and eye and cutting edges so they can easily slide through the sand, making them an ideal peg for beach campers. 225mm pegs start from RRP$2.45.

SCREW PEGS

Some types of sand, soil and snow can cause standard sand pegs to fail, which is where screw pegs come in handy. These tent stakes act like a screw that you can drive into the ground with a cordless drill or using a socket wrench.

Advantages:

• Ideal for campsites, turf and firm soil

• Are easy to use and are great for places that get wet

• Larger ones are great in sand, soft soil, snow and underwater

• Can tie many ropes to a single screw

• Easy to remove with cordless drill

• Need to bring something to screw them in

• Not suitable for use in hard ground

• More on the expensive side

Blue Screw Pegs are an Australian brand that are quite unique in their design and behaviour. Their pegs can also be used as anchors for boats, dog tethers, vertical guy ropes, plus much more. They are great for sand and soft soil use. Come in either a pack of four for small screws or a pack of two for large screws, both at RRP$15.95.

ANGLE STEEL PEGS

These pegs are designed to anchor awnings and tents in extreme conditions, with the hook securing either a trace spring or a rope. Once they’re in the ground, they’re less likely to twist.

Advantages:

• Are strong and suitable for the hardest ground or sand

• Can hold bigger loads, such as large tarps and shelters in strong winds

Disadvantages:

• Specialised pegs that may not suit all terrains

• If the ground is very rocky or hard, sometimes it’s almost impossible to get them in

• One of the most expensive types of pegs

• They also have sharp tops, so care must be taken when walking around

Sea to Summit’s Ground Control Pegs are perfect for your tent, tarp or shelter. They’re made from anodised 6061-T6 allow, so are incredibly strong for their weight. Added to this strength are the three sides which are great for holding into the ground. For harder ground where you can’t get the stake fully in, there are multiple guy points to minimise leverage on the peg. They also come with a reflective cord and a luminescent pull tap so you can extract the peg when leaving and see them when walking around at night. Priced from RRP$4.99.

KEY HEAD PEGS

These are essentially the original peg, and are a straight length of metal with a bent section at the top that provides a hook to keep guy lines in place. They are the most affordable pegs on the market.

Advantages:

• Keeps the tent guy line from coming off and provides an easy-pull mechanism to remove the peg from the ground

• Work well in hard, rocky soil

• They are cheap

• Can hammer back into shape

Disadvantages:

• The cheaper quality ones bend easily

• Don’t hold well in softer ground

Poles Apart Accessories is an Australian manufacturer based in Country Victoria that sells a variety of different pegs to help with camping. Their Galvanised Steel Tent Pegs provide extra stability when holding down a larger tent or a tarp and are durable and made to withstand various weather conditions. They are lightweight, come in a number of sizes and are a cheap way to replace your older, bent and worn out pegs. Prices start at RRP$0.80 each.

SAND AND SNOW PEGS

A benefit of these pegs for travellers is that they stack neatly together, so are good when you have limited storage space. The curved stake has a number of holes that help to increase holding power, particular in snow. The folded top allows for easy striking into the ground.

Advantages:

• Great for sand and snow

• Perfect for limited storage space

• Lightweight yet sturdy aluminium

Disadvantages:

• More on the expensive side

• Can sometimes be hard to get into various terrains

Oztrail is an Australian owned and operated supplier of quality and affordable camping and outdoor products, with their six pack of Snow and Sand Pegs (RRP$41) great for those pitching a tent or awning in difficult conditions. Their wide profile helps to distribute force in sand and snow, giving them great ease to pierce the ground as well as greater holding power.

These angled pegs are great for when camping with young children or older members of the family as they lay flat to the ground, rather than poke up, and they’re great for times you need extra hold on your tent or awning.

Advantages:

• Lightweight

• High visibility

• Pushes flat into the ground

• Easy to remove

• Made for solid dirt and soil

• Great for extreme weather

Disadvantages:

• Not suitable for soft sand

Supa Peg’s Ground Anchor Tent Pegs are a standard grade tent peg filled with glass, where, as the rope pulls on the peg, the peg actually digs deeper into the ground. Their angled design means that they can be hammered flat into the ground, so you don’t trip over them, and being bright orange makes them more visible. You can grab one for RRP$2.95.

SELECTING YOUR PEG

When choosing the right peg for your campground, as mentioned, the ground you will be camping on needs to be considered. The softer the ground, the bigger the surface area the pegs needs to maintain. Regardless of which peg you choose, make sure to hammer them into the ground on a 45-degree angle to the ground, as this gives them greater holding strength.

Tailor which pegs you bring to each trip away so you can swap out your pegs to suit the conditions. The best tent pegs for sand are ones that are typically longer so that they can reach into firmer ground, many having ridges and notches to hold them in place. Bear in mind that in one location, you might need one type of peg while in another, you’ll need a different type due to the density of the sand. As a tip, when camping in sandy areas, scoop off the dry, loose sand to expose the densely packed sand underneath and start your pegging from there.

In terms of how many to bring, carry enough that you can tie down everything that will fly in the wind, whether it be your tent, awning or loose gear, including enough for those additional guy lines on your tent for when it’s windy. It’s always recommended you bring additional pegs than the ones that come with your gear, as the ones provided are often very basic and will only work in average conditions.

Some pegs are easy to remove, like screw-in pegs, but others can be notoriously difficult. Consider getting your hands on a peg puller where you can stand holding the T-handle with the peg puller hooked into the peg so that you pull using your legs, not your back. A bit more of an expensive option are the pullers that work on leverage where you tuck the side bar under the head of the peg and place the pivot point on the ground. Stand on the outer end of the lever and the peg comes right out.

While the prices vary, it’s a good idea to equip yourself with some of each peg so that you’re prepared for all the various adventurous trips you’re planning to take in the future.

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