Backcountry shelter failures

[RCB]

What failures have you heard of besides poles collapsing? Floorless you can cut wood poles to support and eliminate most worries. They are sturdier than 99% of backpacking style shelters with those flimsy aluminum poles

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I have heard a few cases of stakes being pulled out by high winds. Obviously this can happen with any kind of shelter if the stake isn't properly secured. But it seems to me that the consequences of that differ somewhat for different types.

For example, there are 8 stake points on my REI tent (though 2 of them aren't really essential most of them). Four of them stake the corners of the main tent body - not the fly- to the ground. If any of those fail, it's not catastrophic, because my body is still holding the tent down (assuming I'm in the tent when this happens!) That particular corner will move more and the tent will be less stable overall, but otherwise it seems like the shelter is still relatively functional. Not great, but better than complete failure. I'd say only two of the stakes (holding the fly vestibules out) would cause serious problems on failure, because then the fly would lose a lot of tautness, flap around in wind, and the shelter would be very compromised in rain / snow.

Now, I've never slept in a non-free-standing tent in rough weather, so I could be wrong here... but I'm guessing that most of the stakes in a tipi or trekking pole tent are pretty essential, since those shelters only continue to stand due to the tension created by the stake connection points. Your body isn't holding anything down if some of those stakes start to go. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. In other words... I wonder how many stakes can go before each style of shelter becomes essentially worthless in a storm.

Of course stake security is only one of many factors, but there's a thought.

 

[sneaky]

I have heard a few cases of stakes being pulled out by high winds. Obviously this can happen with any kind of shelter if the stake isn't properly secured. But it seems to me that the consequences of that differ somewhat for different types.

For example, there are 8 stake points on my REI tent (though 2 of them aren't really essential most of them). Four of them stake the corners of the main tent body - not the fly- to the ground. If any of those fail, it's not catastrophic, because my body is still holding the tent down (assuming I'm in the tent when this happens!) That particular corner will move more and the tent will be less stable overall, but otherwise it seems like the shelter is still relatively functional. Not great, but better than complete failure. I'd say only two of the stakes (holding the fly vestibules out) would cause serious problems on failure, because then the fly would lose a lot of tautness, flap around in wind, and the shelter would be very compromised in rain / snow.

Now, I've never slept in a non-free-standing tent in rough weather, so I could be wrong here... but I'm guessing that most of the stakes in a tipi or trekking pole tent are pretty essential, since those shelters only continue to stand due to the tension created by the stake connection points. Your body isn't holding anything down if some of those stakes start to go. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. In other words... I wonder how many stakes can go before each style of shelter becomes essentially worthless in a storm.

Of course stake security is only one of many factors, but there's a thought.

Stakes pulling out is operator error, not the shelter's fault. When bad weather is forecast you tie off to solid anchors , pile rocks on top of the stakes, etc. You have to mitigate the points of possible failure.

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[RockChucker30]

Maybe this is asked ans answered, but I would love to hear more from your crew on site selection.

I am often of the opinion that 90% of the time when something goes wrong it’s due to a poor decision on my part and not actually the gear. I would bet many of the failures have to do with poor site selection, bad pitch etc... are more likely to cause a failure than some sort of random catastrophic failure of the sowing or material.

Not directed at anyone above, it’s just much easier to blame the gear instead of our own mistakes. And I am as guilt of this as anyone else here.


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User error or inexperience definitely play a part. Sometimes you're pretty limited on site selection by terrain or what have you, and you just have to make the best of it. Unfortunately we learn our best lessons from making mistakes.

A good tight pitch is critical to wind performance. Inexperienced users sometimes have trouble with pitch. Stakes are also critical to pitch. The stakes we send out standard with tents are good, but they're not the best for every situation.

In deep snow you need snow stakes. In deep sand or tundra or loose gravel bars then a 12 to 24" stake (even sections of 1/2" electrical conduit) work well. The MSR Core 9" is a great all round stake, and the twisted aluminum stakes we sell are great for holding in high wind in solid ground, but they are a devil to pull especially if it freezes. In frozen ground lag bolts and a ratchet are the easiest way to go.....tradeoffs in everything.

We've been trying to build out our articles on the things customers have the most trouble with - condensation, the floorless concept in general, etc.

I think a site selection / pitching / stake selection article could be a good one.

Fearlessly Floorless

Why Floorless Tents are awesome, and how to overcome the potential pitfalls.

seekoutside.com

How to deal with tent condensation

Best ways to deal with tent condensation. Prevent it if possible, and manage it when it happens.

seekoutside.com

 

[Brian_Holcombe]

I’ve had rough nights out, but two nights before the Colorado archery opener this year set a new bar..

I was camped at about 11,600’ in my Hyperlite Ultamid 4. I was tucked in behind a little a rise and used six standard, lightweight stakes to secure the shelter.

At about 9pm the 50mpg+ sustained winds set in for hours, plus waves of heavy rain and graupel. I had visions all night of my full shelter taking flight, leaving me exposed in my bag and bivy in the alpine.

Somehow I slept at some point and was relieved to wake up to a beautiful, calm morning, a quarter-inch of graupel/snow mix, and an intact shelter.

No deer were harmed in the making of this story, unfortunately.