Heavy Duty Tent Pegs - getting them in and out of hard, rocky Australian ground.
How to get a tent peg into rock was covered. Now we discuss, how to get a tent peg out.
We’ve previously looked at getting tent pegs into hard ground without them bending. But what goes in - must come out. Pegs that are hard to get into the ground are typically also hard to get out. What to do ti aid in removal f your tent peg when camping?
The design of a heavy duty tent peg holds the answer.
Again we look at design of a peg. Most pegs have some form of a bend or an eye from which to leverage upwards. The straight pegs we saw last time specifically have a lug formed to the side in order to make their extraction challenge easier.
The lug has a hole and a hooking point. The hooking point is where you would place a guy cord or rope for a tent or awning. This hooking point incidentally also aids stopping the peg from spinning when the lug is inserted below ground level. But probably most importantly is the lug contains an eyelet in which to insert a leveraging device, such as the Strike Hammer.
Tools to help remove tent pegs
The Strike Hammer, apart from having it’s replaceable Brass Head to effectively help hammering action into the ground, has a claw purposely designed to insert into the eye of the peg to pull it out from hard grounds.
Techniques for removal of tent pegs (to keep you safe!)
But it’s not as simple as that, well, not if you want to ensure you don’t put your back out! Remember hard to get in = hard to get out
Handy hints to aid in the extraction of a tent peg:
- Twist the peg while it is in the ground to “break the seal”. Moisture and sand/dirt will ever so slightly bind itself around the peg, so a twist will break this seal, ensuring you aren’t fighting to pull against any unwanted forces.
- Use a cord that runs from the head of the hammer by wrapping it around your wrist. This will aid the grip you have on the hammer and align the angle and method from which you will be pulling.
- Adopt a single knee down position, the other foot firmly planted to ensure a perfect leverage on the ground. With the extraction claw correctly positioned in the eyelet of the peg and your pulling arm fully extended, lean back and use the muscles in your leg to stand up.
If done correctly, there should be virtually no pressure on your back – which as crazy as it might sound, can be one of the worst injuries sustained while camping.
Tips for maintaining your tent pegs
Before packing them away it pays to clean and check your pegs. Give them a wipe down with an old rag to remove any moisture and debris. Good pegs aren’t cheap, so keep them in a bag or even better, a Peg Roll where you can notice if any haven’t been collected during pack down.
Next time, we’ll take a look at a different take on pegs that are for use with ground sheets.
Did you miss the last post? Read it here!