I bought some red reflective tape at Wallmart and wrapped very thin pieces of it around my tent stakes in hopes that when the wind blows hard in the night and rips out my tent stakes, I can find them.
The little ones are orange titanium stakes from backpackinglight.com. They weigh 6 grams or .20 of an ounce a piece. A big wind can pull them out easily. They are painted orange because if they weren’t, there would be little chance of not losing them–I know this from first hand experience. Still, orange may as well be black, at night, so I have improved them by taping the red reflective tape on them.
The bigger ones, I believe, are Kelty’s Hexagonal aluminum stakes. They weigh 14 grams or .50 of an ounce each. I like the bigger ones because the wind doesn’t pull them out as easily and because they aren’t as easy to lose. They also are stronger.
In a comprise of light weight verses function–and because it’s what I have and I don’t want to buy anymore gear–I’m going to carry 3 of the big ones and 3 of the little ones.
I like the idea of reflecting tape on the tent stakes to make them easier to spot, but for me, that tape needs to be inches wide, not the dainty little strips you’re using!
Carolyn H.
Crow: See http://www.spaceweather.com for info about the possible aurora tonight. Good viewing! For once I’m hopeful it will be clear tonight.
Carolyn H.
I bought some bright orange heat shrink tubing sold by http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product219.asp. You cut it to length, then heat it at a distance over a flame and it shrinks to the size of the stake. Works great. You can find such tubing online, probably at hardware stores, too.