MSR Groundhog Tent Stakes Review

Overview

Originally introduced in 1989 and updated in 2013, the MSR Groundhog is widely regarded as the gold standard for all-around stake performance. It uses an extruded T-beam design that is super-strong and holds well in most ground conditions.

At 13.95 g per stake and 7.5 inches long, it sits in the middle ground between ultralight shepherd hooks and heavy-duty steel pegs — a do-it-all stake that has earned its place in the kits of thru-hikers and weekend backpackers alike.

Key Specs

Spec	Value
Weight (per stake)	13.95 g / 0.49 oz
Weight (6-pack)	83.7 g / 2.95 oz
Length	19 cm / 7.5 in
Material	7000-series anodized aluminum
Profile	Y-beam (tri-beam) extruded
Color	Red
Quantity per pack	6
SKU	05807

Performance

Holding Power

These stakes have a “Y”-shaped cross section made from lightweight aluminum. This equal-sided “Y” shape, with guy-line notches on all three legs, is lightweight, fairly compact, offers better-than-average holding power, and drives into and comes back out of the ground without much fuss.

In practice, the Y-beam bites into soil from multiple angles at once, which translates to genuinely better resistance against lateral and upward pull compared to a standard shepherd hook or wire stake.

Reports from the field include holding in ~50 mph wind when pitched into turf, and surviving hailstorms in Yosemite.

That tracks with the design — the extra 1.5 inches of length over the Mini Groundhog makes a real difference in wetter or looser soils.

The extra 4 cm of length over the smaller MSR Mini Groundhog makes a big difference in regard to holding power in wetter, softer soils.

That said, no stake is magic. The only time these stakes have failed to hold is in high winds while camping in a pine forest where the soil was more pine needles than dirt. Sandy or heavily organic duff will challenge them; for snow or loose sand, you want a dedicated snow stake or screw design instead.

Ease of Use

The non-directional shape is handy in the dark, since you don’t have to be sure that the guy line hook is properly oriented when driving it into the ground. While this isn’t exactly a difficult task with your eyes closed, it is a nice touch.

These stakes are easy to use, thanks to their Y-shaped design. The wide head surface makes for an easy target for a mallet, and the integrated pull cord provides something to hold for yanking.

Removal can still be a wrestling match if you’ve driven them deep into hard-packed soil — use a trekking pole tip or a nearby stick for leverage rather than pulling bare-handed.

Durability

The 7000-series aluminum is burly-strong despite the light weight, and even using them on the hardest ground, many users have yet to damage one in several years of use.

That said, aluminum has limits.

Some users report bending virtually all of their MSR Groundhogs over years of use in very rocky terrain.

They have enough beef to be bent back into shape, which is more than you can say for many titanium shepherd hooks, but drive them at bad angles into rocky soil and eventually something gives.

Visibility

The MSR Groundhogs are sold in a pack of 6 and are red in color. While this is a good marketing tool making the brand instantly recognizable, the color also means you are less likely to lose them as they stand out in almost any environment.

The reflective pull cord adds another layer of visibility at night — a small but genuinely useful detail when breaking camp in the dark.

Competitors

The Groundhog’s most direct rival is its own sibling: the Mini Groundhog is slightly smaller at just under 6”, with a lighter weight of only 10 g. If you’re mostly on firm, dry soil and counting grams, the Mini is hard to argue against. If you know you’ll be hiking in areas with wetter, softer soils, the standard Groundhogs offer extra grip. Many hikers carry a minimum of two full-size Groundhogs as insurance, using the longer stakes on the windward end of the tent.

For pure weight savings, titanium shepherd hooks (like the Vargo Ti) shave meaningful grams but trade off holding power and are harder to set in loose soil. Y-stakes provide excellent holding power in all types of terrain. They’re more durable and harder to bend than other stake shapes, but they may be harder to get around rocks buried in the ground.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Non-directional Y-beam means no fumbling with orientation at camp
• Excellent holding power in firm, loamy, and rocky soils
• 7000-series anodized aluminum holds up to years of hard use
• Reflective pull cord aids removal and nighttime visibility
• Red color is highly visible in leaf litter and grass
• Comes with a small stuff sack for organization

Cons

• At ~14 g each, noticeably heavier than titanium shepherd hooks or the Mini Groundhog (~10 g)
• Can bend when driven into very rocky ground at a poor angle

• Hard to remove by hand in firm, hard soil despite the pull cord

• The Y-beam holds dirt, which means a muddy stake bag on wet-weather trips
• Premium price per stake compared to generic Y-beam clones

Who Should Buy This

The full-size Groundhog is the right call for backpackers who pitch in variable conditions — mixed soil types, four-season use, or large tarp shelters where a compromised stake anchor isn’t acceptable. For two-person shelters, longer nights in camp during winter, and terrain with less predictable soil, the MSR Groundhogs offer better holding power than the Mini version. Dedicated gram-counters heading into consistently dry, firm terrain can step down to the Mini Groundhog without much sacrifice. Those camping exclusively on soft sand or snow should look at MSR’s Cyclone or Blizzard stakes instead.

Verdict

The MSR Groundhogs have long been favorites among backpackers because they’re ultralight and have excellent holding power.

The full-size strikes the best balance of weight, strength, and holding power for most three-season conditions — it’s not the lightest stake on the market, but it’s one of the few that you genuinely won’t think twice about in a storm. If you’re pitching a larger shelter, camping in shoulder-season conditions, or just want a stake set you’ll never have to replace, the Groundhog earns its reputation.

Rating: 9.5 / 10