Tent Staking
Tent stake holding power is directly related to the stake depth, stake width, and stake angle. This is because holding power is directly related to the surface area of the tent stake and the soil around the stake. As a result thin tent stakes have less holding power than wide tent stakes because they provide less surface area to grip the soil. Surprisingly any angle in the soil reduces the grip of the stake in the soil. It is important that tent stakes are properly placed into the ground to maximize holding power.
Painted Tent Stakes
For maximum holding power it is important to place the tent stake straight into the ground. Don’t be tempted to angle the tent stake. This is because just a slight angle of the tent stake towards the tent reduces holding power a lot. Tent stake holding power was reduced by about 25% when it was angled this way. If the tent stake isn’t fully placed into the ground holding power is drastically reduced. The tops of the tent stakes should be easy to see. If needed you can paint the tent stakes. Angling the tent stake away from the tent is the worst stake placement method. Tent stake holding power was reduced by about 75% when the tent stake was angled this way. This is because the angle of the stake was nearly aligned with the force of the tent line.
Summary
To get the maximum holding power from your tent stake place the stake all the way into the ground with no angle. A tent stake placed at an angle can substantially reduce the holding power. If the tent stake is protruding from the ground it also becomes a trip hazard. It is important that tent stakes are properly placed into the ground to maximize holding power.