Do All Tents Come With Pegs Included?

If you are new to camping and you are looking at getting all the equipment you will want to know you are getting everything you need and for a good price. Tents are one of the biggest expenses so it is handy to know you are getting everything you need in one bundle.

It it very uncommon for a tent to come without pegs unless they are not required or stated otherwise. Most common camping tents will come with basic round wire tent pegs or the aluminium u-shaped pegs. You can change the pegs used with your tent if you are changing terrain or weather conditions.

In this article we are going to talk about what tents come with pegs included, what othere pegs are on the market and can be used and if you can use different pegs with your tent.

Do All Tents Come With Pegs Included?

Yes, most tents retail with tent pegs.

If you’re buying your tent from an online store, you can quickly check the list of supplies your chosen tent comes with and confirm whether pegs have been included. In other cases, checking won’t even be necessary because the product’s image will suffice.

What’s more? Since pegs are there to help you secure your tent, you will usually find that tents that retail with these accessories include the 3 and 4 season tents. These tents can even be used while camping in the snow, in which cases you will need to harmer the pegs deep into the ground under the powder.

If you invest in a low-quality 2 season tent, however, then chances are you won’t find pegs included in the package. Even more important, if you’ll be acquiring your tent from a second-hand shopping market (like eBay) or a thrift store, then ensure you ask the seller if the product you’re about to settle on will retail with pegs.

While researching for this guide, I also learned that most (if not all) big brands sell their tents with pegs included. I even reached out to Coleman and asked if any of their Coleman tents do not retail with stakes. Their response was, “All of our tents come with stakes included in the package.”

If you’ve gone through this section of the guide but are still unsure if the tent you’re about to invest in retails with pegs or not, then here are a few ways you can confirm.

• Feel free to call or email the manufacture and ask if their product retails with pegs.
• If the tent you’ve settled on has a lot of reviews, read some of them. Camping enthusiasts tend to mention the type of pegs that retail with a tent when leaving reviews.
• Another thing you can take a look at is the product’s images. At times, you will find an image showcasing everything the tent retails with.
• Check the product’s description.

What about pop-up tents? Do they retail with pegs included?

For those of you who might not know what pop-up tents are, they’re simply free-standing tents that erect instantly and do not need to get pegged down to create the structure. Having said that, yes, pop-up tents also do come with pegs as it is essential to peg them down if you do not want your pop-up tent getting blown away by even gentle breezes. It’s important to ensure that you always use the pegs the product retails with.

This brings me to the next question;

What Type Of Pegs Come With Tents?

In this section of the tent pegs guide, we’ll take a look at some of the different types of stakes and pegs that tents come with.

1. Delta Pegs

These new Delta ground pegs have been gaining popularity thanks to their durability, grip, strength, and holding power even in extreme environmental conditions compared to traditional tent pegs. The fact they have been made from tough and durable nylon composite that’s corrosion-resistant explains why they can easily withstand up to 72kg of force.

As you can already tell from the image above, Delta pegs also bury deep into the ground after guy ropes have been attached, making for a secure and easy anchoring system for campers and caravanners.

2. U-shaped Aluminum Pegs

These aluminum aircraft-grade pegs are ultra-lightweight, with each peg weighing around 0.1 pounds. Add to that the fact these peg models have a greater diameter than steel pegs and you’ll understand why they’re perfect for campers and backpackers who’re trying to cut weight on the trail.

That said, if aluminum pegs do not meet your standards or personal preferences, then you’ll be pleased to know that there is also a titanium version of these. Titanium is more robust than both aluminum and steel.

In regards to how to use these U-shaped aluminum pegs, always ensure you place them horizontally in loose snow and vertically in firm snow. Several factors that make these pegs perfect for use in snow include their width, length, and bright reflective coating that allows you to easily find them in the snow.

3. Steel V-Shaped Pegs

Designed with V-shaped shallow cross-sections, these tent pegs are made of high-strength galvanized steel. This not only adds to their durability but also implies that you can use them on any type of ground (firm or soft) – depending on the length and broadness of the steel pegs you invested in.

The longer the steel V-shaped pegs, the better the grip will be. These variations offer maximum holding power as well as resistance and will not twist in the ground.

4. Y-beam Tent Pegs

Speaking of holding power, Y-shaped tent pegs offer the most holding power in most (if not all) soil conditions you are likely to encounter while out camping. You’ll practically find these pegs in non-freestanding tents that completely depend on their pegs to stand upright during critical conditions.

What’s more? Y-beam stakes are perfect for 3 season camping, are extremely durable, resist bending, and will stand vertical on hard grounds without spinning.  

5. Rock Pegs

As their name suggests, rock tent stakes are large pegs made of heavy metal and boasting a unique design that allows anyone to use them on rocky grounds. These bad boys have a pointed tip and a nail-like appearance that will permit you to hammer them easily into any stony firm ground.

And that’s not all. These tent pegs also retail mallet that you can use to secure them into hard grounds, and thanks to their hard metal construction, they will not deform, twist, or bend even when hardly hammered.

Rock tent pegs can also be used with large tents in cases where weight isn’t a concern. The only downside of rock stakes I could find is the fact they are quite heavier and tend to spin once you pin them to the ground.  

6. Plastic Pegs

These plastic tent pegs are wider and longer than most metal stakes. This makes them the perfect choice for soft mud, light grounds, and sand conditions. Plastic pegs are also the second most common type of tent peg you will find in most tents and have been reported to even work better than wire pegs. Plus, they offer the perfect grip for the guy lines.

That said, if you’re a fan of hiking in environments with graven or firm grounds, then rest assured that plastic stakes aren’t a suitable choice as they tend to crack or bend on rocky grounds.

7. Round Wire Tent Pegs

Round wire pegs with shepherd hook designs are the most common tent pegs you’re likely to find in any standard tent you choose to buy. Made of thin steel, these stakes retail in different lengths and will perform exceptionally well in firm grounds such as grass.

Note though that wire pegs are too prone to bending during hard winds and on buried stones or rocky surfaces.

8. Ripple or Skewer Pegs

Ripple or skewer pegs are quite similar to wire stakes, the only difference being the fact that they boast a twisted narrow design that can offer better holding power and more resistance. These tent pegs have been designed to work on medium-firm and soft grounds as they are likely to bend and spin if and when used on rocky grounds.

Despite all that, Shepherd hook stakes work exceptionally well with tents, freestanding tarps, and awnings in most conditions.

9. Screw Type Tent Pegs

Screw-type tent pegs are basically an advanced version of rock pegs. The only difference is that these screw types have been designed with a screw thread for improved grip and stability. They’ve been designed this way so they can easily turn in the event that they hit a stone.

Screw-type tent pegs can also at times get inserted with cordless drills if they retail with a compatible head.

10. Groundsheet Pegs

Groundsheet pegs are low-energy stakes typically designed to be used to hold groundsheets or footprints in the ground without tipping over. There are also special hooks you can invest in so they can help you remove these pegs from the ground without risking the danger of damaging them.

They are somewhat sensitive.

Can I Use Different Pegs Than The Ones That Come With The Tent?

Yes, you can, and in most cases, you’ll have to.

The kind of tent pegs you will need will depend on several factors, including, but not limited to, wind load, weather conditions, the weight of the tent pegs, size of pegs and tent, and most importantly, the ground or soil type you intend to use your tent and pegs on.

That said, as you may have noted in the previous section, most new tents come with well-known standard pegs that’re only appropriate for smooth weather tenting. A lot of hardcore campers have learned the hard way that one shouldn’t just depend on standard plastic tent stakes that come with tents.

Retaining a mixture of tent peg types for unique conditions you’ll encounter during your expeditions is essential if you want to safeguard your tent. Doing this will also help you avoid stress when camping in some of the most severe weather conditions.

Fortunately, you can now invest in a set (or two) of any type of tent peg from the list above separately. They’re extremely affordable and will ensure you’re always prepared.