Buyer Feedback: MSR Groundhog Tent Stake Kit

https://amzn.to/42U2uo4 - MSR Groundhog Tent Stake Kit

Small and lightweight. They seemed to hold my tarp fairly well in moderate winds. I'd be interested in seeing how they do in winds of +20mph.
Great stakes stronger and lighter than my factory stakes. Are durable as well. I tested theese on a Kodiak, AK goat hunt for 3 days with my spike tent.
Ive used these for about a year on my Warbonnet Superfly Tarp. Great stakes for the most part but I do have some warnings.
First of all, my buddy bought the same thing at Wally Mart for a lot less--maybe they werent the same but look identical other than "MSR" on the side.
Second, the top of the stake should be reinforced somehow. After whackin on them about a hundred times they start to deform and get VERY SHARP. I went to the hardware store and got a PVC end cap to solve that problem.
Finally, these are NOT indestructible as some people call them. I broke three out of four pulling them out of the ground this weekend (which is why I am looking for stakes on Amazon today).Here was the scenario .
. northern MN (near Isabella). About 35 degrees when we set up. Ground was thawed down about a half inch but these stakes went in--so far so good. Then Mother Nature got divorce papers or something because she threw a tantrum.
30 MPH sustained winds off the lake with only a few trees to block for two days straight--day AND night. Only got to 17 degrees but the "real feel" must have been way below zero.
I was comfy warm all night in my hammock surrounded by down quilts but the ground was frozen like a rock on Sunday morning. First stake took about 5 minutes to carefully wiggle out.
The others all snapped (see pic).BTW, I love that little Dutchware tarpworm in the photo.
Makes setup super fast and I never have to worry about the stake, line and worm getting separated.So, great stakes but NOT indestructible--but dont but the MSR brand--they are cheaper elsewhere.
My new tent came with a set of the standard silver "hook" type stakes. Every time I have used them in the past, at least half bend on the first outing.
This time I figured I would upgrade and save some weight. I am glad that I did. The Groundhogs worked great and were easy to see even while staked into the leaf covered forest floor.
The reflective cord is a nice touch if you have to tear down before sunrise. I have not had a chance to try them in hard ground yet, but I am sure they will fare better than the silver hooks.
The only minor drawback is they take a little bit of extra effort to clean off when the mud sticks in between the flats.
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