Tent peg
Encyclopedia
A tent peg is a spike, usually with a hook or hole on the top end, typically made from wood, metal, plastic, or composite material, pushed or driven into the ground for holding a tent
to the ground, either directly by attaching to the tent's material, or by connecting to ropes attached to the tent. Traditionally, a tent peg is improvised from a section of a small tree branch, if possible with a small side branch cut off to leave a hook, driven into the ground narrower end first.
Tent pegs are used to help maintain the tent's shape, and to hold the tent in place against wind.
Tent pegs are preferably pushed into the ground by hand. However, hard ground, or bigger tent pegs, will require a tent peg mallet
to drive them into the ground.
A tent peg provides the greatest holding ability when it is inserted into the ground so that the point of attachment of the rope is at ground level. This minimises the rope's ability to apply leverage to the tent peg, which can loosen or pull the tent peg from the ground.
Above, the emphasis is on leverage and in recent years a new type of tent peg has been developed which eliminates leverage. The addition of an arm at the top of the peg enables the tension to be directed to a point beneath the ground where the soil is firm. The peg is 'balanced' with little or no leverage (moment). This new peg style presents a greater surface area to resist tension in guys.
The type of tent peg best suited to a tent will be determined by several factors, such as:
Other styles of tent pegs have fully formed eyes through which the rope is passed so that the rope cannot come off the peg no matter in which direction the peg is oriented. The new Delta shape peg always points toward the tent and can never turn. The guy is partially buried and cannot slip off the hook. Delta shaped pegs lie level with the soil offering maximum safety.
Some types of tent pegs are made from flat material pressed in to a shallow "V" shape cross section. This type of tent peg relies on the broadness of the section to not turn under tension.
Tent peg types and styles may typically vary in length from 150mm to 490mm, and in thickness from 1.6mm to 3.2mm for flat section tent pegs and from 4mm to 11.2mm for wire rod tent pegs. Smaller wire tent pegs are also available, especially where weight is critical.
Plastic tent pegs are typically very wide and longer than metal pegs, and are used for softer ground types, sand and light soils.
Heavy duty tent pegs may be made from angle iron from 2.5mm to 5mm thick, and have the hook welded into the open side of the angle, meaning that the open angle faces the tent, bracing the open angle of the tent peg against the tension.
rod or wire, pressed flat steel, aluminium
section, titanium
alloy, angle iron, plastic, polycarbonate
, polypropylene
, polystyrene
, or ABS plastic. Steel tent pegs are typically zinc plated or stainless steel
. Untreated metal tent pegs are available. Carbon fibre metal tipped tent pegs are also manufactured. Wooden tent pegs are now not common, with higher strength to weight ratio, and high durability, materials being used instead.
Biodegradable tent pegs are sometimes used for special events when there is a risk that tent pegs will impact the environment.
.
provides the story of Jael
, the wife of Heber, a Kenite
tentmaker in which Jael
kills Sisera
by driving a tent peg through his temple
as he sleeps. (4:21) Tent pegs have also been used as murder weapons in recent history, for example in the murder of Billie-Jo Jenkins.
Other uses of tent pegs are as improvised climbing piton
s, for example in the siege of the Sogdian Rock and Jean-Christophe Lafaille
's self rescue on Annapurna
.
Tent
A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles or attached to a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using guy ropes tied to stakes or tent pegs...
to the ground, either directly by attaching to the tent's material, or by connecting to ropes attached to the tent. Traditionally, a tent peg is improvised from a section of a small tree branch, if possible with a small side branch cut off to leave a hook, driven into the ground narrower end first.
Tent peg use
A tent will typically be pegged to the ground by a combination of both direct attachment to the tent's material and via ropes.Tent pegs are used to help maintain the tent's shape, and to hold the tent in place against wind.
Tent pegs are preferably pushed into the ground by hand. However, hard ground, or bigger tent pegs, will require a tent peg mallet
Mallet
A mallet is a kind of hammer, usually of rubber,or sometimes wood smaller than a maul or beetle and usually with a relatively large head.-Tools:Tool mallets come in different types, the most common of which are:...
to drive them into the ground.
A tent peg provides the greatest holding ability when it is inserted into the ground so that the point of attachment of the rope is at ground level. This minimises the rope's ability to apply leverage to the tent peg, which can loosen or pull the tent peg from the ground.
Above, the emphasis is on leverage and in recent years a new type of tent peg has been developed which eliminates leverage. The addition of an arm at the top of the peg enables the tension to be directed to a point beneath the ground where the soil is firm. The peg is 'balanced' with little or no leverage (moment). This new peg style presents a greater surface area to resist tension in guys.
Types of tent pegs
Tent pegs come in wide variety of shapes, sizes, and materials.The type of tent peg best suited to a tent will be determined by several factors, such as:
- the type of ground where the tent is to be used, for example, snow, soft soil, sand, hard or rocky soil, etc., and hence the gripping or holding strength of the ground versus the ease of penetrating the ground
- the size of the tent, and hence the weight of material to be kept in shape, and the wind load
- the weather conditions when the tent is to be used, primarily affecting the wind load on the tent
- the weight of the tent peg, bearing on the ability for the tent to be transported, often in backpackBackpackA backpack is, in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, but there can be exceptions...
s
Characteristics of tent pegs
Better quality tent pegs will have symmetrical tips, either conical or "V" shaped, to ensure that they can be driven into the ground without veering off alignment. They will also typically have hook extensions to allow the end of the hook to be also driven into the ground, providing a second ground contact point, to reduce the risk that the peg may turn in the ground under tension and allow the rope it is holding to slip off the hook.Other styles of tent pegs have fully formed eyes through which the rope is passed so that the rope cannot come off the peg no matter in which direction the peg is oriented. The new Delta shape peg always points toward the tent and can never turn. The guy is partially buried and cannot slip off the hook. Delta shaped pegs lie level with the soil offering maximum safety.
Some types of tent pegs are made from flat material pressed in to a shallow "V" shape cross section. This type of tent peg relies on the broadness of the section to not turn under tension.
Tent peg types and styles may typically vary in length from 150mm to 490mm, and in thickness from 1.6mm to 3.2mm for flat section tent pegs and from 4mm to 11.2mm for wire rod tent pegs. Smaller wire tent pegs are also available, especially where weight is critical.
Plastic tent pegs are typically very wide and longer than metal pegs, and are used for softer ground types, sand and light soils.
Heavy duty tent pegs may be made from angle iron from 2.5mm to 5mm thick, and have the hook welded into the open side of the angle, meaning that the open angle faces the tent, bracing the open angle of the tent peg against the tension.
Materials
Tent pegs may be manufactured from steelSteel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
rod or wire, pressed flat steel, aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
section, titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
alloy, angle iron, plastic, polycarbonate
Polycarbonate
PolycarbonatePhysical PropertiesDensity 1.20–1.22 g/cm3Abbe number 34.0Refractive index 1.584–1.586FlammabilityV0-V2Limiting oxygen index25–27%Water absorption – Equilibrium0.16–0.35%Water absorption – over 24 hours0.1%...
, polypropylene
Polypropylene
Polypropylene , also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications including packaging, textiles , stationery, plastic parts and reusable containers of various types, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive components, and polymer banknotes...
, polystyrene
Polystyrene
Polystyrene ) also known as Thermocole, abbreviated following ISO Standard PS, is an aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry...
, or ABS plastic. Steel tent pegs are typically zinc plated or stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
. Untreated metal tent pegs are available. Carbon fibre metal tipped tent pegs are also manufactured. Wooden tent pegs are now not common, with higher strength to weight ratio, and high durability, materials being used instead.
Biodegradable tent pegs are sometimes used for special events when there is a risk that tent pegs will impact the environment.
Tent pegs in history and society
Armies on the move have often used tents for sleeping accommodation overnight. A tactic used by an opposing force was too initiate an attack by riding on horse back at speed through an army's tents knocking the tent pegs out of the ground thereby collapsing tents on the enemy as they slept providing a means to hinder the enemy while a more direct attack took place. This practice has now developed into a stylised equestrian sport in various forms called tent peggingTent pegging
Tent pegging is a cavalry sport of ancient origin, and is one of only ten equestrian disciplines officially recognised by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports. Used narrowly, the term refers to a specific mounted game with ground targets...
.
Improvised use of tent pegs
The Book of JudgesBook of Judges
The Book of Judges is the seventh book of the Hebrew bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its title describes its contents: it contains the history of Biblical judges, divinely inspired prophets whose direct knowledge of Yahweh allows them to act as decision-makers for the Israelites, as...
provides the story of Jael
Jaël
Jaël, , is a singer-songwriter from the band Lunik. She also co-wrote and sang with Delerium on the song After All on their album Chimera, and the song Lost and Found on their album Nuages du Monde. She is both internationally famous in the Trance music community as well as domestically famous from...
, the wife of Heber, a Kenite
Kenite
Kenites or Cinites , according to the Hebrew Bible, were a nomadic clan in the ancient Levant, sent under Jethro a priest in the land of Midian. They played an important role in the history of ancient Israel. The Kenites were coppersmiths and metalworkers. Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, was a...
tentmaker in which Jael
Jaël
Jaël, , is a singer-songwriter from the band Lunik. She also co-wrote and sang with Delerium on the song After All on their album Chimera, and the song Lost and Found on their album Nuages du Monde. She is both internationally famous in the Trance music community as well as domestically famous from...
kills Sisera
Sisera
Sisera was commander of the Canaanite army of King Jabin of Hazor mentioned in the of the Hebrew Bible. After being defeated by Barak, Sisera was killed by Jael, who hammered a tent peg into his temple....
by driving a tent peg through his temple
Temple (anatomy)
Temple indicates the side of the head behind the eyes. The bone beneath is the temporal bone as well as part of the sphenoid bone.-Anatomy:Cladists classify land vertebrates based on the presence of an upper hole, a lower hole, both, or neither in the cover of dermal bone which formerly covered the...
as he sleeps. (4:21) Tent pegs have also been used as murder weapons in recent history, for example in the murder of Billie-Jo Jenkins.
Other uses of tent pegs are as improvised climbing piton
Piton
In climbing, a piton is a metal spike that is driven into a crack or seam in the rock with a hammer, and which acts as an anchor to protect the climber against the consequences of a fall, or to assist progress in aid climbing...
s, for example in the siege of the Sogdian Rock and Jean-Christophe Lafaille
Jean-Christophe Lafaille
Jean-Christophe Lafaille was a French mountaineer noted for a number of difficult ascents in the Alps and Himalaya, and for what has been described as "perhaps the finest self-rescue ever performed in the Himalaya", when he was forced to descend the mile-high south face of Annapurna alone with a...
's self rescue on Annapurna
Annapurna
Annapurna is a section of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal that includes Annapurna I, thirteen additional peaks over and 16 more over ....
.