Romany: one thing I would add that the standard wire peg supplied with most modern tents are not that great. My advice is to at least get a selection of pegs for different ground conditions as I'm sure you have. I personally love rock pegs as they seem to suit most ground conditions.
I do have Delta pegs and must admit that if the ground is not level they will not sit right and will use rock pegs. As mine are the plastic version they sometimes will not be suitable for the ground conditions either. I agree with Mike I like how the top lays flat with the ground though.
Yes this site does seem to be a pro Delta peg - which is why I bought some years ago. However you do not seem to get many complaints that they have failed. This could either be that the pegs are fantastic and work extremely well or that the people using them have realised that you may need something stronger than the basic wire pegs supplied with most tents.
Reading the ops notes he has probably not used the Delta pegs in the way intended. At least his tent was not damaged and survived the strong winds. At the end of the day that is what is most important.
Quote: Originally posted by romany on 10/6/2012
Its all about pegging and not about the pegs just come back from Milford by Hurst castle fairly open site Winds gusting to 80 miles an hour around the needles probably about 70 where we were the group we were with are tenters who are very experienced and not one tent was damaged or lost,
It would be a useful addition to this thread to explain your pegging technique, double pegging etc, for the benefit of forum members.
Quote: Originally posted by socks_uk on 09/6/2012
Hi again,
What I meant by 'lost' was the 2 hooked pegs pulled out of the ground but, as there was about 18 in total attached to our 2 Quechua tents, I didn't think that was too bad.
As for the Deltas, maybe we got it wrong with what we should have pegged down with them but with the gale force winds we've just experienced, they worked. I'm open to advice if anyone thinks we did get it wrong.
We arrived back home about an hour ago and already planning our next weekend away... maybe at short notice when we've seen the weather forecast!
Thanks for updating us Socks.
I was interested in your thinking, it was in no way meant to be seen as a criticism of how you pegged your tent with the Delta's. I wondered if the conditions you were in made you peg that way and if so if that would be useful to me (and others) in the future.
I haven't yet succumbed the the Delta's myself as whilst there is praise for them on here I have also seen many that have survived without them. I'm still thinking about it though
The Decathlon pop up tents perform really well in the wind, I've always been impressed with the ones that we have. Given their ability to deform I'd be surprised to lose one in high winds.
We also double peg when necessary and our pegs always go all the way into the ground, as indeed all pegs should. No peg should ever be protruding above the ground (unless it's one designed for that purpose). I've lost count of how many tents I've seen with the pegs halfway in! No wonder the guys come off and I'm surprised they don't get more injuries from people slicing their feet on pegs.
Our main tent Quechua Seconds Family 4.1 faired well with the exceptional winds all week. Not once did it lose its shape. But our Quechua Base Seconds Full did squash a bit in the gales but with it being a 'pop-up' it popped back up!
Hopefully we won't be in winds as strong as we've just experienced but we will have a go at using the Deltas on the guy ropes. Pictures Pictures
Looking at the pictures, I can see we need more guys on the Base Seconds Full.
Post last edited on 10/06/2012 22:17:18
------------- "Yeah, I'll go camping as long as we have an Aerobed!"
2013
Planning to go to Holland for 2 weeks camping in August BUT the planning is giving me a headache!
We were using deltas on our main guys last week and just about survived the gales on the Isle of Wight. We did have a pole break as two guys went, in our case one knot undid so the rope went through the adjuster and one adjuster thingy split.
We also had problems with the metal hook type pegs that were holding or rather not holding down the canvas. The ground was so wet from the rain before the wind that some of the pegs just would not stay in the ground.
One of our poles sunk down about 8 inches too before we started putting oyster shells the kids had previously collected from the beach under the end of the poles!
What pegs are best for pegging down the flysheet in very wet soil?
I have Deltas and entirely trust them not to come out of the ground in a strong wind.
However, back in April we came home a day early because of continuous strong winds. I wasn't worried about the pegs, but was concerned that my bell tent central pole was bending quite a bit. There were three tents in our group and the little polyester ones looked as if the fabric would rip from the guys, if the wind continued much longer.
I pitched all three tents and none of the pegs came out. My tent had about half Delta pegs, the reason being that I gave the other half to my brother who had forgotten to bring the ones I bought him. The smallest tent was pegged with ordinary pegs.
We also pitched 'bum into the wind', the only trouble being that the wind turned completely round. When that happens, there's no way you can repitch while it's blowing a gale. The bell tent probably comes into its own there because of its round shape.
The pegs are only one factor in pitching a tent securely. If the pegs are secure it just means that something else then becomes the weakest point.
(The only thing that ever defeated one of my Deltas was an over-enthusiastic friend who was trying to help me take my tent down, and tugged at the Delta from the wrong end until it split!)
I think you're right Sarah. Sometimes the weather simply exceeds the overall capabilities of a tent. If the peg is secure, then the next weakest point will go, which if not the guy, could be the fixing point or the flysheet itself.
Correct pegging and pitching techniques are clearly helpful, but I don't think it's *all* in the pegging. A selection of pegs appropriate for all ground conditions are needed too.
------------- Mike
My advice is worth no more than the price paid for it
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Topic: Delta Pegs in gale force winds!
The smallest tent was pegged with ordinary pegs. 
