Copper Spur Question

Parma

Parma

@parma26
Joined
Feb 12, 2014
Messages
759
Got back from our "Klondike". Highs were in the 60s and at night it was in the low 40s. It was quite nice, But not what you think of when you go camping in Utah in February.
Anyway, this was my first use of my Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2.
For those of you that have one, do you only use the 8 stakes it comes with?
How often have you staked in the other guylines?
Do you just use one stake on the vestibules and put both loops around that stake?
Loved the tent and it stood up very well in a couple times of pretty stiff winds.
 
Usually if I'm setting up that tent I go all the way and stake down everything. If I was in a situation where I was just putting it up real quick for the night and there was no potential weather I probably wouldn't stake it out at all, or even put on the rain fly. But then again in that situation I probably just wouldn't use it in the first place. I only use one stake on the vestibules with just the one loop through it, otherwise it would be awfully difficult to open the door. If you set it up like that you don't need any extra stakes.
 
I think I just use one stake for the vestibules as well. I'm not sure I've ever staked out guylines on any tent. I guess I'm ignorant (and have never looked it up)...but I don't really see what purpose they serve. Strength in wind? Get the fly away from tent for ventilation/wetness when it rains?
 
Hmm...a quick google search gave me this. I skimmed it and I guess I was on the right track. Maybe I'll start doing it if it looks like it might be windy or rainy. Or maybe I'll just try it to see if it makes a difference with ventilation and what not. I'm usually too lazy , though.

Sorry to derail a little Parma...
 
No, this is pretty much the question I had. How important are ALL the guylines?
The tent doesn't come with enough stakes to do all of them, so how important are they if they don't give you stakes to stake them in?
I use the 8 stakes like this: 4 at each corner, 2 for the verstibules and one at the head and one at the foot. This leaves 4 more guylines at the corners halfway up the tent that just hang there.
 
I noticed that the article said that tents usually don't come with the extra stakes that would coincide with the guylines - which matches what you said Parma. I can't remember how many guylines my CS2 has (2 or 4) . I suppose if a guy were worried about strong winds....or lived in a really rainy or humid environment, using all the guylines would be more important. I guess I just haven't found the need. But, I'm still a bit curious to try it out one of these days to see if noticed a difference (mostly in ventilation). Lame that it will require buying/packing more stakes.

Here is a TRUE derailing question: In wind, do you guys get squeaky sounds coming from the fly (rubbing on the poles I guess)? Man, sometimes that drives me nuts. So much so that I remember getting up in the middle of the night to try to put socks in between the fly and poles where I thought it was rubbing. No, it didn't work. =)
 
You're right @Nick there are only 2 additional guylines. At the head of the tent. None at the foot.
 
Ahh right. So yeah, my tent comes with enough stakes for all locations. 4 for the corners, 2 for the vestibules, 2 for the guylines and 2 for the front and back of fly for a total of 10.

Mike K said:
Here is a TRUE derailing question: In wind, do you guys get squeaky sounds coming from the fly (rubbing on the poles I guess)? Man, sometimes that drives me nuts. So much so that I remember getting up in the middle of the night to try to put socks in between the fly and poles where I thought it was rubbing. No, it didn't work. =)
Click to expand...

Not that I recall.
 
i just saw a video of a guy setting up the tent and he staked the 2 higher guylines to the same stake as the guyline at the head of the tent...all 3 guylines at the head of the tent on one stake.
I guess that's my answer!

 
Ha! That seems really odd to have the tension on those going toward the middle. It seems like you'd want it going away from the tent for when it gets hit with winds to keep it from pulling away. FWIW, I just double checked and my 2011 Copper Spur UL2 definitely came with 10 stakes - just enough to stake out each of those lines properly. I guess that's one way to make it lighter!
 
and in reviews i've looked at, finding one with the guylines staked out is pretty rare...no one does it.
but it makes sense to stake them out to make sure it's good and sturdy.
 
I figure if you've got 'em, use 'em. Otherwise, leave them at home. Whether they actually do much to help, I'm not sure. I do hate a flappety tent in a storm though...
 
The couple times I have ever used guylines have been to pull the walls of the rainfly away from the tent in moist situations. I've never used stakes for these, just natural things like an ok sized rock or stick. It helps with my tent (REI quarterdome) a lot when it rains because the rainfly does not cover the whole tent and thus water can get in my tent!!! Only once was it a big deal but that was enough for me to use those guylines.

I've heard people say to use every guyline you can if it is going to be windy or your primary stakes aren't in the ground very sturdy/at all. I've never had that problem so can't weigh in too much but I could see a tent getting ripped up in extreme wind. Which is better: tent flying away or tent being ripped apart? Tough question.
 
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