Tips 2: Pitching your Tent (Ground Pegs)

It is good to start by securing one end of the tent against the wind. Make sure that all sections are assembled properly.

Place ground pegs at the corners of the tent (start on the end towards the wind). Pull the tent taut and place the ground pegs at the other end. All four pegs are put through the metal rings at the corners.

Ground pegs are to be placed at an angle of 45° into the ground for good grip.

[source: Hilleberg Akto pitching instructions - 2.42mb file >> download pdf version]



Storing the fabric separate from the poles and pegs saves space in your pack. Also, if you fold/roll the fabric towards the head end in the morning, you can unroll the tent holding on to the 'head' end at night. Makes it easier to place the tent properly for the all-important view.

Making sure that none of the guylines are tangled, peg out the 'head' end with 2 pegs, and then move to the 'foot' end. As you go, untangle any guylines or the central webbing that runs under tent, and then peg out the 'foot' end of the tent. If it's windy or gusting, keep the fabric low and secure as you're moving to complete the pegging out. Relying on 2 pegs to hold down a potential kite is not a sensible option, even if the profile is low at this stage.

For me, the head of the tent is the end with the porch in it. Some people prefer looking diagonally out of the porch. I've slept that way a couple of times when the tent is on a slope and the wind direction has limited the tent's pitching options. You lose the option of having handy gear in the pouch, but that's all.

At the moment I'm storing the tent in the Hilleberg bag, but will be investigating stuff sacks later.