When the weather turns foul, you got to find a means to secure your 10×10 pop up tent so that it doesn’t parachute away leaving you and your guests unprotected. Needless to say, you should not underestimate the power of mother nature. Even the sturdiest of canopy tents can get plucked off the ground pretty easily by strong winds. Whether you’re using a pop-up tent or custom tents for your outdoor event, it’s important to know how much weight is needed to secure the tent and ensure it stays in place.
Luckily there are clever DIY solutions and accessories available to secure your custom canopy when necessary. And it’s also easy to gauge exactly how much weight you need on your 10×10 pop up tent to secure it against strong drafts. However, please bear in mind, that we do not advise you to take chances with inclement weather.
Two popular options
When it comes to securing tents there are two popular options available in the market – tent anchors and weights. Let’s take a close look at both of them.
Tent anchors
Tent anchors make use of guy ropes and tent stakes to secure a tent. The process is simple: one end of the guy rope attaches with the tent frame and the other end is fastened to a tent stake. Once all the guy ropes are fastened and taut, a hammer or a mallet is used to drive the tent stakes deep into the ground. Now your custom tent is ready to brave gusts and lashes of rain.
The only catch here is that you can use tent anchors on semi-hard ground only. It goes without saying that this method becomes useless on hard surface like concrete. So, make sure you know what kind of surface your camp site has before you set about securing your tent. If you are planning to take your tent to an outdoor event, talk to the organizers prior to attending the show to know if they’ll allow the use of tent stakes.
Weights
The other most popular method of securing tents is by using weights. In this method, artificial weights are fastened to tent legs to essentially weigh them down and keep them from toppling in windy conditions. Interestingly enough, tent weightsoutscore anchors in some ways. Here’s how.
- Tent weights are readily available in the market and come in all sorts of dimensions and price-points. No worries if you are on a budget! You can always find one that serves your purpose and is easy on your pocket.
- No matter the venue, tent weights will work anywhere, even on hard concrete surfaces.
The only downside to tent weights is, of course, the weight! You need at least 40 pounds of weight on each tent leg to secure a 10×10 pop up tent in strong winds. So, transportation can be a problem, not least if you are on a solo trip to an off-beat or remote location.
So what’s the best option for you?
- Go for tent anchors if you want a lightweight and easy-to-setup option. But remember, this will work only if the venue has a semi-hard surface and you are allowed to use tent stakes there.
- Go for tent weights if you have the means to transport them and the camp site is easily accessible.
Different types of tent weights
Cinder Blocks – This is probably the most common and low-cost way of securing a tent, or any other makeshift structure for that matter. You just need to place them on the tent legs and you are good to go.
Sandbags – Probably the simplest and most reliable means of securing objects in challenging conditions, sandbags have been used for decades now for everything from securing tents to building barricades. They are dirt-cheap and easy to assemble. Besides, empty sandbags are super-lightweight, meaning you can carry as many as you want across great distances.
Water Weights – You can purchase water weight containers online from all major tent accessories manufacturers. These are essentially leak-proof, plastic containers that you can fill up with water and stack up to create the leverage you want. Being lightweight, these containers are also easy to transport. Just make sure you have ample supply of water in your campsite or event venue.
Weight Plates – Made of cast iron, thick cement or high density rubber, weight plates make for a compact and practical solutionto secure your tent against strong drafts. And they do not occupy unnecessary space. Weight plates are often coated with hard plastic to make them more durable.
Popular DIY methods
There are DIY solutions to every problem, and constructing tent weights is no exception! Here’s a list of the most popular DIY solutions to weigh down tents.
Dumbbells – these gym accessories can serve as excellent DIY tent weights due to their compact size and weight.
Cement Blocks – If your concern is to secure large event tents – say 20×20 or bigger – for extended durations, large cement blocks might be the thing you need. Despite their bulk, cement blocks can keep your event tent planted and secure on hard surfaces, against strong gusts.
Bucket Tent Weights – A five-gallon bucket can carry as much as 40 lbs. of sand. That’s good enough to keep a tent in its place in windy conditions! Use one with each leg to secure your tent firmly on hard ground. Plastic buckets are light and you can always dump the sand when you are done and carry your buckets away along with your tent.
PVC pipes filled with concrete – Human ingenuity knows no bounds! This is probably why people have come up with this brilliant idea of curingconcrete inside PVC pipes and using them as tent weights!
Conclusion
Home-made or store-purchased, tent weights and anchors are essential accessories you should consider carrying when using your tent for recreational or business activities, across all seasons.After all, when the wind picks up, you need something to safeguard your asset!
