Best way to secure ice anchors

[RACKER]

I am asking for advice for the most secure and fast way to secure ice anchors that come with the shelters now.I had a rapala shelter given to me and it came with 6 anchors that are about 8 inches long with a d ring shape at the top.Do the attachments that fit on a cordless drill do any ok job to pin them down or should you pre drill with some sort of bit before?I have never used them before and I used to secure an old hunting blind tied down to sandbags.Yes that sounds bad but it worked well so my Dad could sit in comfort catching a few perch.Any advice would be welcome.Thanks and good luck to all this season and be careful on the ice.

[archercurt]

If they are the standard ice anchors that come with most tents there is no need for a drill, or pre drill. Just run them in by hand. Works like a dream!

[RavYak]

You can put them in by hand easy enough or buy the drill attachment and use that, no need to predrill holes.

[Stonecutter]

I have the drill attachment. Found it to be one of the best pieces of kit I bought last season! It's pretty fast to turn them in and it makes setting up the tent in the wind so much more easy. I'd recommend it. No need to predrill anything. Just lock your anchor in, put the sharp end thru the loop and spin it in. Done and done.

[cube]

Originally Posted by RACKER

I am asking for advice for the most secure and fast way to secure ice anchors that come with the shelters now.I had a rapala shelter given to me and it came with 6 anchors that are about 8 inches long with a d ring shape at the top.Do the attachments that fit on a cordless drill do any ok job to pin them down or should you pre drill with some sort of bit before?I have never used them before and I used to secure an old hunting blind tied down to sandbags.Yes that sounds bad but it worked well so my Dad could sit in comfort catching a few perch.Any advice would be welcome.Thanks and good luck to all this season and be careful on the ice.

To some degree it might matter where you live. ie wind velocity and direction/direction changes might make a difference.
If I lived down south where the wind is always fierce I would probably get a tool as I would always be putting them in and I would also be putting in 4-8 anchors.
Up here I don't often use anchors and if I do it is just one or two as the direction does not change much and rarely blows that strong.

If you pre-drill you will fracture the ice less. Especially "dinner plating". this means you will have greater holding power but most of the time you will not require this extra holding power.

For what it's worth ice climbing screws start easier and don't fracture the ice and have much better holding power not to mention don't melt out nearly as badly as the screws that come with most tents. Hence these are what I use but they are expensive and not really required.

[StrayArc]

I usually only have to use 1 or 2 anchors in central ab but on windy days i'll pre drill with a cordless and they anchor great without dinerplating

[kevinhits]

Here in Southern alberta we need to anchor most days...I will predill a 1/4 inch and helps get the anchor in with ease

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by cube

To some degree it might matter where you live. ie wind velocity and direction/direction changes might make a difference.
If I lived down south where the wind is always fierce I would probably get a tool as I would always be putting them in and I would also be putting in 4-8 anchors.
Up here I don't often use anchors and if I do it is just one or two as the direction does not change much and rarely blows that strong.

If you pre-drill you will fracture the ice less. Especially "dinner plating". this means you will have greater holding power but most of the time you will not require this extra holding power.

For what it's worth ice climbing screws start easier and don't fracture the ice and have much better holding power not to mention don't melt out nearly as badly as the screws that come with most tents. Hence these are what I use but they are expensive and not really required.

I also use ice climbing screws. Made up an adapter to use with power drill. Have 8 or so but I am in windy country.

[Willowtrail]

I use the Eskimo anchor adapter. Works great and I don't predrill. You can just screw the Eskimo anchors in by hand if you don't have a drill.

[AvgCanadianJoe]

I find that pre-drilling and then anchoring with a lag bolt (large washer tack welded on) works extremely well. I just run a socket in my impact that fits the lag bolt. Also, with the impact gun it is easy to get them out after too, even when frozen solid.

Very handy when putting a tent up by yourself in the wind!

[Jack&7]

Do you absolutely need to pre-drill? no...the screws will go in by themselves...but I find that pre-drilling is a better hold and especially because of that "dinner-plating' phenomenon that others have mentioned.

It sure sucks when you have already got the anchors in most of your corners and then the last one just shatters and makes for a crappy hold.

[RavYak]

You can often reduce the "dinner plating" effect by applying more downward force while screwing in.

It is caused by spinning the anchor without it digging deeper which pulls up on the top layer of ice breaking it.

[JohninAB]

I pre-drill then use the attachment from Eskimo in my cordless driver and they go in nice and easy and hold the tent firmly in place.

Can bypass the pre-drill if you like, I just find it makes installation a bit easier for me if I pre-drill and no dinner plating.