Many Uses of Tie-Out Stakes

Written By Rachel Novak

The first thing most people think of regarding the different ways one can use a tie-out stake is to use as a stake on which to tie a lead line for the family dog in the front or back  yard. The dog is safe from strangers – and the strangers are safe from the dog – yet the family pet can have a relatively free run of the perimeter around the stake, letting him move about, but only as far as his lead line is long.

But what if you don’t have a dog (or one that you would put outside for a bit)? What other ways could a tie-out stake be put to good use?

Read below for five different uses of a tie-out stake:

  • Use it as a clothes line. Place the stake in the ground, stretch out the retractable cable and attach the far end to a loop you’ve placed on a wall or even a high patio shelf. Don’t make it too steep of an angle or the clothes might slip down toward the stake (and possibly hit the ground).
  • Have a bouncy house (those inflatable jumping things so popular at children’s parties) in your future? Place the stake in the ground and the retractable line to a corner of the house and set the line to a short distance of “give.” This allows the house to move a bit on the ground, but not so much that it will move over to your flower beds as the kids bounce happily about.
  • Time your sprinting efforts with it. Unsure how far it is in your backyard for a good 50- or 100-yard dash? Depending on how long the stake’s line is, measure the length of the line at its longest, attach the hook to your belt, sprint (start your stopwatch) as fast as you can and then hit the stopwatch when you reach the end of the line. Voila! You know you went a certain distance and you know how fast you ran to get there.
  • Going to the shore or lake with a raft, Ski-Doo or other watercraft? Place the stake firmly in the sand and attach the end to the raft/Ski-Doo/boat. Your craft can move in and out with the waves and the tide, but it will never head out to sea or further out on the lake. Reel the line in when you want to use the boat.

Sure, these uses are a bit facetious, but we hoped we’ve stirred your creative juices. Tie-out stakes can be very versatile, with just a little creativity (and always keeping safety in mind).

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