Two factors will narrow your choice: Soil type and application.

Penetrators work best in compact soils without big rocks, and/or with applications that require cables, brackets, or base plates. Penetrators (PE36 & PE46) have been tested to replace concrete footings. And Penetrators can be easily removed for temporary installations.

Cabled anchors (Bullets and Arrowheads) are most often used in light/sandy or hard/rocky soils. They will not go through rocks, but snake around small ones. These anchors are great for permanent installations including retaining walls, guying towers, tall structures, and holding down containers, sheds, and gazebos.

Our anchors will work in most soils—through asphalt, frozen ground, and even underwater—but will NOT go through solid rock or concrete.

Backfill typically does not have good holding capacity due to its lack of compact (as it’s often used for drainage). When anchoring into backfill, drill down deeper until you reach compact, undisturbed soil so your holding strength will be greater.

Gravel also does not have holding capacity, so we suggest brushing away the gravel until you reach solid, compact ground and install your anchor there.

Your choice of anchor size will be determined by the amount of holding strength needed for your application, not necessarily the size or length of the anchor. Read " How to Choose the Right Size Earth Anchor for Your Application."

Penetrators are easy to install with a 6-point socket and impact wrench. We suggest a minimum of 750 foot-pounds of torque or more. In harder soils, Penetrators require pre-drilling. You’ll pre-drill a 1-inch hole with a masonry bit for the PE10, PE14, PE18, PE26, and a 2-inch hole using an auger or drill bit for the PE36 and PE46. Read “Pre-Drilling Holes for Earth Anchors."

If you're having a tough time installing a Penetrator anchor flush to the ground due to lack of torque, or if the soil is very dense and hard, use a socket along with a breaker bar or a multiplier to finish the install. Pouring water down the hole can be helpful.

Cabled anchors (Bullets and Arrowheads) require a drive rod and hammer, rotary hammer, or jackhammer/pavement breaker to install, then you pull back on the cable to set the anchor. Watch these helpful Installation Videos for Cabled Anchors. You can use your own drive rod for the Bullet or Arrowhead anchors, just make sure the steel is smooth. Do not use rebar because it will get stuck into the installation head. Check out our drive rods and other installation accessories for specifications.

Please refer to the load capacity page to learn about the holding strength/shear strength of every anchor.

The rule of thumb for anchor spacing—the distance between ground anchors—is, “Whatever depth the anchor goes in the ground, the next anchor should be at least that distance away.” For example, if you are using the PE26, which is 26 inches long, the next anchor should be at least 26 inches away. If you cut that in half to 13 inches of spacing, you lose approximately 15% holding capacity. If you reduce spacing to 6.5 inches apart, you lose approximately 30% holding capacity. Installation depth equals the length of the anchor. Here’s more information on anchor depth and spacing.

For the PE26, PE36 and PE46 anchors, along with Bullets and Arrowheads, install them at the same angle the load will be pulling. It's the flights of the anchors that provide the hold. You want the anchor facing towards what you are anchoring. Do not install Penetrators facing the opposite way, as this could bow and break the anchor.

The Penetrator, Bullet, and Arrowhead anchors are made of 356 aluminum alloy, heat treated to T6 specifications.

The ¼ inch cable used for the PE10, PE18, and PE26 Penetrator tie-off cables has a breaking strength of 7,000 lbs. The ⅜ inch cable used for the PE36 and PE46 Penetrator has a breaking strength of 14,400 lbs.

You can choose galvanized aluminum or stainless-steel aircraft cables. Custom lengths are available. When using cable clamps, you must use all three clamps to achieve up to 86% of the cable breaking strength.

We pride ourselves on getting orders out the same day or next. Custom orders for brackets, cable lengths etc. might take a few days longer. On the rare occasion that we are out of stock, we will call with an updated ship time which usually is within a week.

Yes, for international shipments, give us a call at 1-508-520-8511

In addition to our top-rated customer service, all our anchors and accessories are made in the USA. The Penetrator design is unique to American Earth Anchors and valued for its strength, along with ease of installation and removal. We stand by everything we make, and that’s why we are we are the world's most trusted ground anchors.