As another dedicated backyard tinkerer, over the years I have purchased just about every type you can think of. Like the rest I have managed to pull the top off the 9" Easton but not the 6", although I have bent and broken some of each. The only stakes that I have not bent so far are the Y type, like the MSR Groundhog . Much stronger IMHO than the V type .
You can pound the Y in with a rock and, with a light kick to loosen them, you should be able to pull them out using the attached cord. I have cut myself several times pulling out the same Y type without the cord ( you would think that once was enough....) BTW, when it's cold it really hurts, just trust me on this one.
Franco