Best cord for tarp suspension and guy lines

[hawghangar]

I have one tarp rigged with the continuous ridge line connected by prussicks.... a second tarp is rigged with the individual suspension lines on each end connected with Dutch wasps. I really think it is equally easy to center my tarp with both setups. As a matter of fact, in cold temperatures it is easier to center with the Dutch wasps than the prussick attachments. YMMV

[MadUncleAndy]

i use 1.75mm lash-it for the ridgeline and Lawson Glowire for the guylines.

The Lash-it is light, crazy strong, and easily spliceable.

The Glowire is plenty strong, but heavier, but if you (and those you camp with) use their headlamps, it makes it much less likely that someone trips over it after dark. If there was a reflective 1.75mm lash-it alternative, I'd probably use that for guylines also.

[MadUncleAndy]

Good suggestions on the type of cord to use. How about how much is needed?
For example, I am about to build a Winter Tarp (11 ft ridgeline) - How much for the ridgeline suspension? How much for the 8 tie outs? If you use line adjusters, do you need additional length?
Currently I have about 15ft on each of the 4 corners of a diamond tarp which is usually overkill.

CC

I use a 30 foot continuous ridgeline, with a dutch hook spliced on one end and a prusik with a dutch hook on the other. These clip onto continuous loops I've larks-headed onto my tarp. I think I got the idea from Derek Hanson. Oh... and have used my "Big Carl" pack hanger to extend it when needed.

For the guylines, I have 10 foot of Lawson Glowire with a Yosemitie Bowline on one side to larks-head onto the tarp loops, a length of shock cord attached to make self-tensioning guylines, and a stopper knot on the far end. Then I added a prusik which I loop around the stake and then tension by pulling the line through the prusik. 10 foot is long enough to tie off to trees or other things, or to use in porch mode when the mood strikes, and IIRC, the Glowire I use is something like 1 gram / foot, so it doesn't add a terrible amount of weight.

Each guyline is about 15 grams total, including the shock cord part for the self-tensioner and the prusik loop, and they light up like a Christmas tree when they are in the beam of your headlamp.

The ridgline weighs in at about the same weight as one of the guylines...Lash-it is about 0.5 grams per foot and the Dutch hooks are pretty light also...I forget the exact value.

[hangNyak]

I use Zing-It for all. I started with individual lines on the tarp. Then I went with CRL with prussics under the tarp. Then I switched to over the tarp. I found that prussics always slip during the night. Then I switched to a figure eight with biners and finally to the figure eight method that Doogie shows with a Dutch hook and Fly. After 20 minutes of fooling with that setup in the dark one night, I thought there has to be a better way. There was. I went back to the original simple idea of a separate line on each end. I have a Dutch Fly on each ring of my Superfly. If you know your ridgeline length and the length of your tarp, simple math will tell you how far to put the first end of your tarp from the hammock end. No need for all the adjust back and forth. I also have 6 foot lines for guy outs that I just simply Marlin spike hitch to the stake. Simple. I figure I'm just hanging a tarp, not building rockets. Why does it need to be fiddly and complicated?

[DuctTape]

Different length guylines for different tarps. In summer my OES deluxe has 8ft lines as it is pitched wide open in summer. My JRB 10x11 has 2ft lines as it is pitchhed staright to the ground as a 360 shelter. For both, the tarp suspension is just 8ft on each end which I tie to the tree with a taughline hitch. Since I hang the tarp first, I center the hammock under the tarp, not the other way around. This routine is important for me for when I have bad weather. Tarp first is my mantra.

[Pshaw]

I love the continuous ridge line with prussicks, it's easy to adjust and center. I give myself a lot of cord on each pull out just incase.

[Tacoma96]

I love the continuous ridge line with prussicks, it's easy to adjust and center. I give myself a lot of cord on each pull out just incase.

+1 on the continuous ridge line with prussicks. I use the reflectorized rope that can be purchased at any Walmart.

[maximillian]

[QUOTE=MadUncleAndy;1370957]I use a 30 foot continuous ridgeline, with a dutch hook spliced on one end and a prusik with a dutch hook on the other. These clip onto continuous loops I've larks-headed onto my tarp. I think I got the idea from Derek Hanson.QUOTE]

Great idea, do you have any Pictures on this i action? Been toying with the idea my selg, but haven´t taken the time to test it......

[MadUncleAndy]

I don't have a picture handy, but this page has both the diagrams I used for inspiration http://theultimatehang.com/2012/11/v...s-with-a-tarp/

...and here's an explanation. If you still want a picture, let me know and I'll eventually post one, but no promises on timing.


Have a look first at the "Continuous Ridgeline with Dutch Hook and Tarp Flyz" at the bottom of the page. Caveat...the only reason I didn't just follow this diagram alone is that I had the Dutch Hooks laying around, and no Flyz. If Santa brings me a Tarp Fly for Christmas, I'll probably switch to using it.

But...since I didn't, scroll up the same page and find "Simple Continuous Ridgeline With Two Carabiners" ... for the other end I larks headed another loop on the other side of my tarp, just like on the first side, and then instead of the carabiner, spliced the second Dutch Hook onto the prusik loop and attach it to the loop on the tarp, then tighten with the prusik as in the carabiner diagram.

Again...I will probably switch to the fly configuration after Christmas, and unless you really want that couple grams difference, or have the hardware laying around, I'd recommend the fly version. What I did may be marginally lighter, but I learned the hard way that that prusik loop in 1.75mm lash-it is a pain unto the tuckus if you have cold fingers in the winter.

[maximillian]

Thanks for the description mate, i think i understand.
Been torn between using Dereks two methods and just using a two piece ridgeline for my Superfly.
Initially while using the hook+wasp combo my issue was stuffing the tarp without dumping it on the ground, for some reason i'm not fond of Snakeskins and using a double sided stuffsack is more my cup of tea.

When i got the stuffin part working i found that my SF ridgeline got twisted...

So basically i'm back on square one....

The two carabiner method works but there is the Prussik knot problem you mentioned......