Originally Posted by
souperjen24
I bought shock cord today in anticipation of using it on my tarp doors in some way... not exactly sure how yet. So it's possible I could try a system like yours for my side tie outs. I also purchased some line lok's from the website just to have/experiment with.
I'm not sure I quite understand your explanation with your other tarp setup, and I think that's because I'm not 100% sure what tying or splicing a fixed loop into the tie out line would look like. So instead of creating a knot that would make a loop on the line, you just make it permanent by splicing it? I'm almost positive that with my current setup, I've just attached the guy line to the tarp tie-out loops with a lark's head. Does that sound right? And then I hook the line through my NitIze Figure 9's, and then attach to my stakes.
So, by way of Tragic Backstory, I used to be a huge devotee of Kelty's Trip-Tease, reflective kernmantle cord. I'd tie a bowline (loop knot) in one end, and I'd use that loop to make a simple hitch through the tie-out. The line is now on the tie-out. I'd put a Fig 9 "somewhere" along that tie-out line. "Somewhere" varies. For example, I might have one side of the tarp in "porch mode", which means I need more line on that side to reach over my branch/tree/pole to raise one side of the tarp into a porch. The other side was tied down tight, with very little line between the tarp tie-out and the Fig 9. So, I'd move the Fig 9's where I wanted them, to give me enough line to do what I wanted. Make sense?
Now, I use either Zing-It or Reflect-It from Dutch. Both are a hollow core cord, so it splices really easily. I make a permanent loop in the cord (eye splice, or locked Brummel splice, you can Google/YouTube search these phrases), slip the loop through the tarp tie-out loop/ring, and pull the line through the loop, just like making a lark's head knot. I like splicing, plus the fiddle factor can't be denied or under-stated. And I've done things like use green line for the starboard, red for port, sides of the tarp. Or Silver for the head end, Gold for the foot. I can be weird that way.
Again, this is my fiddlement, not a doctrine of any sort. I have two tarps, so one has all the lines attached to the tarp (it has line pockets on each tie-out, ala Hennessy Hex) and one with shock cord and Fleaz. I have two sets of stakes, in separate sacks. TBH, I've set up camp with BOTH sets of stakes more often than I've found myself without any. And like others have said, I use rocks and logs to help hold my tarp/stakes/lines, as the occasion and mood strikes.
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