guyline and prusik knots

[Woodsong]

Thank you all for the many replies and insights. The line locs are sounding pretty easy and maybe easier than prusiks. I am thinking of going with 1.2mm Z line reflective for my guy lines with their micro line locs.....

So now a slightly unrelated question...I'm going to do a split ridge line instead of continuous ridgeline. Will one order of 50' Zline be enough to rig up my mamajamba tarp? I figure 12.5' length section for each side of the split ridge line and then 4 tie outs @ 6.25'. That doesn't leave me any line for the middle tie outs but odds are I won't need them a ton....

[dakotaross]

Yes, that's what I've done on mine and its rare that the 12.5' isn't enough, but it has happened. I now use straps with fleas on them to tie off the ridgeline close to the tree, instead of at the tarp (stingers). I like to have a tight RL and at some point I came to not like the idea of the thin line around the tree, even though its not nearly as much force as a loaded hammock.

Used to use lines with prussiks and they got finicky with age. Never did try it the other way around as you're suggesting, but I get the idea. Wondering if the pull on the stake wouldn't be a potential liability in some cases. I've gone to using worms with shock cord and I never need to adjust. If I thought I did, I probably wouldn't want to have to fiddle with the worms, but rather I think fleas would be a real easy solution there for adjusting while under the tarp.

[WalksIn2Trees]

Yes, that's what I've done on mine and its rare that the 12.5' isn't enough, but it has happened. I now use straps with fleas on them to tie off the ridgeline close to the tree, instead of at the tarp (stingers). I like to have a tight RL and at some point I came to not like the idea of the thin line around the tree, even though its not nearly as much force as a loaded hammock.

Used to use lines with prussiks and they got finicky with age. Never did try it the other way around as you're suggesting, but I get the idea. Wondering if the pull on the stake wouldn't be a potential liability in some cases. I've gone to using worms with shock cord and I never need to adjust. If I thought I did, I probably wouldn't want to have to fiddle with the worms, but rather I think fleas would be a real easy solution there for adjusting while under the tarp.

for my tarp I've switched to using Dutch's beetle buckle hammock suspension... easy to adjust, easy on the trees, quick to put up and take down and it doesn't get tangled

for tie-outs I prefer the adjustment to be at the tarp, but I also prefer the ability to quick release, and for that I use what I call a no-hardware clasp... not sure if I invented it, or if it's already a thing with a different name... but I came up with it on my own and I put up a post about it under that name.

[I couldn't find where I originally posted it, so here's a direct link to the images]
https://drive.google.com/folderview?...kt1NlBnVVVNNDA

Sent from my SM-T827V using Tapatalk

[TxAggie]

50’ should be enough, but unless you’re on a budget I would personally go ahead and get a small roll. Once you start playing around with splicing you’ll start experimenting and blow thru that 50’.

Just my $.02.

[MikekiM]

Thank you all for the many replies and insights. The line locs are sounding pretty easy and maybe easier than prusiks. I am thinking of going with 1.2mm Z line reflective for my guy lines with their micro line locs.....

So now a slightly unrelated question...I'm going to do a split ridge line instead of continuous ridgeline. Will one order of 50' Zline be enough to rig up my mamajamba tarp? I figure 12.5' length section for each side of the split ridge line and then 4 tie outs @ 6.25'. That doesn't leave me any line for the middle tie outs but odds are I won't need them a ton....

Don't forget about length loss to the knots. On my Mamajamba I used 10' on one side and 6' on the other.. the longer ones were for porch mode.

If you want to squeeze your 50' length, you could also opt for one 10' RL and one 12.5' and carry a dog bone or two made out of what ever you have in inventory.

[dirtwheels]

From the OP...

"Alternatively....looking for ideas that are simple, lightweight, and can be left tied to the tarp D rings to have adjustable guylines with the adjustment side attached to the tarp not at the stake."

Everybody's telling Woodsong how they rig their guylines, instead of answering his question. Except you. Thank you!

When I ran prusiks on my guylines, I did step 1 above, but instead of steps 2 and 3 I'd simply larkshead the prusik loop to the tarp D-ring (or grosgrain loop, or whatever you have on your tarp). That way the prusik always stays next to the tarp, making adjustment easy. The extra line dangles down at the tarp end.

I use to run exactly this setup, and it worked fine. I've switched to linelocs, cos they're a bit quicker to adjust, especially for big adjustments. But if I ever revert to my no-hardware puritanism I'd happily go back to the prusiks.

[dirtwheels]

Very nice work! I too developed a problem with prusiks and because of the issues with them abandoned them on the ridge lines, good work on the splicing, wnad who doesn't love an excuse to splice!

Prussik tied to the corner in the manner cmoulder did accomplishes what you asked.

I've given up on prussiks.. I hate prussiks...

I am fan of the mini ucr as well. Pictured below on the doors of my Superfly. They were also on the ground corners of the Superfly and Mamajamba. These have micro cord threaded through them because it was the doors. The ground corners used Zingit until recently when I changed to Z-Line.







The last photo above shows them ready to be larks headed to the corner hardware, but they still need a small whipping knot just before the overhand knot on the left or they will slip.

To see how to make them go here, and scroll to about page two or three. Or jump to the end. The mini ucr keeps the adjustment point at the tarp corner which was one of your (OP) requirements. I have a fixed eye in the stake end and two barrel knots about two inches apart at the other end so if the guy line get sucked back into the ucr, the knots prevent the line from slipping out and the also create a little tail to grab.

The main advantage over prussiks, in my opinion, is that the ucr never binds up. Just pull your guy line tight and milk the ucr body down to lock it in place or slide the ucr body up and releases in a flash. Yet, they hold like pit bulls once set. It tightens and releases super easy, and if you thread the end of your guy line through the corner hardware you can have a 2:1 mechanical advantage for tightening.

[Phantom Grappler]

If I didn’t use prusiks, I’d try mini ucr.
A prusik can be loosened on an unloaded line,
by backing up or untwisting it from both ends and the middle. You can push both lines into prusik
and loosen the middle by rotating it around tarp line. If the line is loaded—taut—then a prusik can be hard to adjust. Good luck no matter what you choose.

[Woodsong]

Ordered some 1.2mm reflective Zline from Zpacks and their mini line locs....will see how I like that set up for now.

[cmoulder]

Ordered some 1.2mm reflective Zline from Zpacks and their mini line locs....will see how I like that set up for now.

That combo will work fine. I used it with my Duplex when I were a groundling.

That cord is stiff (and remains so... doesn't become more supple over time) and will also hold any of the friction hitches very well. Even free-tailed hitches like Blake's, tautline, etc, will not untie themselves when unloaded and in the pack or stuff sack.