550 Para cord.

**Turtle** · 03-17-2010, 07:42

Does anybody use or is it possible to use 550 parachute cord for tarps?

**GrizzlyAdams** · 03-17-2010, 07:58

Originally Posted by Turtle

Does anybody use or is it possible to use 550 parachute cord for tarps?

I've got a couple of tarp ridgelines made of 550 parachord. Yes it stretches some but that hasn't been a problem.

I haven't used it on the stake-outs. Perhaps in conjunction with a bit of shock cord for tensioning….

**Stone** · 03-17-2010, 08:04

I use it for a ridgeline, and I'm using "stripped" 550 cord for my tarp tie outs with a theraband type tensioning device.

**turnerminator** · 03-17-2010, 08:06

Its possible and good hardwearing stuff-plenty strong enough. It knots well too.
I dont like using it however, because its quite heavy relative to dyneema and soaks up lots of water, making it extra heavy when wet.
Dyneema/dyneema core is well worth the extra-its in another league, IMO.
Knots are a slightly more trouble, but its pretty much anti-tangle-A quick shake and a birds nest usually comes undone.

**Hawk-eye** · 03-17-2010, 08:26

I've used mil spec 550 for years ... tarps, utility cord ... it does have some stretch but for tarps ... haven't had an issue with it at all. Good stuff IMO

**MondayHopscotch** · 03-17-2010, 09:31

good to hear it works well -- being as i've got a few hundred feet coming in this week for various uses, haha.

I've used it for other things, so I know it's pretty versatile stuff, but none of it has had a huge amount of weight on it.

**Just Jeff** · 03-17-2010, 11:17

The biggest reason I don't use it is b/c it soaks up water.

Second biggest reason is that in very strong winds, I want the guylines to be the weakest point in my system. I'd rather the lines fail first b/c I can field repair them with a square knot. But if the lines are stronger than the tarp and the tarp rips in the field...well, now I have a problem.

Systems approach. Works for me...YMMV.

I'm glad I had it this way in the ~100mph winds at Winnemucca in Yosemite. The MacCat might have stood up to those winds, but why take the chance? As it was, some of my lines broke but the tarp was undamaged except for a small dent in the D-ring from where the tarp bent the mini-biner. This is still my go-to tarp today, though I often take the JRB 10x11 in winter.

**Turtle** · 03-17-2010, 20:07

Thanks all for the help might give it a go along side some "hoochie" cord which is an Australian army cord it's smaller, lighter and easy to tie.

**Take-a-knee** · 03-17-2010, 22:40

Paracord works but, like all nylon cord, it stretches a lot when it gets wet. This means your tightly pitched tarp can loosen up and flap a lot when the rain and wind move in during the night. Enough so that you may have to crawl out of your cozy hammock to tighten things up...in the rain. I use 7/64's Amsteel with metal figure nines for the tree ties and 1.75mm Lash-it for the stake ties on my OES Deluxe. Kevlar/spectra doesn't stretch.