Awesome! Yeah, it is overkill but why not play it safe if you can...heh.Originally Posted by MagicPaddler
I've done the same with my 7/8ths amsteel blue last night. Laid out the tarp and seam sealed it, then laid out the 40ft amsteel line with a spliced loop on one side and created the bank line prussik knots on the tarp ridgeline connection loops. Everything seems to be holding tight. Will test it out In the backyard later today.
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Instead of a truckers hitch on tarp ridgeline, I pull line tight behind tree and maintain tight pull as amsteel goes around tree. It starts tight and stays tight—initial pull is beside tree and it’s not a good idea to try to pull amsteel tighter around tree. Because the friction prevents tightening. And if you were able to pull amsteel, tighter, dragging it across the bark—you’d get abrasion of both rope and bark.
So pull it tight BEFORE it touches tree, and as you circle tree with your rope—maintain initial tightness
Now after finishing first lap. Put tag end over top of ridgeline and REVERSE direction and pull it real hard and go back around tree in reverse direction.
Wrap your rope around tree until almost used up.
Tie off with a half hitch followed by a slipped half hitch. That is tied to ridgeline up close to tree.And stabilize that slipped half hitch with a daisy chain.
This will give a spang tight tarp ridgeline and it will not come undone until you untie it.
It’s NonJamming.
That REVERSE allows greatly increased tightening, as the amsteel slide along itself and not tree bark!
Night-Ize reflective cord.. is that the green cord? I have a full hank of that stuff I bought years ago and never used.
PM me if that’s what you’re looking for.
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Yes, my pack weighs 70lbs, but it's all light weight gear....
Bob's brother-in-law
Phantom mentioned preventing damage to tree from the tarp ridge line. Depends on the type of tree but you should be observant. I hang a lot of stuff under the tarp on the ridge line and that puts a lot of pressure on the ridge line.
Holy cow, I've got to try that!
Thanks!
It'll work great for me as I always have a ton of extra length left.
Thank you!
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Indeed it is, I'll send you a message later today. Thank you!
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Amsteel ridgeline worked out great!
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I'm digging this back up because today I went out and tested 7/64 Amsteel that I had as a tarp Ridgeline. Couple quick thoughts...
1) The Amsteel line is overkill for a tarp Ridgeline, as many have stated, but it's the same diameter as my previous multi purpose solid-core line I was using, with the Amsteel being lighter.
2) The Amsteel material is harder to tension around a tree without digging into the tree, so my method had to change when doing up a truckers hitch, and when I changed to a shorter V, that helped get some leverage and still keep it close to the tree.
3) Prusiks on the Amsteel: I tried Amsteel, Lash-It, Zing-It, and my utility rope. They all had slippage on the Amsteel, and I'm not sure I'd trust anything to really hold on such a thick, slippery line. I had to use a 5 loop prusik to get any traction. Therefore I think you'd need to use a Namaclaw or similar to get the traction you need.
4) The line is bulkier obviously, but not terrible even with the 50' that I'm dealing with.
I think in the end, Lash-It 1.75 or Zing-It 1.75 with Dutch (or similar components) seems to be the best of everything. You can use a snakeskin easily, everything is adjustable to center up, you can quick deploy if you use a stuffsack with your fixed end to wrap around the tree first, and you get the adjustments you need without any knots.
The only reason I like Amsteel (or anything it's size) is really that it feels good in the hands compared to the thinner lines, but I'm not sure I can get a good enough tarp connection with prusiks alone to have proper tension on the tarp.
Photos show HG Ti Clips, Mitten clips, some generic solid core utility line for prusiks, and and my tarp in the snakeskin. The first image shows the 5 looped prusik which was required to get any tension.
Tomorrow I’ll do some more testing with other materials that work well to tension the tarp end.
Last edited by stebesplace; 05-30-2020 at 23:39.
I use the same as yours except the prusik is made out of 1.3mm nylon. 3 or 4 loop prusik holds well. Try braded fishing line.
Hmm... that should be strong enough.
Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ)
“If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.” ~ Gen. George S Patton
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