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  1. #1
    PopcornFool's Avatar
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    Anyone Use UHMWPE (Spectra/Dyneema) Braided Fishing Line?

    I'm assessing lightweight rope alternatives for things like my tarp CRL, tie-outs, etc. I've noticed when reading through these forums that a lot of folks are using 1.75mm/2.2mm Zing-it/Lash-it or similar rope commonly sold as Arborist throw line. Has anyone used hollow core braided UHMWPE fishing line like this: Amazon link ? It's extremely lightweight, comes in a variety of diameters and tensile strengths, has dozens of color options, offered by a large variety of vendors, and it's much less expensive than Zing-it. I ran a search for "fishing line" here on the forum and turned up nothing.

    I bought some 1.4mm/400lb line to see what it would be like to splice. (That was the smallest I felt comfortable attempting.) It was thin, but I was able to make some CLs for prusiks, a couple of locked brummel eyes, and even a button knot shackle without much difficulty. I found it more pliable than Zing-it and easier to work with despite the smaller diameter. It doesn't have that stiff, waxy urethane coating. The prusiks held my tarp well on my current Zing-it CRL, even during some significant wind and rain.

    The line is strong enough for tarp use, bear bags, and similar applications and it seems to hold knots fairly well, although to be fair, I've only been messing with it for a short time. I could see the pliability being a potential tangle problem, but I haven't had any problems when I 'infinity-loop' it.

    So ... if it's easier to work with, strong enough, readily available, and cheaper, why haven't I read anything here on the forum about folks using braided fishing line? You'd think more experienced hammock gurus than me would be all over this stuff, particularly the UL crowd. I can't help but think that there's something I'm missing here.

    Has anyone used this type of fishing line and can give me your opinion of the pros and cons compared to ... say ... Zing-it?
    ~ All I want is affordable, simple, ultralight luxury. That’s not asking too much is it?

  2. #2
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
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    Zing-it 1.75 mm is hard enough to splice - I'm personally not interested in going even smaller diameter for minimal reduction in weight. I'm not as adventurous as you!
    "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson

  3. #3
    Senior Member cmoulder's Avatar
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    Small line can tangle like crazy.

    I used Atwood Micro Cord (1.2mm) and it is plenty strong enough (for guy line, not tarp ridge line IMO) but it could tangle something fierce. One time I took down my tarp in a very strong wind and the flapping guy lines worked themselves into tight little wads that took me about 1/2 hr each to straighten out.

    Now, I use only 2mm Lawson Glowire or Guywire. I use only knots, zero hardware, for tarps and this is the best thing I have found. Very knot-friendly, tangle-resistant. Friction hitches such as Midshipman's, Blake's, Prusik and the like all work great with this stuff.

    I'm very much a UL person, but IMO there are many, many better and more practical places to reduce weight. Simply learning a few knots and eliminating hardware would probably offset the difference in cord weight. (Don't know precisely as I haven't weighed 'em....)
    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

  4. #4
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
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    Dorisea 16-strand. 2.0mm, 500lb, UHMWPE
    https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...m-500lb-UHMWPE

    I bought the 2.0 in gray and 1.4mm in green. Both are really nice general use line for clothes lines, toggles, etc.

    DON'T BUY ANYTHING OTHER THAN GRAY!!!! The color bleeds off so easy, even when dry. Just simply coiling up some around your fingers makes them turn green, or whatever color you get.

  5. #5
    Senior Member jeff-oh's Avatar
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    It is most certainly true that Zing-It and these UHMEPE cords are way over kill for guy lines, Tarp ridgelines, bear bag, tie outs, etc. The product shown will also do all that. As will any basic nylon cordage.

  6. #6
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jeff-oh View Post
    It is most certainly true that Zing-It and these UHMEPE cords are way over kill for guy lines, Tarp ridgelines, bear bag, tie outs, etc. The product shown will also do all that. As will any basic nylon cordage.
    Agreed. I always go back to zing-it because it's light, strong, thin and cheap since you'll rarely replace it. I also like how it's round and firm. The Dorisea stuff if softer, looser braid and more of a flat/oval shape.

  7. #7
    Senior Member
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    I keep some 1mm stuff. Its obviously strong for its weight but has some serious problems.
    It's very hard to splice. Doable, but hard.
    It tangles easy compared to 1.75, but not as bad as a thin mason or poly line.
    Mine does not have the waxy coating on it. I prefer the wax for splicing or general use.
    Knots arnt easily undone, but that's probably a diameter thing, not a materials problem.
    I keep 50' of it in my bag for utility line. It easily holds my weight, but not sure how strong it actually is. Rated at 300ish lbs.

  8. #8
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
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    I use 1mm dyneema braided fishing line for tarp tie-outs. Careful where you walk though!

    Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
    Last edited by MAD777; 04-09-2020 at 21:27.
    Mike
    "Life is a Project!"

  9. #9
    Senior Member MikekiM's Avatar
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    A few summers ago I played around with Jerry Brown Hollow Core Spectra fishing line. It was fun to splice. Everything was sort of backwards..

    I used it for split ridge lines with mini ucrs, making the line out of 400lb test and the ucr out of 200lb so it got a good bite on the slippery cordage. In the end I abandoned it. It proved to slippery. It was prone to snagging on anything it came near and it tangled just looking at it.

    Went back to zingit for most of what I need that gets spliced, and Z-Line for ground lines.
    Yes, my pack weighs 70lbs, but it's all light weight gear....
    Bob's brother-in-law

  10. #10
    Senior Member WV's Avatar
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    I use the Jerry Brown or other gel-spun hollow core fishing line all the time for all kinds of things - notably my adjustable GE hammocks, as clews, but also small whoopies on my adjustable bridge hammocks. I started with 120 lb test. It's very easy to splice with a small latch needle, like those sold by Cortland or Smitty's. I use 200 lb. test mostly now, but usually for hammocks. The looser braid that makes it so easy to splice would be prone to catching on things if used as a throw line for a bear bag, but I've had no trouble using it for tarp tie-outs, with whoopie slings for adjustment. For my tarp ridge lines I still like Zing-it, with Dutch hooks or EVO loops for fastening. A couple of years ago I tried some cheap 100 lb. UHMPE line from China (300 m. for $5, shipped). It's designed to sink, so it has a heavier coating, and it's a tighter braid, so splicing it doesn't work, but it has great friction and it doesn't snag. Tying knots is far easier then you would think. I used it for tarp tie-outs with a slippery taut-line hitch. (Slippery, because it's not so easy to untie a knot in 0.55mm line.) If I were a gram weenie I'd still be using it for my tarp all the time, but now I generally use the spliceable 200 lb. Jerry Brown line instead. The stiffer 100 lb. Chinese line makes excellent Klemheist knots for adjustable attachments to Zing-it, Dynaglide, or Amsteel. All these materials have uses that suit them best. You pick and choose.
    Last edited by WV; 04-09-2020 at 21:10.

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