Newbie: tie downs. Pre tie or on-site

[ConroyD]

Is it better to bring a bag of tie down cordage (zing-it) and attach to the tarp as necessary after rigging to ridge line or should I pre-tie them to the various loops on the tarp


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[cougarmeat]

ConroyD - welcome to the forum. I understand your question and there is no “better” answer. Over time, you may bring the bag - minimizing what’s on your tarp. Then later, maybe after you forget the bag of guylines, you’ll prefer to have them attached. Then you’ll get another tarp and have to decide if you want another set up guylines for that tarp or do you want to go back to bag-o-lines so you can move your set from one tarp to the other.

If you only have one tarp, it may not make much sense to attach and detach the Zing-It each time. Then you have your stakes. Some people prefer to keep the guylines tied to the stakes and make length adjustments at the tarp loops. So now they have a bag-o-stakes and lines to bring along with the tarp.

Then you have your attachment/adjustment method. Do you want to tie knots and hitches (Taut line hitch and it’s variations) to adjust the length of the line or do you want to use hardware you just wrap or slide and lock. Maybe your ideas/preferences will change as your experience widens from warm sunny days to cold freezing rainy days. Or you may be wise enough to say to yourself, “Self, if it’s going to be cold and freezing rain, I’m going to say in this perfectly good house.” Or you may channel your inner pirate or grizzly bear, bundle up and laugh at the wind and rain.

So you see, there is not best/better. There is only DO.

[Eclectic]

I think that is a matter of personal preference. You’ll find that people use lots of different methods. You’ll need to experiment to see what works best for you.

I leave my lines attached and gather them into a figure 8 before tucking them into the snakeskin. I like that because it is quick and easy to deploy.

Wrapping the lines around the stakes would get them muddier and may cause them more abrasion.

I do leave the taut line hitch tied in the ends that connect to the stakes. It gets wrapped into the figure 8 with no problem.

[Tpatter]

Whatever works for you. I like to keep the lines attached and everything in the snakeskin except the stakes which I keep in a bag in my pack. I would put those in as well if they weren't so large and sharp.

[aaronpaul14]

I leave mine attached to the tarp and figure 8 them like eclectic mentioned above. If you leave them attached you definitely want to find a way to wrap them up so they don't get tangled with other lines. That is just frustrating, especially when you are setting up in the dark and you are tired!