Interesting new guyline tensioning trick

**cmoulder** · 12-10-2021, 20:07

Over on Whiteblaze a member named "reppans" posted a clever knot application that uses Blake's hitch and Alpine butterfly to make a guy line adjuster. It can be cinched tighter with one hand but still need two to release. It could also be used on a split ridgeline but not for a continuous ridge line.

Today I did a little video to demonstrate it in action:

**Phantom Grappler** · 12-11-2021, 09:44

Cmoulder, thanks for posting video. It looks useful, simple, and easy to adjust.

**jamie shard** · 12-12-2021, 07:47

Very nice.

Making the sheet bend a slippery version would allow the tarp to be rigged up, then detached and flipped back for a clear view, and then quickly re-rigged if rain/wind started... and easy to fine tune from under the tarp. The stake end could be clove hitched or cow hitched/lark's head with a loop to the indent in the stake. I think this gives me all the functionality I was looking for without any plastic to break/wear out.

Thanks cmoulder and reppans!

**LowTech** · 12-12-2021, 07:59

Didn't @nanok come up w/ something similar to that as well?

**packman9000** · 12-12-2021, 08:11

It looks like a cool trick...not trying to be snarky but what's the benefit of this over a simpler knot system like a prussic or plain Blake's Hitch? I guess I don't quite see the pros of this clearly.

**cmoulder** · 12-12-2021, 08:12

Originally Posted by Phantom Grappler

Cmoulder, thanks for posting video. It looks useful, simple, and easy to adjust.

Yep, meets all the requirements! Most stuff I see is unnecessarily (IMO!) complicated and this is one of the few that isn't. Not sure I'm switching, because for this role—allowing adjustment all the way to the ground—I use a small section to make a Blake's hitch and simply run the guyline thru it. Sort of a po' boy knot-haid's LL3.

Originally Posted by jamie shard

Very nice.

Making the sheet bend a slippery version would allow the tarp to be rigged up, then detached and flipped back for a clear view, and then quickly re-rigged if rain/wind started... and easy to fine tune from under the tarp. The stake end could be clove hitched or cow hitched/lark's head with a loop to the indent in the stake. I think this gives me all the functionality I was looking for without any plastic to break/wear out.

Thanks cmoulder and reppans!

Indeed, oodles of ways to attach to the tarp loop or D-ring, permanently or temporarily! And I too nearly always use a clove hitch (loop-behind-loop method) at the stake end, although I use a mooring hitch to attach to a deadman stick if camping in the snow... leave the tail out and yank to release, so I don't have to dig up the stick when breaking camp.

**cmoulder** · 12-12-2021, 08:34

Originally Posted by LowTech

Didn't @nanok come up w/ something similar to that as well?

I can't keep up with all his innovations, but he uses the VT with a loop-pulley on his hammock suspension... IIRC... please feel free to correct.

Originally Posted by packman9000

It looks like a cool trick...not trying to be snarky but what's the benefit of this over a simpler knot system like a prussic or plain Blake's Hitch? I guess I don't quite see the pros of this clearly.

Yes, to me its advantage is one-handed cinching, which is nice in the winter, or for easy adjusting from under the tarp. And in contrast to a loop arrangement it can be adjusted all the way to the ground.

But for ground tarps I do plan to stay with my current config which is the Blake's hitch on a separate short section of cord, with the guyline running thru it.

blake_s_hitch_adjuster.jpg

And for hammock tarps that will never be adjusted low to the ground—which for me is the 94.44% of the time that I'm not using the HG Palace—I'll stick with the simple Blake's hitch on a loop.

adjustable_loop_with_blake_s_hitch.jpg

**nanok** · 12-18-2021, 18:31

indeed, this works very well, and as lowtech points out, is what i described a while ago. interestingly, i also described it in the particular combination of blake + butterfly (interesting, as both the friction hitch and the tending loop knot are a matter of choice, many combinations are possible)

the initial version, a few years ago, was based on the VT, i since played with and described here a version based on the blake, too (but the concept can be used for any friction hitch really, i just like the vt and the blake the most). of course, i only use these for tarps and such.

really cool to see your video cmoulder, i don't care who got you to finally try this, i'm just glad you're trying it and liking it ;)

edit: just one note: i've plaid with the "integrated" idea to, as you show in the video, and is explained in the forum post you linked, i never used it in the field, because i found it problematic even in early testing "in the lab": the guyline will tend to twist and tangle with repeated use, and because the end is not free to easily untwist, this can get a bit annoying. this is why (like you) i prefer a separate piece of line to make the blake hitch. do add the tending loop (butterfly or whatever you like) to that separate piece of line, though, it's worth it :)

**Macca** · 12-23-2021, 12:34

Another vote for having the Blake's hitch as a separate piece.
I've tried the integrated version before and when using paracord, it quickly becomes unusable due to the twisting.

It's also recommend having the end of the trending loop level with the end of the Blake's hitch, otherwise you always lose a bit of tension.

IMG_20211223_172147.jpg

**packman9000** · 12-24-2021, 10:05

Originally Posted by cmoulder

Yes, to me its advantage is one-handed cinching, which is nice in the winter, or for easy adjusting from under the tarp. And in contrast to a loop arrangement it can be adjusted all the way to the ground.

But for ground tarps I do plan to stay with my current config which is the Blake's hitch on a separate short section of cord, with the guyline running thru it.

Gotcha. Thank you for the explanation, and it makes sense for cold camping having a simpler method when working with cold fingers.