I'm kinda lazy when in the woods. After a long paddle, I want as little hassle as possible. I make a 2ft. loop with shock cord, larkshead it to my tarp and pull it out and stake it. I don't use lines unless I want to extend it and create a porch mode or some such thing. I do like the protection it provides from tripping. I can get a tarp up and protect from rain really quickly using this method. If I want to shorten, I use a marlin spike hitch and plug the stake in the ground. I spend my energy on the river.