What's your cordage of choice for tarp/hammock

[Hile_Troy]

I'm thinking of moving into the world of tarp and hammock camping and am wondering what experience has taught others about cordage for such a set up. I mean in terms of: what length ridge line do you use? What length guy lines? what diameter cord? Same for hammock webbing, what length and width?
I'd much appreciate your input as the only thing I'm sure about is that the cordage supplied (particularly on the tarps I've looked at) will not be enough.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Teepee]

12 meters of 2.2mm Stein Dyneema throwline for my Tarp ridgeline with a hook on one end and a Dutch flyz the other. 10m/30ft comes up short too often-12m/ 37ft is always just enough.

8 ft for the corners, 4 ft for the middle tarp tie outs of 1 to 1.5mm polyester sheathes dyneema from a sailing rope supplier.

For webbing, 25mm 500-750kg is pretty standard but make sure its Polyester, not Nylon or Polypropylene. Polyester won't stretch or degrade as quickly. I use 6 ft tree straps made from webbing, connected to the hammock suspension with various quick release devices. The hammock is connected to the straps with 6ft 2.5mm dyneema whoopie slings for light weight and ease of adjustment.

What tarps/hammocks have you looked at?

 

[Shewie]

I'm using mainly Zing-It or other brand dyneema lines on my tarp, 2mm diameter.

I have a 10m ridgeline and 3m guys

For the hammock I use 1" poly tree straps with amsteel whoopie slings

 

[rik_uk3]

I don't use hammocks but for tarps and shelters I use tent guy line or garden twine.

 

[Hile_Troy]

I've been weighing up the DD ones, their standard 3m x 3m semms to be very popular looking at other related posts, and their hammocks are often recommended. Looked briefly on Uncle Ray's site, but £105 for a tarp seems expensive. Particularly for a poverty stricken noob like me (cue violins). Really I'm looking at the add-on cost for any given tarp/ hammock. That'll tell me how much it'll actually cost to get something I can use.

 

[Hog On Ice]

2mm dyneema (DynaGlide) UCRs 6 ft max length for suspension from hammock to tree straps (quantity 2)
2mm dyneema (DynaGlide) UCR 9 ft max length for adjustable hammock structural ridge line
25mm (1 inch) 5 ft of 6 g / ft polyester webbing (Arrowhead Equipment) with sewn loops on both ends (one loop "permanently" tied to a UCR) - quantity 2
1.8 mm polyester sheathed dyneema (Spyder Line) 10 ft for tree attachment and 6 ft for ground attachment points (I don't use a tarp ridgeline)

 

[Big Stu 12]

All my Tarps have

9m 1000lb braided dyneema Kite line for the ridge, and use 3mm Paracord for the guys with line locks

Hammocks

Whoopie slings, and Tree Huggers

 

[pauljm116]

Tree straps with dutch clips and whoopie slings for my hammock.

I got one of these http://shop.whoopieslings.com/Single-Line-Tarp-Ridge-Line-Dutch-Edition-with-Dutchware-CRL-DE.htm for my tarp ridgeline and it makes life so much easier and my tarp is always taut. I have just got a reel of 1.5mm dyneema throwline to use as tarp guylines and general cordage http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marlow-Dyne...e=UTF8&qid=1368630600&sr=8-1&keywords=dyneema

 

[Teepee]

I've been weighing up the DD ones, their standard 3m x 3m semms to be very popular looking at other related posts, and their hammocks are often recommended. Looked briefly on Uncle Ray's site, but £105 for a tarp seems expensive. Particularly for a poverty stricken noob like me (cue violins). Really I'm looking at the add-on cost for any given tarp/ hammock. That'll tell me how much it'll actually cost to get something I can use.

Nothing wrong with the DD 3x3 other than being a little short for use outside of sheltered woods, I've had one for a few years and given it some extreme use. I sewed doors(fabric ones ) to mine for much needed rain and wind resistance at the ends. A tarp with some end protection makes hammocking in bad weather much more comfortable.
Their hammocks are good too and will see you fine.

Whatever tarp or hammock you use, you'll find that the lines if cut at the right size will move between equipment easily. The trickiest and most time consuming part of tarping and hammocking is the lines-theres lots of them. Good quality, non stretchy lines that are difficult to tangle and don't soak up water are a godsend. We'll worth the extra cash IMO. These high performance lines are bit trickier to knot, which is why the hardware is recommended to go along with it. Lots of us, me included, don't even tie a knot in our summer set-ups.

To pimp your tarp and hammock with top quality stuff, your looking at shelling out £50. Personally, I'd go with better lines and cheaper tarp every time.

 

[copper_head]

I made myself a 12m dyneema ridgeline....

But I really didn't get on with it . Just seems to tangle up horribly when hanked up. Its made from 2mm Mammut dyneema accessory cord. In the end I replaced the ridgeline bit with 12m of 550 paracord, but the prussics work fine in dyneema.

 

[Teepee]

I made myself a 12m dyneema ridgeline....

But I really didn't get on with it . Just seems to tangle up horribly when hanked up. Its made from 2mm Mammut dyneema accessory cord. In the end I replaced the ridgeline bit with 12m of 550 paracord, but the prussics work fine in dyneema.

I've handled that cord and it tangles so easily. It's designed to knot well though.
It drove a mate loopy on one trip and it ended up in the bin. I'm sure that accessory cord is mixed with nylon anyway. There's a massive difference in behaviour between the types and makes.
The Stein throwline isn't the best for not tangling but I wrap my ridgeline round the tarp so it can't tangle. Single hollow braid is needed with Dutch flyz though which is why I use it.

I've got polyester covered dyneema cord that tangles when you look at it and invents new self tying knots when the breeze changes, other poly covered dyneema lines that you can usually just shake any tangles out. The more wiry, stiff and smooth the lines are, the better they handle IME.

 

[Squidders]

I have 6 equal length 4m zing-it cords with Dutch Stingerz attached. Goes up nice and easily, no snagging, little weight, nothing to go wrong, easy to take down etc... very happy so far.

 

[maddave]

Zing it here too... works fine

 

[jacko1066]

I use 10 metres of this for my ridgline - http://www.frjonesandson.co.uk/prod...es/stein-skyline-dyneema-throwline-1-8mm-50m/

I spent ages using rubbish cord, but for the sake of £18 it was more than enough for my ridgline, 3 metre guys and a shed load left over for other stuff if needed.

On 1 end of my ridge I have this - http://ukhammocks.co.uk/shop/articl...tIzKe9Xc4O50teLEaw9&shop_param=cid=13&aid=51&

Cord wraps round the tree and the dutch hook clips on the line.

At the other end I use this - http://ukhammocks.co.uk/shop/articl...tIzKe9Xc4O50teLEaw9&shop_param=cid=13&aid=52&

Again it wraps round the tree, then round the dutch fly to tension then basically the cord get trapped in the fly to keep it taught.

You would basically have a quick release no knot ridgeline thats quick and easy to put up.

On my 4 corner guys I use these - http://ukhammocks.co.uk/shop/articl...BtIzKe9Xc4O50teLEaw9&shop_param=cid=3&aid=16&

For me they work brilliantly, they make re-tensioning your guys alot easier, but from what Iv heard they are a nit like marmite lol.

For my DD Frontline I use tree straps, 6 ft amsteel whoopies and connect the 2 together using a spliced dutch whoopie hook.

Have to credit Teepee big time for all of the above as it was him who helped me get it all!!

Hope it helps

Steve

 

[Hile_Troy]

Wow, a wealth of info to assimilate, thanks to everyone for your advice. There are some common themes here that I will be utilysing the widom of (i.e. ideas that I will be stealing). When I take the plunge and shell out some cash I'll keep you posted with my progress.

Thanks again folks

 

[copper_head]

I've handled that cord and it tangles so easily. It's designed to knot well though.
It drove a mate loopy on one trip and it ended up in the bin. I'm sure that accessory cord is mixed with nylon anyway. There's a massive difference in behaviour between the types and makes.
The Stein throwline isn't the best for not tangling but I wrap my ridgeline round the tarp so it can't tangle. Single hollow braid is needed with Dutch flyz though which is why I use it.

I've got polyester covered dyneema cord that tangles when you look at it and invents new self tying knots when the breeze changes, other poly covered dyneema lines that you can usually just shake any tangles out. The more wiry, stiff and smooth the lines are, the better they handle IME.

Thanks for that, I guess I'll invest in some zing-it as some point. I'll use the Mammut stuff as tent guys or something.

 

[Squidders]

Most cordage can be dealt with by hanking it up in a figure of 8 and chucking a loop over at the end... it's a simple thing but makes a difference. How do you do it?

Here's a video that shows how I do it that never causes tangles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUZNUe2X2t0

 

[leon-1]

I use 15 meter ridgeline and 3 meter guys.

The Guys are type3 paracord with GID inserts so I don't trip over them of a night. The ridgeline is a bit more substantial than most people use (6 or 7mm) so that it can double as a hauling line in cold wet conditions where 2mm would be difficult to get a grip of.

My Hammock has 1inch tubular military grade tape providing 3 meters either side of the hammock. I am trying to find the 0.5 inch military tubular stuff, but its being difficult to source.

 

[Tiley]

I have to admit I'm intrigued by the huge popularity of the really skinny Dyneema for a ridge line. I can appreciate its strength and lightness but is it easy to deal with? I've often toyed with changing my set-up but have not got round to it yet. I suppose it's something to do with it not being broken and therefore there being no need to fix it. I would love to find out more about the Dyneema options though - they sound pretty good. And while I'm at it, what are these Dutch things that folk mention?

I use a braided cord (I think it's nylon) that's 6 or 7 mm in diameter and then have a prussik loop at each end of my tarp to draw it out and tension it. I've always thought that having a ridge line on the tarp might help deflect anything that might fall on you on those rougher days. I've also found that having thicker stuff is easier to deal with when your fingers are cold.

On the corners of my tarp, I use 3 metres of a similar 3mm braided line which works well for the friction knot that I use for securing each one to a peg/branch/trunk of a neighbouring tree.

The braided stuff seems to have enough 'bite' to stop things from slipping or to prevent knots and hitches coming undone and is reassuringly cheap.

On my hammock, I use what the good folk at Warbonnet put on. I'm not sure what it is but it seems unfeasibly strong!

 

[copper_head]

what are these Dutch things that folk mention?

http://dutchwaregear.com - Hammock rigging components.