Tarps, are yours pre-rigged with guylines or not?

[tom.moran]

i have a new tarp and am going to try this way of setting it up(i hope i can explain this in an understandable way)

For Pegging Out:
length of paracord with loop on one end prussian knoted to itself to form the adjustable part
other end simple loop which will be mini carabinered to the tarp

Attaching to Trees:
I plan to carry a simple piece of paracord with a loop on each end
round the tree, through the loop to tighten
then another mini carabinar to attch to 'guyline'

the ridgeline will be as most of you have described and carabina/prussian knoted/through the loops type thing

this should be simple to replace in the field and easily removeable for drying.

 

[boney gumbo mcgee]

I attach the lines when needed as I also don't know what set up I will use till pitching time. I use line-loks from Clamcleat. I also use reflective guyline for safety. I used to use a standard army basha but for the last couple of years I have been using a Nomad jungle basha as they are a bit longer.

 

[Harvestman]

My tarps have lines attached, but I find that whenever I take them out I want a different configuration to last time, so I always end up moving the lines.

I use line-loks for tensioners, and find them very effective and simple to use.

 

[mountainm]

I leave mine (ridgeline and guys) attached but they clipped on with mini crabs for easy relocation. All tie outs are bungied then I use pre made up guys with a Tarbuck knot to tension. The whole shebang lives in a bishop bag for easy deployment.

 

[Elen Sentier]

I use several tarps, so have a dry bag with accessories in.
It contains,
ridge lines x2 - 1 goes under the tarp as an accessory hanger.
guy lines
tent pegs
prussic loops

Ridge lines are attached to the tarp using mini crabs, with a prussic loop on the outer ones to keep it taut.

Guy lines have a loop of shock cord on the end, so self tension, then a mini crab to attach to the tarp.

I use sliding knots to adjust the guy line tension, not adjusters.

Simon

I have a similar bag, but the extra ridgeline is a spare as mine goes under anyway. I don't use crabs. I usually use sliding knots to tension but am considering tensioners, just got a bag-full.

 

[NGM6456]

I keep short guy-lines on my tarp all the time, for maximum weather protection in the A-Frame configuration. I also have ready-to-go other guys twice as long as the ones permanently attached which I can tie to the shorter ones in case I use a different set-up which requires long guys. I keep the prussic loops on the ridge-line which I store on a winder. I too use two ridge-lines, one beneath the tarp to hang things up on (wet clothes etc). I use knots for adjustment of the guys, usually the Cawley Hitch.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Do you leave guy lines on your tarps or do you add the lines as needed? Do you use guy line runners to tension them or do you rely on knots?

Currently I have the guy and ridgeline permanently attached to my DPM basha. And for use between trees I have a nice method involving the way it all folds up together, and unrolls for erection. But, on a recent trip where I didn't have trees to use, but instead walking poles, I am wondering if I should instead have the ridge seperate.

One thing I am sold on - Line Locs - Brilliant little devices, (might do a group buy for them soon). I have a line loc on each of the guy lines.

Julia

 

[Gaudette]

I have 4 nite ize no9’s attached to each corner with some shock cord. I have my lines attached to 4 very lightweight spikes. I find it quick to put up , take down , and adjust. I can get the tarp taught but with enough give from the shock cord so the tarp doesn’t rip. One end of my ridge line I have a carabiner and the other end I have a nite ize no 9. I can get the tarp up very quickly and it’s easy to adjust if needed. To tighten the tarp on the ridge line I use Prussiks.


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[nobby8126]

attached on corners and then just a marlin spike hitch to peg (peg as the spike)

 

[mousey]

I've recently gone to a toggle and loop system. Loops already in a tarp and a length of line with a toggle on one end and a loop on the other. Easy to get the toggle through the tarp loop, then if a longer guyline is required another line with toggle goes through the loop on the too short guyline. [my guylines are about two arm spans - maybe 4 metre]

This keeps guylines separate from tarps and easy to adjust lengths if longer needed, or add more guys if foul weather etc.

Oh and yes, marline spike to a peg [Ti spike pegs] - or wooden sticks sharped at site

 

[Sundowner]

Always attached to tarp. Ridgeline with Prussia knots on either end. Adjustable loops on one side, as I usually have one side low down. Other side just attached with a bowline

 

[Tiley]

I always have the lines attached to the corners of my tarp. In the same stuff sack, I keep two additional lengths of cord for when I pitch it ridgeline-style, using my trekking poles and also a length of thicker cord with two prussics + mini carabiners for those wood/forest pitched moments. I like my current system because it's light and incredibly flexible.

 

[Robson Valley]

I doubled the number of eye-hole grommets around the tarp.
2M cords all tied in with bowline knots (they cannot jam when wet or frozen.)
Is there another name for a "Prussia knot"?

 

[Broch]

Is there another name for a "Prussia knot"?

I am not aware of another name for the Prusik knot - it's named after the guy who was supposed to have developed it: Karl Prusik (Austrian), but I suspect he was just the one that documented it as I very much doubt there has been much new in the world of rope and knots for a very long time (other than materials of course).

I favour the toggle system as well; I like the ability to change the tarp setup depending on what I'm doing especially ground vs hammock and the toggled lines make this easy. I use bright hi-vis guys to try and stop me tripping up over them at night

 

[Robson Valley]

Oh, I see. Thank you. There are several posts in this thread that speak of a "Prussia" knot. No idea what that is.
Prussik knots, if that is exactly what was meant, you can climb with those as Prussik slings on your main rope.

Funny thing is, I have 4 or 5 cheap tarps, just the one with all the ropes and it's the only one that I can't find. Hmmmmmmm

 

[Broch]

I assume they mean Prusiks - to be pedantic there should only be one S as it's based on his name

 

[Robson Valley]

How right you are = one 's' in Prusik. I reference Des Pawson's Knots book.

Adding a whole bunch of new eyelet grommets to the perimeter of a tarp only enhances the versatility.
By the time you get finished, they look quite good.

In almost all cases, I prefer to use a bowline as a knot of attachement as it cannot be jammed.
Even on fish net trap ropes underwater for months on end.

 

[Hammock_man]

Just came across this thread though it seems to have been running a good while. For my little 2 pennies worth I have to say I have used and do use ... whatever..! I have tried attached, I have tried bagged separate, I have done knots and have used hardware. One thing I do know is that with different sites, different weather, even different moods.. I always seemed to have packed away from the last time, wrong for this next time.

 

[Gaudette]

I have to laugh. I looked back at the thread and saw I posted an almost identical post in 2013. I’m still using the same set up although I’ve changed the tarp twice and gone through 3 lightweight DD hammocks . I m still using the same set up
5 years later. So mine must be the best I guess


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[Deleted member 36581]

I'm fairly new to tarping but this is what I've recently settled on. It's been fine so far but I've not properly tested it in challenging conditions.

I keep the lines separate as I like to play with different setup modes. I normally run a ridgeline lopped through a bowline at one end and a truckers hitch at the other. The tarp is attached using Prusik loops (actually use Klemheist instead) and mini biners (going to replace with soft shackles).

Guy lines have a figure 8 loop on each end, one for the stake and the other is larksheaded onto the tarp. The tail from the figure 8 is attached to the main line with a friction knot to allow adjustment.

The lines stay knotted when detached and are wrapped up using the figure 8 method.

I've attached a quick mockup to illustrate. Any feedback on this method would be appreciated. This is the best I've come up with so far for an adjustable quick attachment option.