Cordage in the UK (for tarps/hammocking)

[Highbinder]

Hello guys,

I'm getting right into my hammock. Been buying kit online to upgrade. Biggest change is a change to webbing suspension with descender rings for adjustment and carabiners for ease of attachment. I also bought a whoopie sling structural ridge line so that'll be fun trying to get it dialled in.

Nows I got all that sorted I've turned towards my tarp setup. I'm thinking the quickest setup for me would be a carabiner to attach one tree, to a figure 9 thingy to adjust tension and for ease of use.

Can anyone recommend me some cordage for my ridgeline? Something I can buy in the UK. Last weekend at loch lomand I had trouble with high winds causing severe sag in my ridgeline so something with no stretch is necessary.

Also need to replace my guylines so something that I can use for that too would be perfect.

ATM I'm thinking Dyneema?

Help?

 

[Teepee]

If you want to knot the cord and not splice it, a polyester sheathed dyneema cord is good. They hold knots ok, don't tangle much and have no stretch.

Kingfisher make some good cord and its not too pricey. Google dyneema rope and get the cord from FS online. They do lots of colours and breaking strains. Ive used this stuff for well over a year for my tarp ridgeline and tie-outs and it shows no wear and is practically no tangle.

If you want to splice it, you need a hollow single braid dyneema. Marlow D12 is excellent for this-its not too pricey and is quite light.
Other people make dyneema braid too-FSE, liros, Gottifredi Maffioli, Englishy braids, Ner. If its hollow single braid dyneema or spectra made for marine or arborist use, you are good.

 

[Teepee]

Kingfisher dyneema core.

http://www.fsonline.co.uk/Evoluton_Race_Dyneema_Gottifredi_Maffioli/p27182_131478.aspx

 

[ged]

There must be hundreds of websites which give you the low-down on different fibres for ropes and their various trade-offs, look for the mountaineering and sailing people for a start.

Don't get rid of all the elasticity in your systems or something will break. For windy conditions I'd tend to use more fixings where possible rather than just stronger ones. Dyneema is exceedingly strong but as you probably know it's rather expensive. It's slippery so knots might need a rethink. It's like nylon in that it can melt if you suddenly apply tension to a knot but the problem is worse because you'll usually have a smaller mass of material for the same load/heat. Where a nylon rope might weld itself into a solid lump, Dyneema might just melt and break. Mountaineers and hammock dwellers please note.

The ultra-lightweight guys like to go for Dyneema but if you can carry the extra weight then there are cheaper alternatives. To get less stretch you can either use thicker cord, or double up the lines, or use shorter lengths (e.g. put your trees closer together), or all of the above. Polyester has a little stretch but a lot less than nylon and can protect itself against chafe to some extent. That's what I tend to use for more or less anything if there isn't some compelling reason for using something else.

 

[Highbinder]

Ged, cheers mate. I'm sure theres plenty of info out there but I'm lazy and I'd like to go to other hammockers to see whats been tested and works. At the moment I'm using the extra webbing

teepee, not really looking to start splicing, just figured I'd ask here as the majority of links on hammockforums are to US based sites.

 

[Trunks]

Hi,

I have gone for, Excel Racing Dyneema ® SK75 core | 16 plait polyester cover for my tarp setup.

I have one length from tree to tree, pulled tight. Then use the same material (but thinner) with prussiks to position and tension the tarp itself, light and strong and works for me

 

[Shewie]

Climbing accessory cord is good stuff for rigging tarps, anything from 2mm up to 4mm will do nicely for ridgelines and guylines. I've used stuff from these guys for a few years ...
http://walkhigh.co.uk/acatalog/Cord_and_Tape.html

Ged made a good point about letting something give somewhere in your setup, a good one to remember is to tie a short section of shockcord to your tarp corners so they give a little in strong winds.

Arborist throwline is good stuff to look at, I'm just changing a couple of setups to this stuff now. Only 2mm but strong enough to do both my ridgeline and guylines.

Have a look at the truckers hitch as an alternative to the fig-9s, I've heard they wreck good cordage after a short while.

 

[R.Lewis]

Cheers guys for the info, was a question I was gonna ask too. Been searching for Dyneema at decent price. Ordered from FS store now.