Dutchweargear continuous ridgeline with tato tarp connectors

[Uncle Albert]

Hi,

I'm relatively new to the hammock and tarp set up and have been looking at ways to speed up and simplify the installation phase. I have seen a dutchweargear continuous ridgeline with tato tarp connectors on youtube. Can anybody recommend them or point me in the direction of a UK stockist.

Regards

Paul

 

[sunndog]

Nobody in the uk stocks dutchwear stuff as far as i know


I use a continous ridgline and i'm going to use a dutch hook on one end and a wasp (from dutch) on the other
Seems about the best set up IMO, have a gander on youtube to se how the bits of bling work

 

[Jackdaw]

Sunndog,

I bought the exact setup you are looking to use. It's lovely to look at but I find it a right pain to set up correctly. Despite the enormous weight savings I've gone back to using a couple of bungees. I like my hammock sleep system to deploy quickly otherwise it becomes a pain and with limited time in the sack I would rather just through out a dossbag and bivvy instead despite the extra comfort of a hammock. I'm going to continue playing with it but I don't think I'll end up keeping it.

To the OP: you might need to factor in customs and handling fees if you buy from Dutch in the USA. He's great to deal with but I got spammed for an extra £11 when the package arrived.

 

[sunndog]

How was it a pain to set up mate?

atm i don't use any hardware on my tarp, i cant see how a wasp and dutch hook could be more hassle than knots, bungees arent an option for me though
If you do decide to get rid of your dutch gear giz a shout mate

 

[Jackdaw]

I was using a DD 3x3 tarp and it just couldn't cope with the weight of it. After a while the prussiks on the soft shackles used to connect to the tarp would start to slip out and I couldn't get a good tension without faffing for ages. Like I said, I'll have more goes with it once I have time, but in the meantime I've reverted to the good old bungee.

 

[GadgetUK437]

I'll soon be putting an order together for some dutch stuff, I have a thread here;

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=134122

 

[Paulm]

I find knots quick and easy to use, once you've done it a few times it becomes second nature, evenk first then truckers hitch to tension the other end, couple of prussiks left on the line and snapped into small karabiners on the tarp ends to tension the tarp.

Cheers, Paul

 

[mousey]

I find knots quick and easy to use, once you've done it a few times it becomes second nature, evenk first then truckers hitch to tension the other end, couple of prussiks left on the line and snapped into small karabiners on the tarp ends to tension the tarp.

Cheers, Paul

Yep couple of knots for me works. I've thought about using different hardware to reduce the need for tying knots as I've never been very good with them, but I'm a tight git with no money - knots are free and weigh the same as the length of string needed to tie them, and after all aren't really that much of a hassle to tie.

I tend to use a round turn 2&1/2 hitch at one end [using slippery hitches] this was one of the first knots I ever learned to tie then a truckers hitch to tension, although I've thought about adding an additional prussic permanently to the ridge and using that to tension so saving me tying a knot.

 

[C_Claycomb]

As an engineer I cannot fail to admire Duchware for its design and undeniable "cool" factor of titanium stuff, but as someone with a long interest in bushcraft and the out of doors, I can't help but think that they could also be the ultimate expression of helplessness for the clueless urbanite venturing into the outdoors.

With the caveat that in some places and conditions or in conjunction with some lines or suspension, the use of hardware has advantages over knots, for the majority of conditions and situations, knots work fine. Amsteel isn't good for knots, and whoopie slings are reputed to jam when contaminated with silt or jungle grit, so in those conditions titanium hardware can be handy.

Other than that, learn knots After all, what are you on a bushcraft forum FOR if not to learn skills? If you have learned the knots, and still find that there is something that they don't do for you, or some place that hardware would be better you will then be able to make an informed choice, and you will still have the skills which are transferable to other places needing rope craft.

Have you looked at?
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78600&p=953871#post953871


Best of luck either way

 

[sunndog]

"they could also be the ultimate expression of helplessness for the clueless urbanite venturing into the outdoors."


Thats a bit strong
an awful lot of folk use line locks, zips, fastex buckles, ladder locks, cinch buckles, or press studs in situations where a knot could be used instead
no different for a hammock and tarp than a tent or rucksack, yet no one will ever say line locks on a tent guyline arent "bushcraft" enough

i do agree that knots should be learnt first though....preferably just after learning to walk

 

[C_Claycomb]

Hey, I did say that I recognized that they could be cool, and useful in some circumstances too. A bit strong, true. I was trying to play the shame card a bit

People (and I include myself here) are essentially lazy, once we have an engineered solution its a lot harder to pretend we don't and go back to learn fundamental skills that can replace that solution. If you want to learn to put up a tarp you have a reason to learn five or six useful knots. If you buy hardware instead, you have a harder time motivating yourself to learn those knots since you no longer have a real "why" for learning them.

Lots of bushcraft skills are difficult to practice without being in the country side, or need a certain amount of prep or basic tools, or are hard to learn from books and videos. Knots are not one of these, they can be learned with nothing more than a couple of bits of string and a pen/pencil/stick, won't get you arrested for practicing on public transport and have applications not just beyond setting up camp, but beyond bushcraft and camping.

 

[sunndog]

Hey, I did say that I recognized that they could be cool, and useful in some circumstances too. A bit strong, true. I was trying to play the shame card a bit

aye i know mate. I actually deleted about three replys because they were too argumentative
Not your fault, just a "bushcraft" pet hate of mine......i'm thinking about some youtube videos here.....You can clip two full size climbing crabs to the outside of your rucksack for no reason at all and thats "bushcrafty"
Line locks on a tent? No one bats an eye. Ferro rods count as traditional firelighting ......but mention hardware on a tarp and folk are up in arms because you are breaking some sort of "bushcraft" code. As if the space age materials in a hammock and tarp are somehow more "bushcraft" than the space age materials in a tent

For my part, after 14 years of regular hammock camping where the only hardware on the whole set up was a drip ring on either end of the hammock i wanna use a tiny bit of metal on each end of me ridgline, and i don't care who knows about it


Phew, i feel better for that

 

[C_Claycomb]

hehe. I won't tell you how many times I rewrote my reply, trying to find a way to convey the right blend of joking and serious. This internet communication stuff is hard

In my book, wool smocks, leather hats and random climbing gear on packs don't have much bearing on "bushcraft" and I certainly don't judge anyone by their presence or absence. The reason I picked on the Dutchgear rather than say anything about line locks on tents is that invariably tents come with them ready fitted and by design tents can only be put up one way which means that chance to learn any transferable skills is minimal, other than where you site them. Tarps and hammocks don't generally come with all the hardware fittings and Dutchware must be purchased separately, a conscious choice, often made because the user does not know how to knot, or doesn't know that knots will work really well. I have no beef with anyone who comes to them as a preferece after using knots and deciding that they don't work for them. I think its just a shame to go to hardware first.

I think I might have reacted more strongly here because I recently saw a video on Youtube where someone was reviewing Dutchware and praising them as a fantastic addition to bushcraft, no mention of knots at all, implying that you could have a rubbish set up, or use this new wonder product. Just made me growl at my keyboard