Guyline set up - what do you use and why?

[Minotaur]

I was watching this video Backpacking Tent Hack - Easy adjust guylines and it made me start wondering about guy lines.
I have just always suffered with what they put on tents however the quest for lightweight has changed that so my guy lines are going Micro or Nano cord in the near future. I am going to replicate on all my tents the set up in the video except for the cord he uses as I do not want to double the value of some of my tents! That said I have found this tensioner which I might use instead however it finding it in the UK or will have to import it.
One of the big things is that no one seems to tell you what breaking strength of the green Coleman guyline is?
The big take away from the video for me is to turn all of your guy lines upside down so the tensioning is done next to the tent/trap rather than at the ground.
One of the other big thoughts is do I go green or visible? Obviously for my trap and hiking tent blending into the background is a useful thing however on a camp site this might cause problems. That said my current guy lines are bright neon green and people walk into them.

 

[SaraR]

I was watching this video Backpacking Tent Hack - Easy adjust guylines and it made me start wondering about guy lines.
I have just always suffered with what they put on tents however the quest for lightweight has changed that so my guy lines are going Micro or Nano cord in the near future. I am going to replicate on all my tents the set up in the video except for the cord he uses as I do not want to double the value of some of my tents! That said I have found this tensioner which I might use instead however it finding it in the UK or will have to import it.
One of the big things is that no one seems to tell you what breaking strength of the green Coleman guyline is?
The big take away from the video for me is to turn all of your guy lines upside down so the tensioning is done next to the tent/trap rather than at the ground.
One of the other big thoughts is do I go green or visible? Obviously for my trap and hiking tent blending into the background is a useful thing however on a camp site this might cause problems. That said my current guy lines are bright neon green and people walk into them.

I like Hillebergs guy line tensioners (they've got lightweight and normal ones, depending on the thickness of the guy line), which can be bought separately. You peg them out at full length (or as close as you can get in the space your in) and then tighten them from the tent end. They lock securely, yet are easy to unlock even with gloves on.

photo from review here: https://www.trailspace.com/gear/hilleberg/guy-line-runners/

 

[Erbswurst]

Hilleberg tarp lines seem to be made like this, that they break before the tarp gets damaged. I did read somewhere a story where a guy did attach his Hilleberg tarp to his car and forgot that before he started it.
I tend to believe the story as I know that there are also other very well thought out characteristics of Hilleberg equipment.

I bought every thin line that I found in German outdoor shops and I visited a lot of them due to my job.

The best line that I found for general purpose use is the German made Edelrid Multicord SP 2,5 mm.
It's orange and affordable.

MULTICORD SP 2.5mm | accessory cord | EDELRID

Versatile multicords for a wide range of uses, e.g. gear organisation, tent guylines, or shoe laces. ...

edelrid.com

 

[Minotaur]

I like Hillebergs guy line tensioners (they've got lightweight and normal ones, depending on the thickness of the guy line), which can be bought separately. You peg them out at full length (or as close as you can get in the space your in) and then tighten them from the tent end. They lock securely, yet are easy to unlock even with gloves on.

I am going to buy them and a larger version of the flip one and see how I get on.

The best line that I found for general purpose use is the German made Edelrid Multicord SP 2,5 mm.
It's orange and affordable.

Yeah this is part of my question really just how strong does the guy line need to be? I think the nano and micro cord must be strong enough.

 

[Nice65]

With much thanks to @Lithril the search function is now working

Bit more info and ideas here:

Guyline Tensioner Puzzle

Hi Folks, I just got a new tent and can’t work out how the guyline tensioners work. The instructions are no use as they show a different type of tensioner (the triangular kind.) And I can’t seem to find this type anywhere on Google or YouTube. Any help would be massively appreciated :)

bushcraftuk.com

 

[MartinK9]

That said I have found this tensioner which I might use instead however it finding it in the UK or will have to import it.

I use these:

4 x Linelocs line locs 3 self tensioning tarp shelter tie out on grosgrain loop

4x ITW Nexus Lineloc 3 self tensioner for shelters and tarp tie outs sewn onto grosgrain polyester webbing for easy attachment to your exising tie

www.treadlitegear.co.uk

 

[nigelp]

These: https://www.cleats.co.uk/cl266-mini-line-lokr-for-1-3mm-lines.html

Strong, simple to use and virtually unbreakable.

 

[nigelp]

Or these: https://www.niteize.co.uk/products/figure-9-tent-line-kit

I use the figure 9 when I want to go around trees or other ‘objects’ that I could not pass the line lock over. They pull extremely tight - I use these for my ridge line with very light cord.
I’ve not tested them by tying them to my car yet.

 

[SaraR]

Oh, and I never use any hardwear for tarps. With tarps I just use paracord or other guy line- type cord, or on occasion thin bungees.

 

[Erbswurst]

I keep the guy line tensioners at the tents but detached them from the guy lines of the tarps and don't use that with ponchos.
They simply disturb me. And the right knots aren't overly complicated.

 

[C_Claycomb]

I started with knots and still like them. On the tarps that I have sewn myself I have tried a couple of types of Linelocs. Had to use the ones @Minotaur linked to with the moveable locking bar with the super thin Dutch Wire guy lines on one tarp, stuff is so thin it doesn't work in the normal Lineloc @MartinK9 linked to. I do however use the latter with the Marlow arborist throw line I usually use for guy lines.

It is nice being able to adjust a hammock tarp from under it when it sags a little in the rain. The Linelocs do offer that advantage over my usual knots and all the things like Camcleat that sit half way down the line, and require the line to be doubled.

Not sure whether it is something that you really need to worry about, but I suppose some might in some conditions...If you use a Camcleat type or a knot, but have the loop running through the tarp webbing, there is a chance that over time you will wear the webbing. The cord will be rubbing the webbing under tension every time you tighten up. Probably not really a problem unless the webbing gets muddy or the line picks up sand.

 

[Minotaur]

I think the Atwood Micro cord is arborist throw line or similar as Atwood make a lot more stuff including arborist throw line.
The way he sets up the guy line is by using a little piece of cord in a loop though the webbing so all the wear is on that and not the webbing. A lot of people seem to use some form of jungle toggle on their tarp which is the way I am going I think. I have a poncho tarp and having loops dangling off sounds like a bad idea.
A couple of figure of eights and a prussic would work well for normal guy lines to be honest.

 

[Minotaur]

A couple of figure of eights and a prussic would work well for normal guy lines to be honest.

Tried it and it did not work so one down.