New tarp with bungie cord ridge line

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johnboe522

Full Member
Feb 20, 2012
353
0
lulworth
Here are some pics of my new tarp with a bungie cord ridge line and bungie cord guide lines too.

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Tarp held with prusik knot to allow sliding and tightening.

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Excess cord to wrap around tree.

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Bungie cord guy lines

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Packed up and ready to go.

Testing it out next week will let you know how well it works!
 

Squidders

Full Member
Aug 3, 2004
3,853
15
48
Harrow, Middlesex
Bungees are ok as long as you monitor the condition of the cord, it will degrade over time and ping through the hooks. This can send the hooks into graceful flight.

best to lash some thin cord to the bungee cord and use regular knots.
 

johnboe522

Full Member
Feb 20, 2012
353
0
lulworth
Sack the bungees, you'll have your eye out one day :)

I have never seen one ping off, not saying it can't happen but you have me thinking now!!

I have used bungee cord for years in the forces with no snapping ect ect,

Is this a common problem that I have just been lucky with?
 

Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
24
48
Yorkshire
I have never seen one ping off, not saying it can't happen but you have me thinking now!!

I have used bungee cord for years in the forces with no snapping ect ect,

Is this a common problem that I have just been lucky with?

I just don't trust them so haven't really dabbled much, if you've had good experience then stick with them.

You could get a lighter and more compact setup with something like 2mm accessory cord and a couple of simple knots.

No set rules though, just use what you're happy with :)
 

Squidders

Full Member
Aug 3, 2004
3,853
15
48
Harrow, Middlesex
I have had a bungee cord pull through the hook before... I admit that by the time the bungee had degraded enough to do that there wasn't much boing left in it though.

I really like the idea of a foot of bungee inline with my usual guys to keep tension up.
 

jimmypw

Member
May 23, 2012
29
0
Surbiton
You can't leave it at that jimmy, what the fear with umbrellas??:confused:

It's anything pointy at eye level such as the spokes on an umbrella. It makes me think of this.

tumblr_mbbm3lzE9b1rtr3kno1_500.jpg
 

Miyagi

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 6, 2008
2,298
5
South Queensferry
I only started using cord for my tarp due to its use on here.

I'd been using bungees for years too, an old army habit, and i still have bungees attached to one set up out of habit - on my 58 poncho.

I take cord and bungees with me and mix and match the set up depending on circumstances, terrain.


Liam
 

Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
24
48
Yorkshire
I have had a bungee cord pull through the hook before... I admit that by the time the bungee had degraded enough to do that there wasn't much boing left in it though.

I really like the idea of a foot of bungee inline with my usual guys to keep tension up.

I clove hitch a 10" piece of shockcord into my guys to use as self tensioners, there's some good threads on HF with similar ideas. They act in two ways by tensioning up any slack after rain or moisture but also add some safety with strong winds.

This is a bit like mine but I attach mine differently
 

tartanferret

Full Member
Aug 25, 2011
1,865
0
barnsley
I clove hitch a 10" piece of shockcord into my guys to use as self tensioners

I've been looking at doing this too Rich, can you tell me what diameter shock cord you use on your tarp? My new tarp had its first outing yesterday and for how taut I had it set up I did not reckon 3mm would be much use? I was going to try it with 5mm (but not loops).

cheers:)
 

Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
24
48
Yorkshire
I've been looking at doing this too Rich, can you tell me what diameter shock cord you use on your tarp? My new tarp had its first outing yesterday and for how taut I had it set up I did not reckon 3mm would be much use? I was going to try it with 5mm (but not loops).

cheers:)

I've got 3mm on my Superfly, haven't bothered with the cuben tarp as there's no stretch in it when it's wet.

I tied the SC onto the ring where the guys are attached, stretched it out and marked the guyline, then just clove hitched it at the mark. They haven't budged since doing it, I thought they might unravel (sp) with it being shockcord but the haven't surprisingly.
 

Jackdaw

Full Member
I have never seen one ping off, not saying it can't happen but you have me thinking now!!

I have used bungee cord for years in the forces with no snapping ect ect,

Is this a common problem that I have just been lucky with?

Same here. Never had a problem after 22 years of service. I have now switched to paracord and Line-loks to see how I get on with them.

That said, I really like the idea of using the prusik hitch in that configuration. But as I use the issue basha I probably would rather just use standard bungies as the pouch it comes with can't really fit much else in and I normally have to wrap the bungies around the bag.

Jack
 

Big Stu 12

Bushcrafter through and through
Jan 7, 2012
6,028
4
Ipswich
I am not a fan of Shock Cord for more then the odd job to get you out of a fix, or as a self adjusting loop i.e. a few inches on a guy line to take the shock out of the movement,

Myself I have seen the knots pull through the hooks, and have seen them snap, or not quite catch into place then ping back, most people see this and think hey ho.... no real problem as its a laugh when you see it happen, then its forgotten until next time it happens

I do carry a couple as a get me by and rarely use them, In my opinion you cant beat knowing how to tie knots correctly, its all part of the skills we learn.

I have seen people carry loads of them say "I carry to much weight wish I could cut that down..." most bungees have metal ends and are thicker then the average bit of cord/rope that you would use for the same breaking strain, in all a knot in a rope only is the weight of the rope.
 
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johnboe522

Full Member
Feb 20, 2012
353
0
lulworth
I am not a fan of Shock Cord for more then the odd job to get you out of a fix, or as a self adjusting loop i.e. a few inches on a guy line to take the shock out of the movement,

Myself I have seen the knots pull through the hooks, and have seen them snap, or not quite catch into place then ping back, most people see this and think hey ho.... no real problem as its a laugh when you see it happen, then its forgotten until next time it happens

I do carry a couple as a get me by and rarely use them, In my opinion you cant beat knowing how to tie knots correctly, its all part of the skills we learn.

I have seen people carry loads of them say "I carry to much weight wish I could cut that down..." most bungees have metal ends and are thicker then the average bit of cord/rope that you would use for the same breaking strain, in all a knot in a rope only is the weight of the rope.[/

Knots are the issue, I love a good knot!!! Just thought I would have a experiment with the ridge line.:)
 

Big Stu 12

Bushcrafter through and through
Jan 7, 2012
6,028
4
Ipswich
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