Setting Up A Tarp

[Bushcraftsman]

The "Top 5 Knots" question previously posted made me think,

What, in your opinion, are the best knots for setting up a tarp? The different knots for the ridgeline and guy lines.

Thanks

 

[Asa Samuel]

Evenk hitch knot for the first knot of the ridge line.
Then there are loads to choose from for tightening the ridge line. I just tighten the line by taking the cord over the ridge line then under and back round the tree, I do that usually twice then I make a loop and pass a loop through that to make a quick release knot, then pass another loop through that and tighten.
I use a re-woven figure of 8 to attach guy lines to eyelets and use the same knot I use to tighten the ridge line as I do for the guy lines (unless I have actual guy lines in which case I don't need a knot)
Fishermans knot or reef knot (Fishermans for a stronger knot or reef knot for quick untying) for joining lines.
Prussic knot for keeping the tarp taught over the ridge line.

I think that is all I use for tarps, I use a standard shoe-lace knot for hanging up my hammock, overhand followed by a looped overhand.

Asa.

 

[spamel]

The most commonly used knots will be the evenk and tarp taut hitch as Mears uses them and they work. No point trying to find an individual way at something that clearly works just about perfectly! For guy lines, there are a number of variations on using the guy doubled back on itself to form an eye and then securing that eye with a type of prussik. Again, it's very simple and they work brilliantly. By putting the adjustable knot at the tarp fixing point, you can adjust the tarp without leaving its' shelter.

 

[Bushcraftsman]

Yes I use the Evenk hitch for the first knot, great when packing everything away in the morning

 

[Shewie]

Evenk hitch first and a truckers hitch for the longer end, prusiks tied to the ridge line and tarp loops for taughting up, then sliding adjustables on the guy lines.

 

[Colin.W]

I remember years ago when I first started camping and outdoor living, because the rope and cordage we had was mainly sisal or hemp we had to tie our guy ropes with a knot similar to half of a sheepshank (I never did learn the name of the knot) so we could quickly release them if the wet weather shrank the ropes. Hooray for man made fibres

 

[andy_e]

I did use the Mears-endorsed taut hitch for tensioning my ridgelines but once learned, I found the truckers/wagonners/etc hitch superior - though under excessive tension it can destroy a good rope.

So for me now, much the same as Shewie:

On the ridge-line - Evenk/Falconers hitch for fixed end, Truckers for tensioning end.

Prussics on mini-carabiners to tension tarp ridge.

Tautline hitches to tension my guys - with a nod to Spamel, who pointed out previously that these are best set up at the tarp end of the line - if it's raining you want to be able to tension from under the tarp if possible I use Line-loks on one of my tarps for this too.

Clove-hitches or constrictors at the peg end of my guys.

And that's pretty much it for my own standard set-up, and TBH I've not come across many situations where these were not enough for all the different variations of tarp set-up I've used.

 

[K.NYPH]

The best knots for your tarp in my opinion are :-
1. Timber hitch for your anchor point to tree "A"
2. A short piece of rope with a Bowline , the tail of this rope is attached to tree "B" also with a timber hitch . The Bowline is so you can attach a carrabena to reduce friction.
3. The rope tail from tree "A" is used to form a Carters hitch (Truckers Hitch) which will run through your carrabena on tree "B".The carters hitch is secured using a slipped half hitch.
This is a simple system which enables you to create a lot of tension and none of the "knots" used will jam and all are very easy to undo infact most will fall apart when the tension is released.

May I correct a statement made by Asa Samuel, On no account should you use a reef knot for joining two ropes as the knot is unstable and can also capsize and fail.The correct knot to join two ropes together is a Sheet bend.

 

[Asa Samuel]

K.nymph, I have used a reef knot loads of times on a tarp and it's never failed me, even under erratic strain.

 

[K.NYPH]

That may be the case but it is bad practice.

 

[Asa Samuel]

If a knot works it works, It's been reliable for me plenty of times and I've even tugged on it myself to see how it holds up and it never came loose but if you don't want to use it I ain't forcing ya

 

[mace242]

If a knot works it works, It's been reliable for me plenty of times and I've even tugged on it myself to see how it holds up and it never came loose but if you don't want to use it I ain't forcing ya

I think the reef is safer if it's agaist something (like a tree) as it would be with a tarp. The dangers of a reef undoing are if it's free hanging. I'm guessing K.NYPH is a climber.

 

[Asa Samuel]

I think the reef is safer if it's agaist something (like a tree) as it would be with a tarp. The dangers of a reef undoing are if it's free hanging. I'm guessing K.NYPH is a climber.

Mine is always free hanging, usually used to make long guy lines that I can anchor to something more solid than a peg if the wind is strong.

Yeah, I guessed that too. I can see why you wouldn't want to use it with bulky ropes and I wouldn't want to have my life depending on it but I would rather not have my life depending on any knot.

 

[K.NYPH]

Please take my advice as I am a professional in this subject and teach it for a living .
Ignorance costs lives .
I was correcting you to help you ,I was not criticism of you

 

[Asa Samuel]

Please take my advice as I am a professional in this subject and teach it for a living .
Ignorance costs lives .
I was correcting you to help you ,I was not criticism of you

I'm sure you were and I will take corrections if I think I need to be corrected. I am not a climber and my life will not be depending on a reef knot. This thread is about tarps and I use it for a tarp not a climbing rope.

If I was a climber then I would definitely be using different knots for joining ropes but seeing as this is about tarps, I'll be sticking with the reef knot.

 

[K.NYPH]

Just for the record I'm a Rope Worker and Knots are my speciality.This forum is for learning correct methods in all aspects of bushcraft from people with experience and that should be respected
Best Regards
K-NYPH

 

[Asa Samuel]

I know you are a rope worker and your website has a lot of really nice things by the way and this is a forum for learning the correct methods in different aspects of bushcraft but different aspects and applications would warrant different things (or knots). Setting up a tarp would not have a great deal of strain on it and therefore you could use the reef knot, whereas something which neeed a tougher knot like climbing or towing would require a different knot.

It's like the overhand vs figure of 8 knots, used in similar ways but one will always be stronger and more reliable than the other but we still use the weaker one a lot. Why? Because its easier to tie and we knot it doesn't need to be as strong. Same as the reef/sheet bend. Knots are all about choosing the right knot for the right application, tying up guy lines should be an easy and quick affair - in comes the reef knot, it doesn't need to be strong but it's easy to tie and easy to remember (helps not to clog up your memory with too many knots or else you'll forget others). Next situation, joining climbing ropes, needs to be strong and it's not as important to be quick, heres the sheet bend as it's strong, won't loosen easily and you can even make a double sheet bend to make it stronger.

That's my last post on the matter, if you don't see my side of it with that then there's no point me continuing. Reply if you want but I won't be.

 

[John Fenna]

Having met Knyph, talked with him and seen his expert handling of ropes of all sorts experienced his knowledge of knots....I would tend to listen to his advice as his has had many years experience in this his specialist field.
The thread is about opinions on the best way to put up a tarp and the knots to use
As a Sea Scout leader for many years, I too taught knotting (at a basic level) and have seen reef knots capsize in use.
If you use the correct knot then things have a chance to survive when an incorrect knot for the aplication is used.
I understand that reef knots are so called as they were used to reduce the sail area of a sail by tying folds in it with bits of rope sewn to the face of the sail...and were seen as fairly weak, easily undone knots for temporary knots!
A tarp in a gale behaves somewhat like a sail :yikes:
Sheet bends were designed to bend (join ) two sheets (ropes) so the clue is in the name...
Try using bends to join things - you will find they work best!
When I am looking for advice I tend to respect the advice of acknowledged and experienced experts over the opinions of students of other disciplins....

However -, having said that, my favourite way of putting up a tarp is to wack a round turn and two half hitches on to tree A and use what I know as a "Hammock Hitch" around tree B (wrap a turn around the tree, under then over the standing part, back around the tree, under and over the standing part and finish with a double tucked quick release).
I will be trying out the method suggested by Knyph as it sounds very strong and yet easy to release (the round turn etc can sometimes be a pig...) It is always good to learn from a master!...(even if he does give you the brush off sometimes )
Many thanks for the advice K-NYPH.
I then use mini prussics and crabs to arratch the tarp to the ridgeline with they taughtline jobbies on the guys (which attach to the tarp via tent rubbers)...or I use bungies!:yikes:

 

[Shewie]

You were making so much sense then John but then you went and spoilt it by mentioning bungees. Shame on you lad.

 

[John Fenna]

Ach - quick, easy and gives you more time to stuff your face and slurp the vino!