SimonM
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
On my big tarp I use reflective, hi viz guy lines and hang glow sticks on the them when at Meets - saves the "tired and emotional" amongst us a trip
Simon
Tarps. Why not use bungies instead of cord?
- Thread starter The Lord Poncho
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Simon
The accessory cord I use is bright blue with a reflective strip woven into the mantle. Mind you, I've tripped over fluorescent orange guys in broad daylight before now...
I like a cheap hybrid idea, a 6ft length of shockcord in a 3ft loop attached to the tie outs and 12ft of shockcord in a 3ft double loop for the ridgeline. Attach to the loops is chosen normal chord with pre-teid guy knotts in them.
Quick, simple, cheap, and no hasty hard hooks to cause too much damage if they do ping back.
Quick, simple, cheap, and no hasty hard hooks to cause too much damage if they do ping back.
I tend to opt for the following scenario:
I use solid guy lines of good length but then just before reaching the tarp with them I have a small piece (20cm or so) of strong bungee attached to the rope in the configuration above. Yellow = bungee and Black = Guy Line. Sorry for my bad paint skills.
The loop in the guy lines is 40cm in length which thus allows for 20cm worth of strech before the guy removes the load bearing from the bungee.
I find that this way I can configure my guys in many ways as can keep long lines and tie off short if need be, I can keep the tarp taught at all times (irrespective of pegs moving in soil, etc) whilst at the same time making sure I do not over tension the tarp connection points due to the bungee.
Also if a bungee where to fail then one or both ends would remain tied to the guy lines thus avoiding risk on injury as they would only travel 20cm before guy takes strain. I have also removed the metal cleats either end of the bungee and replaced with a simple figure eight so no risk of sharp bits flying around.
I think this is a pretty good setup for me. What do you guys reckon?
NC
I use solid guy lines of good length but then just before reaching the tarp with them I have a small piece (20cm or so) of strong bungee attached to the rope in the configuration above. Yellow = bungee and Black = Guy Line. Sorry for my bad paint skills.
The loop in the guy lines is 40cm in length which thus allows for 20cm worth of strech before the guy removes the load bearing from the bungee.
I find that this way I can configure my guys in many ways as can keep long lines and tie off short if need be, I can keep the tarp taught at all times (irrespective of pegs moving in soil, etc) whilst at the same time making sure I do not over tension the tarp connection points due to the bungee.
Also if a bungee where to fail then one or both ends would remain tied to the guy lines thus avoiding risk on injury as they would only travel 20cm before guy takes strain. I have also removed the metal cleats either end of the bungee and replaced with a simple figure eight so no risk of sharp bits flying around.
I think this is a pretty good setup for me. What do you guys reckon?
NC
I like this idea NC - deffo have to give this a try i've a couple of short bungees about a foot long similar to the webtex ones.
On a side note im modding my hamm by attatching a mozzie net & need something similar to act as an elastic ridge line between the karabs so when my weight drops the hamm down ridge will pull taught across,although maybe shock cord will do the job - aiming for summat similar to a hennessey set up.
On a side note im modding my hamm by attatching a mozzie net & need something similar to act as an elastic ridge line between the karabs so when my weight drops the hamm down ridge will pull taught across,although maybe shock cord will do the job - aiming for summat similar to a hennessey set up.
I tend to opt for the following scenario:
I use solid guy lines of good length but then just before reaching the tarp with them I have a small piece (20cm or so) of strong bungee attached to the rope in the configuration above. Yellow = bungee and Black = Guy Line. Sorry for my bad paint skills.
The loop in the guy lines is 40cm in length which thus allows for 20cm worth of strech before the guy removes the load bearing from the bungee.
I find that this way I can configure my guys in many ways as can keep long lines and tie off short if need be, I can keep the tarp taught at all times (irrespective of pegs moving in soil, etc) whilst at the same time making sure I do not over tension the tarp connection points due to the bungee.
Also if a bungee where to fail then one or both ends would remain tied to the guy lines thus avoiding risk on injury as they would only travel 20cm before guy takes strain. I have also removed the metal cleats either end of the bungee and replaced with a simple figure eight so no risk of sharp bits flying around.
I think this is a pretty good setup for me. What do you guys reckon?
NC
I like this, simple, effective and cheap.
Cheers
JFW
I like bungees. For people who say paracord and knots are better - well thats only if youre knots are GOOD!! Mine are terrible! with a bungee I can be fairly certain my stuff isnt going to collapse in on me in the night! I do practice knots though , and I prefer that cord doesnt slacken over a few days.
Bungees are 2 for a pound in the pound shop btw, I used them to stretch that deer hide to.
Bungees are 2 for a pound in the pound shop btw, I used them to stretch that deer hide to.
My eldest daughter and I camped out in the woods last night.
It bucketed down around midnight, but the Hilleberg hotel kept us bone dry.
With several metres of line attached to each of the eyelets, and using the supplied line runners it fits comfortably into its built-in stuff pocket:
There is definiely a place for bungies - I carry several in the green pouch in this picture, along with some pegs, line and string - but line runners are my first choice for pitching the tarp.
It bucketed down around midnight, but the Hilleberg hotel kept us bone dry.
With several metres of line attached to each of the eyelets, and using the supplied line runners it fits comfortably into its built-in stuff pocket:
There is definiely a place for bungies - I carry several in the green pouch in this picture, along with some pegs, line and string - but line runners are my first choice for pitching the tarp.
I've never found a need for bungees when camping on the trail. They add needless weight imo and I don't really see them as a luxury. I use bungees all the time for securing stuff on my bike or in my truck, and even when I car camp, but when I carry my gear on my back, the real luxury comes from reducing your weight to a minimum wherever you can. Knots have worked for me for 50 years.
There seems to be a clear divide, with most people who use bungies having a military background.
Personaly i don't really get the safety issue with them- you hear all the scare stories, but i've never seen someone become a cropper. Besides, bushcrafters tends to have lots of other pointy, sharp, heavy things to worry about in their kit inventory.
If you are silly enough to hammer a tent peg through your foot and only realise when you try to step back to attach your basha to it, then frankly becoming a victim to a flying bungie hook is well deserved.
Not that i have seen anyone carryout the above mentioned follish act, i use it as an illustration only.
Personaly i don't really get the safety issue with them- you hear all the scare stories, but i've never seen someone become a cropper. Besides, bushcrafters tends to have lots of other pointy, sharp, heavy things to worry about in their kit inventory.
If you are silly enough to hammer a tent peg through your foot and only realise when you try to step back to attach your basha to it, then frankly becoming a victim to a flying bungie hook is well deserved.
Not that i have seen anyone carryout the above mentioned follish act, i use it as an illustration only.
This link suggests that the risk of injury is real, according to the "eye doctors"
http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...serid=10&md5=0350bd8c64728c3ec11737358c1d48f0
I still use them but appreciate that they are potentially dangerous, as I have seen blokes injured by them.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...serid=10&md5=0350bd8c64728c3ec11737358c1d48f0
I still use them but appreciate that they are potentially dangerous, as I have seen blokes injured by them.
The Honourable Poncho is right - I've used bungees on my tarps for years aqnd I've still got both my eyes! Quick & easy, job's done in a jiffy & no problem in the cold or wet, gloved or bare-handed.
Ted W
Ted W
there's a way to partialy solve that problem. attach a lengh of cord onto the end of the bungees, so that you can tie them at the suitable lengh.
I learned how to rig poncho shelters using bungees and they are hard to beat when speed of set-up and take-down are a serious priority: also operating in the dark. You can show someone how to rig a tarp shelter with bungees in less time than explaining knots; again important when time is the main consideration. These shelters were set very low to the ground, no ridgeline; stake out the corners and pull up the (closed)hood with the bungee, and attach to appropriate branch. Crawl under and go to sleep.
I no longer use bungees(and am no longer in the military or much of a hurry). I had to learn some knots, but that is useful in so many tasks and has become a rewarding hobby in itself. Bungees break sooner than cordage, and the resulting "snap" of stretched bungee to cold fingertip was enough for me.
Bungees need not be purchased, they are free for the taking, found along the side of any highway, demonstrating some of their inherent flaws and misuses. As for shelter rigging, the more ways you can go about it, the better. If you use cordage, and have never used bungees, go give them a fair try and vice versa.
Clint
I no longer use bungees(and am no longer in the military or much of a hurry). I had to learn some knots, but that is useful in so many tasks and has become a rewarding hobby in itself. Bungees break sooner than cordage, and the resulting "snap" of stretched bungee to cold fingertip was enough for me.
Bungees need not be purchased, they are free for the taking, found along the side of any highway, demonstrating some of their inherent flaws and misuses. As for shelter rigging, the more ways you can go about it, the better. If you use cordage, and have never used bungees, go give them a fair try and vice versa.
Clint
Just a quick question: are the bungess mentioned here anything like this, or something more fancy?
Just a quick question: are the bungess mentioned here anything like this, or something more fancy?
That's what mine are like
Yes, those are similar to the bungies i use too. I have some which are longer (and thinner) that i bought years ago. Perfect, but haven't found them for sale since. As well as alongside roads, bungies literrally grow on trees within wood blocks in military training areas.
I have an excellent solution to the age old problem of trees being incorrectly spaced- simply use a heavy duty ratchet strap to draw the trees in closer together. Anything wider than a foot and a half in circumference can be a struggle, but i've found there is no better way of warming up on a chilly night pripor to crawling into your sleeping bag.
I have an excellent solution to the age old problem of trees being incorrectly spaced- simply use a heavy duty ratchet strap to draw the trees in closer together. Anything wider than a foot and a half in circumference can be a struggle, but i've found there is no better way of warming up on a chilly night pripor to crawling into your sleeping bag.
Well I've never been in the military but I've been a Scout Leader for over 25 years, I use bungees on my back pack and the same ones combined with para cord to rig my tarps. Unless your chosen anchor points (Trees) are very substantial or close to the ground they will move in the wind, the bungees help keep a more constant tension preventing a sag/tear situation. Bungees are no more dangerous than a sharp knife. You can hurt yourself with either.
And there I was poised over at e-bay about to buy some bungees and maybe even some tarp poles.
I might have to re-think this one again
Mind you I am an Explorer Scout Leader and can't risk using my tarp near them. Last time I used it we came back from a bimble and I found all my kit just as I had left it but 2m higher up the tree! Still it beats the time I went back to my tent at night and found my trailer in it. (little dears)
I might have to re-think this one again
Mind you I am an Explorer Scout Leader and can't risk using my tarp near them. Last time I used it we came back from a bimble and I found all my kit just as I had left it but 2m higher up the tree! Still it beats the time I went back to my tent at night and found my trailer in it. (little dears)
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