Tarp guyline lengths

**MrToot** · 09-01-2009, 08:47

If you leave your guy-lines attached to your tarp, what length do you like to use and why does that work for you? Do you have your ridge-line lines the same length, longer, or shorter then your side tie-outs?

Thanks for your input here.

**Hooch** · 09-01-2009, 08:55

IMO, I can't think of a valid reason not to leave your guy lines ties to your tarp. My side tie-outs are about 6' and my ridge tie-outs are about 12'.

**sclittlefield** · 09-01-2009, 09:16

I leave them attached and coiled up in the stuffsac. 9' on the side tie-outs and 12' on the ridgeline.

**gargoyle** · 09-01-2009, 09:19

6 foot sides, 12 foot ridges. I always leave them tied on.

**Mustardman** · 09-01-2009, 09:34

I leave some tied on and some not, depending on which tarp you're talking about.

For the ridgeline lines, I don't actually ever tie them to the hammock - I use figure 9 carabiners clipped to the ridgeline loops. That way, I can throw the guyline around the tree, feed it through an overhand-on-a-bight loop, and pull it tight against the tree, then use the figure 9 to attach the tarp. It goes up very quick and doesn't require any knot tying.

I also use a variety of line lengths. For pitching straight to the ground, I generally don't need more than four feet or so, and I have a bunch of four foot lengths. If I'm doing something more complicated, like going around a hiking pole to make an awning, six to eight feet is a lot better, so I have some lines in those lengths.

I also never actually tie any lines to my tarp with a knot - they all have a loop on a bight at the end, and that loop is girth hitched to the attachment points on the tarp. That way, it's very quick and easy to switch lines around as needed.

For stakes, I use MSR groundhogs, with figure 9's attached directly to the cord loops on the stakes. That gives me two benefits - one is speed of setup, and two is making it harder to lose my figure 9's

I also carry extra bundles of Kelty Triptease reflective line, in various lengths, and scraps of other bits of line, so I can rig up whatever contraption I deem necessary.

**Peter_pan** · 09-01-2009, 10:31

I leave them on the tarp with a fixed loop so that they can be removed or moved without untying....I use 9.5 feet all around for maximum flexibility...I'd often rather guy out to a tree than down to a peg and longer lines excell uner that criterion....Straight cord for ridgelines and Self tensioning lines for all the down or out points,

Pan

**HappyCamper** · 09-01-2009, 11:50

Pan, how long are your self-tensioning lines? I have those all around my JRB tarp except ridgelines. My ridgelines are longer than my tieouts. (No sure of length, will have to measure.) I leave all lines tied on. I used to coil up all my lines but now I don't bother. I use snakeskins for my tarp and just stuff the tieout cords into the skins. They drop down just fine next time I use the tarp. I wrap the ridgeline cords around the middle of the folded up skins to keep the snake underwraps. This stuffs into outside pocket of pack.