What I do is attach my guy out lines to the tarp loops with a taut line hitch. Coil up the line , figure 8 fashion on two fingers, then tuck this coiled line inside the loop formed by the attachment to the tarp, then just snug up the taut line loop. This does 3 things ; it leaves my tension adjustment point at the tarp edge instead of down near the ground or out at the far end, keeps the tie out lines orderly for the next pitch, doesn't add any weight.
However, it doesn't always work as slick as I would like it to as the loop sometimes works a bit loose and it all comes undone, especially on a windy day pitch. It seems to work best when I make the coil longer rather than shorter.
All of my tarps have tie out loops, not gromets, some of the loops are fairly small and it works fairly well to coil the tie out line such that it is a snug fit to stuff the coils inside the tie out loops. But on some of my tarps the tie out loops are to large to hold the coiled line secure and this method does not work.
What I have been thinking might work better is to get some of those little velcro cable ties at the electronics store. Sew a short length of it to the tarp near the tie out loops and figure-8 coil my guy out lines as before and tuck them inside the velcro loop.
I was thinking it wouldn't add much weight, and the hooks in the velcro might hold the coiled tie out lines inside the loop more securely than the previous method of just using a loop made of the same line material. From the pack the velcro cable ties are about 8 inches long but only about 3 inches would be needed.
I haven't yet decided if I like this idea enough to actually try it. Sometimes velcro is the wonder product and other times a demons torture.
D
I have a 4 season Exped tent that has the stuff sacks on the guy lines. They're handy to keep all the lines seperate from each other. But on my hammock tarp, I'm putting it up and taking it down the next morning and then most likely hiking to another camp site. To much work to stuff the lines back into a stuff sack. When I use that tent, I'm setting up for more than one night and when packing up, I'm then heading home. The Exped sacks are really nice, they work great and they're attached to the guyline so you never have to search for them. I do like them on that tent.
so tinalouise, just what do you do with those tanglesome lines on your tarp then? If you just have a diamond fly I can see possibly getting away with them loose but not on a hex with doors! Presently I take my lines off but still have to figure 8 them before putting them away. I'm using the speer orange stuff btw.
I use my Clark tarp (w/shockcord tensioners on 4 of the lines). When I take down my tarp, I roll it, starting from the head end (the larger end for my tarp). As I roll, I take up the lines on my fingers and then roll it into my tarp. Tarp is then stuffed into a stuff sack I made for it. Tarp is rolled all the way to the foot end and the guy lines are taken up into the roll as I get to that line. There are no loose lines when I get done rolling it up. The last thing to go into my stuff sack is the line from the foot end to the tree. When I go to put it up again, I only pull out that line first and tie it up. Then I unroll it out and the guy lines fall out as I unroll it. My line is trip-tease, made by Kelty.
Now by big tarp, the gear-guide one, I just try to throw the guy lines into the middle of the tarp and fold it up. I usually will put this one on the ground to fold. Stuff sacks on the big tarp would be handy!!! My Clark tarp is rolled while I hold one end and the other it still tied to the tree (doesn't hit the ground) and I've not had any problems with the lines tangling up.
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