Tarp tensioners

[Cannibal]

Anybody know what works better for tarp tensioners; thin stretchy or thick not so stretchy?

My chiropractor brought me some surgical tubing he uses for therapy with his patients. There are two distinctly different types. One is blue and pretty stout; the other is green and more stretchy. Both are stiffer than the sling shot replacement tubing. I made a set of the blue ones last night and will make a green set tonight, but I'm wondering if there is any real difference in performance. The weight difference is slight and I'm done counting grams.....for now.

I KNOW I'm not the first one to try this. No rain forecast in the short term so I'm wondering if anybody has any comments.

[angrysparrow]

If they are both stiffer than the sling shot tubing, I'd use the more stretchy of the two. It seems to me that it doesn't require TOO much stretch to keep a tarp taut. JMO

[Cannibal]

Probably right. I was thinking maybe the stiffer one would allow me to use a shorter length than the 10" length I use with the sling shot stuff. If nothing else, it gives me a good excuse to go outside and play in the rain.

[cavediver2]

I used a form off of justjeffs site from one that he had posted and emailed him about which one he liked best and made mine with about 5 inch's of sling shot tubing. see them in my pictures.

[Spock]

Anybody know what works better for tarp tensioners; thin stretchy or thick not so stretchy?

Ideal: A tensioner that will pull the tarp taut, but has about half its stretch remaining.

Why? Because the tensioner has two jobs: 1) to take up the sag as rain/dew/moisture in the air wets the tarp and causes it to stretch and sag during the night; and 2) to absorb wind shock that makes a tarp flap and fail.

[headchange4u]

I used surgical tubing for a while but know I just use 1/8" shock cord. It's lighter and works just as well.

[GrizzlyAdams]

I used surgical tubing for a while but know I just use 1/8" shock cord. It's lighter and works just as well.

yeah, I was in Home Depot last week, saw and bought a bag of 10 mini bungee cords for maybe $2, removed the metal hooks, and made a set of tarp tensioners. On tie-outs made from braided mason line I also got at HD on a previous pilgrimage.

The stuff you learn up on this site...

Grizz

[slowhike]

i use shock cord that's about the size of a common shoe lace... maybe 2mm?
got it at the backpacking store.

[FanaticFringer]

I used surgical tubing for a while but know I just use 1/8" shock cord. It's lighter and works just as well.

How long is the piece of shock cord you use and what knot do you use to attach it to your line?

[Nudgeworth]

How long is the piece of shock cord you use and what knot do you use to attach it to your line?

heheh =oP

You read my minf FanaticFringer

Also how much do you strech the the shock cord? Um how far apart are the knots on the rope?