What kind of rope to have???

[bchboy1206]

Right now I am using wal-mart nylon rope until my 180' zing-it gets in.

I was wondering what other cordage I should get that is versatile and fairly inexpensive, it seems that dyna-glide and amsteel blue are the favorites. I almost ordered a ton of para-cord but after searching on here many say it stretches alot which limits is usefulness in hammocking.

Please help me out on what other rope I should get and its usage.I suppose I would be using it for hanging my tarp and tie outs, lashing, and hanging bags and whatever else that I may not know of at this point.

Any advice on ropes/cords and thicknesses are greatly appreciated (or even a good link to a topic like this)

JimT

[JayS]

Braided mason's line (Home Depot, Lowes, etc) is good, inexpensive tarp tie out line.

[shumway]

Lucky you didn't get paracord. I have doubts how much mine will get used. Dyneema is so much stronger and lighter it just blows my mind. You'll love your Zing It... Well I love mine so far. For higher strength needs, Amsteel Blue is wonderful. That's one of the options for suspension system whoopie slings. The 7/64 size is smaller than paracord and almost 3 times the strength. The only issue is it is slippery so knots can slip. Splicing solves most of those problems.
I paln to put paracord in my boots as laces. If I get in a bind I can always pull out the core threads to build an expedient shelter, and still use the sheath as laces.

[oldgringo]

The Zing It is all you will need for your tarp.

If you're looking for small utility cord to use "wherever", braided mason twine is a good choice. It's cheap, holds knots well, and is moderately strong. It also tangles easily...knots and tangles can be maddeningly difficult to pick out, but because it's so cheap, you can cut it, and not look back.

[nothermark]

I like 1/8 in polyester sash cord. Big enough to see and do things with, low tangle, low stretch and strong enough to tie tarps and bear bags.

[Freelancer Tex]

I use paracord for a number of things, from my tie-outs to lashing things to my pack. It does tend to stretch, but if you want it as a extra line that doesnt need to be ultra strong it does the trick. I wouldnt use it as a tarp ridgeline, but tieouts seem to hold just fine for me. I use paracord for my ridgeline (but I dont weigh much). I pick it up at my local surplus store for less than 10 bucks for 100ft. Unless you grab the one with reflective line, then its a bit pricey.

I just have to throw it out there that paracord is good for hammocking, just not the hammock itself. I think its an inexpensive and easily attainable option. It has a ton of uses, holds knots well and is easily stored. I think its gotten a bad rep after trying to use it for weight bearing purposes.