Tarp Tensioners...Needed or Not

[Tendertoe]

Since I started hanging, I have used tarp tensioners; just simple shockcord loops girth hitched to the tarp tieout and girth hitched to a prusik that is attached to the tieout cordage. I also have a prusik at each tarp ridgeline connection point.

My first tarp was SpinnUL - not too much stretch. My current tarp is sil - substantially more stretch.

My question is this - even with tensioners, under heavy rain and/or wind, my tarp ends up slackened (nothing unmanageable, but in the morning I can notice quite a difference). I just re-tighten the prusiks and everything comes back to normal.

Granted, some of this may be the prusiks actually slipping, but some is the tensioners just not accommodating the slackening enough.

If I lengthen the tensioner size, it would probably assist in the overall slackening issue. However, heavy wind would actually push the tarp on me when it blows as a longer tensioner would allow for more give.

Although the tensioner is a "fail-safe" so-to-speak; a weak link that will break if someone falls over the tieout, thoughts on getting by without them as they really haven't assisted in doing their job of keeping things tensioned?

[Hawk-eye]

I use four of these for tensioning of the tarp. Weigh nearly nothing and accomplish the job rather well.

These have kept my tarp nicely taught in several soaking rains and unless they are working from the tarp going slack ... the tarp is fully tensioned by the lines so wind on it's own isn't compromising the tarp ... if I understood your concern. I might be confusing what you're stating ... sometimes I suffer from the Mad Cow Disease

Anyway I wouldn't use my sil tarp without them if I'm expecting a rainy day. Always carry four just in case I need them.

[FLRider]

Mine are placed much closer to the tarp itself. They're knotted into the line at the top and bottom, with the elastic being very close to the same length as the guyline when the elastic's at maximum tension. This allows for little movement in the tarp when the wind blows on it, since the nonelastic guyline acts as a stopper, while still allowing for tarp stretch and shock absorbance to be dealt with by the tensioner.

I use either an overhand bight or a tautline hitch to attach the guylines to the stakes, depending on if I think I need everything quickly adjustable depending on the weather.

It's worked so far. The only problem I've had is in trying to bring the sides of the tarp all the way down to the ground to defeat strong winds in cold temperatures. The tensioners don't do anything at that point, since the stakes are up at the top of them. Maybe if I used a log or something to hold the tarp down and then ran the tensioned guyline horizontally to the stake...hrm...

Anyway, that's the only problem I've had in about nine or ten months' use.

[GaryBunk]

Since I started hanging, I have used tarp tensioners; just simple shockcord loops girth hitched to the tarp tieout and girth hitched to a prusik that is attached to the tieout cordage. I also have a prusik at each tarp ridgeline connection point.

My first tarp was SpinnUL - not too much stretch. My current tarp is sil - substantially more stretch.

My question is this - even with tensioners, under heavy rain and/or wind, my tarp ends up slackened (nothing unmanageable, but in the morning I can notice quite a difference). I just re-tighten the prusiks and everything comes back to normal.

Granted, some of this may be the prusiks actually slipping, but some is the tensioners just not accommodating the slackening enough.

If I lengthen the tensioner size, it would probably assist in the overall slackening issue. However, heavy wind would actually push the tarp on me when it blows as a longer tensioner would allow for more give.

Although the tensioner is a "fail-safe" so-to-speak; a weak link that will break if someone falls over the tieout, thoughts on getting by without them as they really haven't assisted in doing their job of keeping things tensioned?

I have used much the same idea in that I use 12" of 5/32 bungee cord that is attached using either an nail knot (my new favorite) or an albright knot. I use braided mason line with prussiks as in the Opie vids. I do not use the safety line in case the bungee breaks. I have tried to break the bungee cord and believe your tarp would probably tear first. I'm sure the mason line would go first as a safety feature. I don't get much slip with the mason line and I have had it up in several wind storms. Good luck

[raiffnuke]

To solve that issue, my tensioners still have the full strenght of the line (zing-it) and can be pulled as tight as I wish with no sag. The shock cord (shown in red) just takes up and slack as the tarp stretches. The loops are Alpine Butterfly knots. My shock cord is looped thru the loops and the shock cord ends are tied together with a double fisherman's knot to form a loop.

Tensioners.JPG

[MAD777]

I use the same method as the OP, a simple loop of 1/8" shockcord. It keeps the tension on my sil tarp even in the rain. And, it's not long enough to allow the tarp to blow in on me. I pitch the tarp with a LOT of tension on the shockcord.

[Tendertoe]

Thanks for the responses.

The method I use accomplishes the same thing as many of you are describing, just another way to skin the same cat.

The real issue is I still experience slackening of the tarp even with the tensioners.

I rake down on the tieouts but still wake up to a floppy tarp (once again, nothing to be too concerned about, but definitely noticeable).

I'm wondering if this is just the general nature of sil and I can cut my loses so to speak - accept a slightly floppy tarp, and remove the tensioners from the equation (as currently they are not doing a sufficient job IMHO of tensioning. All they are doing is providing a fail safe and more annoyingly, not allowing me to stake closer to the tarp to really "batten down the hatches").

This could also, like I mentioned before, be the prusiks loosening (but with 5 wraps of unlike, smaller diameter cordage, they hold pretty well).

[2Questions]

FWIW, I eliminated tensioners completely when I added the center pole mod. It acts like a spring on all for corners of the tarp keeping it taut. When the Sil stretches, the "spring" takes up the slack. Agreed, the weight of the pole mod...about 5 ozs. is more than tensioners, but there are other benefits that offset that IMHO.

[MAD777]

FWIW, I eliminated tensioners completely when I added the center pole mod. It acts like a spring on all for corners of the tarp keeping it taut. When the Sil stretches, the "spring" takes up the slack. Agreed, the weight of the pole mod...about 5 ozs. is more than tensioners, but there are other benefits that offset that IMHO.

Now that's a "win-win" solution!

[Tendertoe]

FWIW, I eliminated tensioners completely when I added the center pole mod. It acts like a spring on all for corners of the tarp keeping it taut. When the Sil stretches, the "spring" takes up the slack. Agreed, the weight of the pole mod...about 5 ozs. is more than tensioners, but there are other benefits that offset that IMHO.

I've been quite tempted with this one...sounds like it would solve my tension issue and the issue of 2-4 extra tieouts coming off my tarp just waiting to be fallen over