Can you use a loop when there's nothing to loop over?

[scrope]

I was out hanging this weekend and because of the weather I put up my tarp and wanted to set it in porch mode. Normally I just use my hiking poles to hold the tarp up but because there were a couple of small trees perfectly situated I thought I'd just run the lines to them.

My problem was that I was using the Lawson bar tensioners (http://lawsonequipment.com/Hardgear/...ers-p1081.html) which I like when I can put a stake in the ground and throw the loop end over the stake and it's a quick tug and everything is tensioned.

However, this time I couldn't put the loop over the tree and was a bit stumped. I did manage a *******ized marlin spike hitch to hold the line but it wasn't easy to tension. Because it was raining I didn't want to spend a lot of time playing with it.

Does anybody have a good idea as to how I can use a line with this type of tensioner to attach it to a tree and still make it easy to tension?

[Phantom Grappler]

Farrimond friction hitch
No need for loop, let loop dangle, you can use it on pole porch mod later
Ties fast
Ties in middle of rope
No need to pull end through for each or any step
Does not jam
Unties by pulling ripcord (loose end)
When you pull ripcord, hitch instantly disappears
Can be used up tight to tree or——-
As an adjustable slip and grip knot

I use 4 or 5 wraps—it’s tied with a bight or doubled cord—4 or 5 wraps gives 8 or 10 coils

Lots of YouTube videos good luck!

Thank you British actor and radio personality
Barry Farrimond

[vtrhyno]

Farrimond friction hitch
No need for loop, let loop dangle, you can use it on pole porch mod later
Ties fast
Ties in middle of rope
No need to pull end through for each or any step
Does not jam
Unties by pulling ripcord (loose end)
When you pull ripcord, hitch instantly disappears
Can be used up tight to tree or——-
As an adjustable slip and grip knot

I use 4 or 5 wraps—it’s tied with a bight or doubled cord—4 or 5 wraps gives 8 or 10 coils

Lots of YouTube videos good luck!

Thank you British actor and radio personality
Barry Farrimond

What he said.... I only learned that knot a week ago and it may already be my favorite tensioner.

[scrope]

Thanks Phantom Grappler, that would have worked great. I'll have to add that to my knot collection.

[leiavoia]

I was playing with the Faramond hitch over the weekend. Some interesting notes when compared to the Midshipman's knot which i normally use:

The Faramond hitch is a straight-up friction hitch. It achieves friction with multiple cord wraps.
The Midshipman has a slight kink in it when loaded (similar to a bar tensioner) which gives it stability in cases where the line wants to slip.
The Faramond felt like it was always either too loose (line slips through and does not hold) or too tight (line does not adjust easily).

So for all the raves the Faramond hitch gets, i think i still prefer the Midshipman. The Faramond can be easily untied, but for tarp guylines i leave them tied on semi-permanently anyway.

As to the original post:
Any sliding knot would have worked in this case.
You can add shock cord to guylines to make them auto-tension.
Another fun option you could have tried is the Truckie Hitch (not to be confused with the Trucker's Hitch). I don't normally use this on guylines, but it works good on tarp split ridgelines.

[Rouskof]

Another fun option you could have tried is the Truckie Hitch (not to be confused with the Trucker's Hitch). I don't normally use this on guylines, but it works good on tarp split ridgelines.

This "Truckie hitch", although it looks convenient and is a beautiful knot, I very rarely use, and I just figured out why ! You need both your hands to set up the pulley system, so you cannot hold your line up along the tree at the desired height at the same time (if you are setting up a tarp ridgeline). Basically, I find myself needing 3 hands there. If the demonstrater's tree would not have had this split in its branches to naturally hold his cord, he would have had all the difficulties in the world to maintain his cord at the desired height on the trunk while setting up this delicate knot at the same time. So in my understanding, he would have had to move his line up the tree at same time he is doing the knot somehow, which does not look feasible at all, considering how ephemeral the twisted loop holding the truckie hitch is : it does not stay in place by itself unless tension is applied. And if you put tension on your cord, you cannot move it up the trunk any longer.

While with the trucker hitch, you create your tension around the trunk directly at the desired height, because you never are obliged to release tension once you go around the tree with your line.

So I would be curious to see or understand how you could use the Truckie hitch for a tarp ridgeline application.

I also found the truckie hitch can suddently capsize and realease the whole installation if you apply a strong tension to it...

[leiavoia]

I don’t seem to have any of those problems with the truckie hitch for split ridge lines. The line stays slack until I position it where I want it, then I tighten down both ends. It’s my go to method for putting up a tarp. It does tend to favor grippy cordage, as it is essentially a friction knot as well. If you are using fancy slippery stuff, perhaps there are better knots for that. However I am just using the plain white nylon cord I get from Walmart. I prefer it over the better known truckers hitch because I can tie it faster, is less complicated, comes apart easy, and holds by itself without an additional finishing knot.