Help choosing tie out lines

[presta24]

With so many options, what the best for the buck? I just ordered a winter tarp and plan on using fleaz on all the tie outs but am unsure which line I should buy.

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[MAD777]

I use Dutch wire
https://dutchwaregear.com/product/dutch-wire/
It's the lightest I could find and has proven durable. Non-reflective and comes in 4 colors. I use orange so that it stands out enough to avoid tripping, but it's so thin (1 mm) it isn't seen from a distance.

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[presta24]

Ya, I was looking into the Dutch wire. Good for tying ridgeline off to trees too?

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[soul embrace]

Ya, I was looking into the Dutch wire. Good for tying ridgeline off to trees too?

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for ridgeline go with this: https://dutchwaregear.com/product/co...type-and-color

[presta24]

for ridgeline go with this: https://dutchwaregear.com/product/co...type-and-color

The tarp has a built in ridgeline so I don't think I need this, no?

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[cougarmeat]

As much as I appreciate and use Dutch's wares, because you mentioned "winter" tarp, I'm going to be a bit contrary and suggest thicker line. It's a matter of dealing with things in the cold.

The best example I can think of is to hold some ice cubes in your hands until they hurt (hands, not ice cubes), then drop the ice cubes and try tying and untying knots with 2mm or smaller line. Then try it with something about 3mm (like the utility cord REI sells at $5.00/50 ft.). I moved from whoopie sling suspension for the same reason. It worked great in dry warm weather but was more of an effort when things were wet/frozen.

Remember, the ultralite trend came with people doing summer hikes in excess of 30 miles a day. And sure, no one wants to carry more weight than they have to. But my hiking distances would max out at 10 - 15 miles a day and probably less in winter. So I can carry a few more ounces if it will make camp life easier. One thing that make it easier for me it thicker cord. I'm not talking rope/index finger thick. Just not the dental floss stuff weight weanies use (not that there is anything wrong with that - I use the common term "weight weanie" affectionately).

[scottsosmith]

You will need a ridgeline to secure the tarp to the trees. It can either be a continuous ridgeline with prusiks, or a split ridgeline. No wrong answer here, all about preference.

Regarding line choice, zing-it 1.75 mm is a very popular choice. It is strong, very low stretch, and works well with Dutchware and mini Linelocs.

[Country Roads]

I like Dutch Wire; doesn't tangle up very easy. This is great for me, because I hate taking the time to properly roll up the lines.

[kevperro]

I don't know if there is a "best" but I use 2.0 mm Lawson line (reflective) with the plastic line lock hooks. The weight difference between the thin 1.2 or 1.75 lines and the 2.0mm line is not enough to matter to me. The thickness of the 2 mm line makes it much more tangle-proof and easier to tie knots.

I have 3/32" elastic loops at each tie-out point on my tarp and I can just "hook" onto it and use the line-lock to adjust. I can wrap my line up in the tarp or quickly unhook it from the loops and tie it up with the stakes.

My lengths of cord also have a loop tied in the end. I can easily add onto one with another identical cord if I need more length with a larch through the loop. I larch them to stakes so it only takes a second to put them on or take them off a stake in case I want to tie off to a tree or rock.

All of my pieces are identical so I don't have to sort through lines looking for ridges or sides. They are all infinitely adjustable (within the lenghts of cord I carry) and they can all be attached or removed at any point in a few seconds.

[leiavoia]

You don't need anything fancy for guylines.

I use the cheap white nylon cord i get at Walmart for $2 for 40ft. That's pretty cost effective.

You can also get braided mason line for <$4 for several hundred feet. Usually comes in hi-viz neon colors.