Japandy, First look up NAMA Claw so you know what it looks like: https://www.namagear.com/product-page/nama-claws
The ridgeline of a tarp can be finished in several ways. It could have a sewn on loop (webbing or nylon). It could have a plastic "ring" (D-shaped or triangle). It could have a very small, strong, split-ring.
From here, when I mention ridgeline, I'm taking about the line suspending the tarp, not the ridgeline OF the tarp.
The NAMA Claw - used in pairs - is slid on the tarp ridgeline line (usually 1.74mm or 2.2mm Zing-It or Lash-It) with the jaw opening facing out. When not under stress, the jaw pivots up and allows the claw to slide where you want it along the ridgeiine. When you attach the end of the tarp to the Jaw with stress, it pivots down and locks in place.
You put whatever is at the tarps end in the small jaw opening. Any small cord loop would work, as would that small split ring I mentioned (Warbonnet uses them), But a plastic connection would probably be too big and you'd use a small cord loop from it to the jaw.
All is fine while set up. But when the tarp is in a stuff sack or snakeskin, it is not under tension - it does not pull against the jaw. Because it can move around a little, somehow, amazingly, if no precautions are taken - that end connection (loop or small split ring) can come out of the jaw. So when you go to set the tarp up again, you have to fuss with that connection. It's a small thing. but it's an unnecessary fuss.
I now use a small cord loop between the tarp's end split ring and the NAMA Claw jaw. That allows me to "tie" the end to the jaw so it doesn't slip out when stored away. I believe NAMA has now modified their Claw to minimize "escapes".
To be clear, when I've been talking about the split-ring/NAMA Claw connection, I'm talking about the manufacturer's split-ring on the end of the tarp. I'm not talking about a weaker "hobby" split-ring I used as a "fuse" that would fail before the tarp was damaged.
I used the "fuse" style setup when the tarp itself took part of the stress between the trees. In other words, in my earlier setups, the tarp didn't hang from the ridgeline, it was part of the ridgeline (see posts on Split Ridgeline).
Note: A SnakeSkin is a sleeve some people use instead of a stuff-sack for storing the tarp. It's very handy when setting up in windy conditions because it allows you to expose and guy down, a portion of the tarp at a time - rather than having the whole thing flail about in the wind.
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