fool proof RL

**tasthree** · 05-11-2010, 13:14

I need to come up with a simple,foolproof and reasonably light DIY full length tarp over ridge line for my wife and daughter to use. Ease of use over weight is priority. No knots to tie because they or myself for that matter would never remember how to tie them. What was I saying. Oh RL. After reading many post in which some were very looong,to complicated,brain cell consuming for a noob,etc. There were a lot of good ideas. I have come up with the following. I have so many pics and threads favorited that It would be hard for me to link them. So if these are someones ideas please take the credit if you feel so inclined. To me its bits and pieces left over in my head from all this fine reading. I've no pics as I haven't made one yet so I hope my description is clear enough. For the fixed end of the RL is a loop to go over a sliding toggle. Simple enough. On the adjustable end for now would be a fig 9 ,because I have them, fastened to a sliding Penberthy Prusic(PP) to secure the tag end of the RL around the tree. The tarp will be a DIY with no D-ring just a loop. For each end of the tarp on the RL would be a PP. The tag ends of the PP would thread thru a small o-ring then into a bead or just tied into a large knot. The knot or bead then threaded thru the tarp loop like a toggle. Then one side of the o-ring pulled up over the knot or bead to hold it in place. One could tie string around connection to hold the toggle also. I just liked the idea of being able to pop the toggle out of the o-ring and the loop if necessary. Does this sound like a reasonable set up before I build it.

**bwtruitt** · 05-11-2010, 15:06

I haven't been able to convince myself that a tarp ridge line is really useful. For my tarp I have 2 cords with fixed eyes spliced in each end (though only 1 eye per rope is really necessary and an overhand knot on a bight would do just as well). I have a prussic attached to the tarp tie out and the rope. I can use a sliding toggle on each side and can still adjust the tarp without having such a long cord or tying any knots.

It's basically the same thing as you described, but I cut the ridge line in the middle and made each side shorter. Also. I don't need the figure 9 for anything so there's less hardware to setup and/or lose. And you can always just use Ye Ol' Trail Stick for the toggles so you don't have to carry those either.

Seems simpler to me at any rate.

**tasthree** · 05-11-2010, 15:28

I need a full length RL. Women usually = hanging things to air out. But I would have to include myself also. As in hanging things on RL that is.

**Scottybdiving** · 05-11-2010, 20:17

I have kind of gone through the same process as you. Same figure 9 and prussik but with ridgeline over tarp. I really like the sliding toggle idea, but already had an eye and a biner. I can't decide if the sliding toggle saves enough weight to switch, since the biner is very small and light. My intentions were the same, to make it as seamless and easy as possible for the non-tinkerer. I also added snake skins and she really likes them, and they just tidy up everything.

**tasthree** · 05-11-2010, 21:51

Scottybdiving. If I allready had niteize s biners I would prob use them for the girls er women that is. I'm starting from scratch for three setups so I need to cut a corner somewhere. With the snakeskins does she let the guy lines dangle and just pull on skins or does she roll each line up and secure lines first.

**ikemouser** · 05-11-2010, 21:55

Originally Posted by Scottybdiving

I have kind of gone through the same process as you. Same figure 9 and prussik but with ridgeline over tarp. I really like the sliding toggle idea, but already had an eye and a biner. I can't decide if the sliding toggle saves enough weight to switch, since the biner is very small and light. My intentions were the same, to make it as seamless and easy as possible for the non-tinkerer. I also added snake skins and she really likes them, and they just tidy up everything.

U can use a continuous loop and larks head the tarp prussic permanently to the riddgeline, no hardware required. I have 2 prussics on my ridgeline. One on each tarp dring. I spliced a small continuous loop, attached it to my drings and attached them to the ridgeline. The first prussic is easy to attach, to do the second u have to attach the prussic the way you want it to be to a hollow pen tube, larks head to the d ring then pull line through tube to get it attached. AFter that it is really clean and a sweet setup.

**Scottybdiving** · 05-12-2010, 12:04

Originally Posted by tasthree

Scottybdiving. If I allready had niteize s biners I would prob use them for the girls er women that is. I'm starting from scratch for three setups so I need to cut a corner somewhere. With the snakeskins does she let the guy lines dangle and just pull on skins or does she roll each line up and secure lines first.

She loosely rolls up the tarp from one corner with the guy lines tucked in, slides one half of the snakeskins to just beyond the halfway point, then repeats the process on the opposite end. This also prevents all the fabric and guy lines from gathering in the middle between the snakeskins. Then we just fold up the snakeskins to the desire size and place them in an outside pocket of our backpacks, or on the next trip, in a dry bag. She is pretty happy with it.

U can use a continuous loop and larks head the tarp prussic permanently to the riddgeline, no hardware required. I have 2 prussics on my ridgeline. One on each tarp dring. I spliced a small continuous loop, attached it to my drings and attached them to the ridgeline. The first prussic is easy to attach, to do the second u have to attach the prussic the way you want it to be to a hollow pen tube, larks head to the d ring then pull line through tube to get it attached. AFter that it is really clean and a sweet setup.

I am probably going to do this. I have been using sticks for a toggles but you cant slide the snakeskins over them, and if you remove the stick, the d-ring gets swallowed up inside the snake skin. I think permanently attaching the prussik is the ticket.

**ikemouser** · 05-16-2010, 08:23

I actually have 3 prussics on my ridgeline, my fig 9 is attached to one as well so i can slide it where i need to.

**Cranky Bear** · 05-16-2010, 09:36

I have mine set up like Ike does! It make's it very easy to set up with no fuss, all I have to do is wrap one end around the tree and secure it then go to the other tree and tighten it up with the attached fig 9 get it tight and since I keep my tarp in snake skins it ready to go I can also center it above my hammock as needed since I have two other prussic's that are attached to the tarp ridgeline and permanently attached to the tarp's d-ring's! All in all it's a pretty easy set up, I am sure that there are easier one's out there (as HF members are so inventive) but this way works for me!
Let me know if you have any question's
I got my tarp ridgeline from Opie, if that help's!?

**tasthree** · 05-16-2010, 15:59

Ike and Cb. I think your set up would be similar to what I'm thinking but I wouldn't have drings on my tarp. Thus a knot or bead at the end of a Penberthy Prussic to hold onto the tarps loop similar to knot on a nacabiner. I think. I'm kinda new to all this good stuff and hard to remember it all by its proper names at first. I started on this stuff last year but my health got in the way. I've got just about all my materials I ordered in but now everything is coming to a sudden halt so I can go be with my Dad for a bit during a bout of cancer. When I get back i'll mock up what I'm thinking,if I don't forget what I was thinking, and post a pic. I think it would work if not I'd prob get a good laugh during testing watching something go orbital.