Why prussiks and not simple tautline hitch?

[perdidochas]

For tarp usage (adjustable guy lines), why prussiks instead of the simple tautline hitch?

[fred1diver]

prussiks will hold very strong, they use a prussik knot as a safety when rappelling, it will not accidentally be unloaded, all around a very stable knot

[Magoober]

I only use prussiks to attach the tarp to the ridgeline... makes it easier to adjust the tarp's center over my hammock. Otherwise, I use tautlines or mini figure 9s to attach lines to the stakes/trees/rocks/etc on the ground...

[lori]

prussiks will hold very strong, they use a prussik knot as a safety when rappelling, it will not accidentally be unloaded, all around a very stable knot

Yup. Adding a few extra wraps to a prussik will also make it more stable, less likely to slip. Tautline hitches will slide under pressure.

[RootCause]

For tarp usage (adjustable guy lines), why prussiks instead of the simple tautline hitch?

For all my guylines, I use the tautline hitch. The load is not great, and the adjustability is useful there. I only use prusiks when attaching something to a rope or ridgeline strung between two trees.

For my tarp ridgeline though: I use tieout points at the peak, run separately to the trees. Those are tautline hitches as well. I like this method because it saves me a step or two: instead of hanging two sides of a ridgeline, then attaching two points of my tarp with prusiks and mini-carabiners, I just tie two tautline hitches and am done.

[Bluenose Climbers]

I am a climber and have used ALL of the different types of friction hitches. Each has its pros and cons. I began climbing in 1982 using an tautline, today I like the KNUT. I have also been a scout master a LONG time, and teach my scouts several types of hitches.

For hammocking tarps I use the VT prussic because it holds VERY well and is Very easy to adjust. The tautline will hold but takes some fiddling to get the tension right and takes some work to undo or untie after it is loaded. The Prussic (invented by Dr. Prussic) takes less fiddle to get right and less fiddle factor to undo after loaded. Some of the other versions of Prussics are much easier to tie, adjust and undo. I also use Whoopies, Loopies and dead eye slings.

I will have to learn how to do videos to show some of the other prussic versions that work for hammocking.

[Rat]

On my guyllines I only use the Taught-line Hitch; if you tie it right it will not slip. I use it on dynaglide and mason twine and it works fine. Prussic just add another level of complication to a relatively simple operation.

You need to tie the taugtline correctly for it to work, most people don't.

[kraven]

Rat, would you mind linking to or posting something about what the correct way to tie a tautline hitch is, or at least how you use it?
I'm interested to see if you have a better variant.

[bdpalace]

I use a Blake's Hitch (mix between a tautline and prussik) on guylines and prussiks on the ridgeline. As said before, tautlines are subject to slip under load and prussik is just more fun to say.

[Knotty]

Take a look at the #1855 variation shown in Wikipedia. That's my prefered method of tying a taut line in modern rope and I believe Rat's as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taut-line_hitch