guy line wicking - how to test?

[obxh2o]

Uh, why not set up your gear and aim a lawn sprinkler at it for a few hours?

[Cannibal]

Something tells me that would make Cannibal run, screaming, through the night.

Only the eight-legged ones. They are, after all, evil incarnate.
Can't help with the wicking lines; never been an issue for me, so I don't think about it.

[Mat]

This has never crossed my mind but if you tape a peice of toilet tissue a few inches up a length of the rope and place the end in the water you will soon see if it wicks...

What are your concerns? I mean i may be ignorant to this but does it create an issue?

Mat

[NickJ]

Can I ask the OP what the issue is? if guy lines for tarp then surely there is no problem? if ridgeline, then a small length of cord tied on the ridgeline just inside the tarp will act as a drip line, job done.

[RWillieK]

Well I wasn't sure if I wanted to use the small cord (again, locally available, and cheaper) for a continuous ridge line...I hadn't thought about stringing the tarp below the line though - good idea.

The line I have does wick, but only slightly. I bet a small ring or something would stop it all together, or as above, run the tarp under the suspension line.

Thanks for the suggestions!

[NickJ]

Willie, if your ridgeline is under your tarp then it doesnt matter what its made from. Water can still work its way along and drip on you unless you tie on some drip strings.

I actually prefer the ridgeline under the tarp because it gives a better structure in windy conditions (I think so anyway, having tried both ways), but you do need some drip strings which you put just inside the tarp edge. they only need an overhand knot around the ridgeline and only need to be a couple of inches long to work. Any cord will do.

[Youngblood]

Any cord will do.

Cotton twine works much better than nylon for a drip line... do a test with both and watch what happens. Cotton diverts and absorbs while the nylon will only divert. The cotton really sucks it away. Multiple, tight wraps work best-- you want some contact area to reliably do a good job.

It is not all that different from your choice of material for a bandanna. I have some that are 100% cotton and some that are 50/50 cotton/polyester. The 100% cotton works much better at drying pans or wiping the condensation off the inside of tents, etc.