Tarp line hardwear!

**Cranky Bear** · 03-20-2011, 22:17

I have a continuous tarp ridgeline made from 1.25mm line and I am in need of a tensioner! I looked at the figure-9 but it doesn't hold as the line is too small, does anyone have any ideas as I am all out as everything that I have found only works with 1.75mm line or greater, everything else slips!

**JayS** · 03-20-2011, 22:22

Dutch's Tarp Flyz?

**Cranky Bear** · 03-20-2011, 22:30

Originally Posted by JayS

Dutch's Tarp Flyz?

That would be great, but, currently there are no more as he made only a limited amount! He said that there most likely would be more made (which could change) but a unknown time frame, also my trip is next month!

**JayS** · 03-20-2011, 22:32

Originally Posted by Cranky Bear

That would be great, but, currently there are no more as he made only a limited amount! He said that there most likely would be more made (which could change) but a unknown time frame, also my trip is next month!

You know Dutch so just beg!

**Cranky Bear** · 03-20-2011, 22:35

Originally Posted by JayS

You know Dutch so just beg!

Yea I could do that, but, I don't feel that that would be appropriate since he did that as a super awesome gesture to offer them like he did, and also there are persons in front of me waiting for the possible next batch (or at least they posted before me in that thread)!

**Hooch** · 03-21-2011, 07:38

Originally Posted by Cranky Bear

. . . .my trip is next month!

Where are we going?

**Tendertoe** · 03-21-2011, 08:31

Piggy-backing off the prussik method but a bit easier because you are not trying to tie a knot on a tight line (I believe Dejoha illustrated this very method, but I couldn't find it):

Tie a prussik onto your ridgeline.

Take your ridgeline and wrap around the tree, back around and now tie a marlinspike hitch on your line (which is easy to tie because your line is not tight yet).

Put a microbiner in the hitch, now clip the microbiner to the prussik.

Pull the prussik away from the tree to tighten to your desired tightness.

I use this method with Dynaglide - which is extra slippery - and do a 4 wrap prussik to make sure everything bites. I recommend doing a multiple wrap prussik considering you are going to be doing a 1.25 to 1.25 prussik.

**Cranky Bear** · 03-21-2011, 09:07

Originally Posted by Dave41079

http://hammockforumsstore.webs.com/a...s/show/1475971

What about trying one of those?

These work great for the tie outs, but they are tied into the line so I wouldn't be able to/it would be a pain to untie then wrap around the tree then retie! I thought about using a biner with these as the connection point but when you do this it doesn't want to cantilever (hope thats the right word) and apply tension to the other side (I have some of these so I already tried)!

Originally Posted by Dave41079

I definitely understand that. Small line can really dig into you. Any way you could make something like a UCR with the 1.25mm line? It seems to me that no matter what you'll be pulling on that line to get it tight. What kind of line is it?

This is the 1.25mm Z-line from Joe at Z-Packs!

Originally Posted by Hooch

Where are we going?

Lazyriverroad and my self are doing the AT in Va from Rt33 to Front Royal, once this is done I will only have one more short section to do and will be done Va, so that will be Va, WVa, and MD done, then I can start chipping away at another state

!

Originally Posted by Rug

Tip for hard-pulling on small line:

Grab a trail-stick (thicker the better), and wrap your line around that a few times (or clove-hitch) and pull hard. (like old-school fishing)
It saves your fingers, and works great when its cold.

*you could also use your hiking stick. this quick-wrap technique is just temporary, as it is only used to add tautness to your lines.

I used to use this all the time when I was setting up my tarp-ridge line connected via garda-hitch.

I have done this method before, and have done it in very nasty weather and can tell you that flames start to shoot out of my ears when it's hard to find one that is right/won't break and all you and to do is get under your tarp to get dry! That was why I am asking for help on finding a piece of hardware that will work with this line and make it sooooooooo much easier! As well as less frustrating!

Originally Posted by Tendertoe

Piggy-backing off the prussik method but a bit easier because you are not trying to tie a knot on a tight line (I believe Dejoha illustrated this very method, but I couldn't find it):

Tie a prussik onto your ridgeline.

Take your ridgeline and wrap around the tree, back around and now tie a marlinspike hitch on your line (which is easy to tie because your line is not tight yet).

Put a microbiner in the hitch, now clip the microbiner to the prussik.

Pull the prussik away from the tree to tighten to your desired tightness.

I use this method with Dynaglide - which is extra slippery - and do a 4 wrap prussik to make sure everything bites. I recommend doing a multiple wrap prussik considering you are going to be doing a 1.25 to 1.25 prussik.

Yea this sounds like the only method that might work still would be a pain and not sure how well the prussic would hold, I have to get some more test line to see how many wraps the prussic needs to hold effectively on the ridgeline! If the side tie outs slip in high winds thats ok, but not everything slipping

hopefully I can mitigate the troubles by finding a one piece easy method,

This would probably be easier if I just went back to the other line I'm using, then this would be a mute point

!

**Dave41079** · 03-20-2011, 22:27

You could put a prussic on the line, wrap your line around the tree, then go through the loop of the prussic and pull the line back towards the tree to tension everything. Then tie a slippery half hitch or two on the backside of the prussic to keep it all tight. Should keep things taut, and not need any hardwear other than a loop of line. It will do the same thing as a figure 9, just won't be as fancy, and you'll have to tie a knot.

**Cranky Bear** · 03-20-2011, 22:32

Originally Posted by Dave41079

You could put a prussic on the line, wrap your line around the tree, then go through the loop of the prussic and pull the line back towards the tree to tension everything. Then tie a slippery half hitch or two on the backside of the prussic to keep it all tight. Should keep things taut, and not need any hardwear other than a loop of line. It will do the same thing as a figure 9, just won't be as fancy, and you'll have to tie a knot.

I have tried doing that, but found that for me it became difficult with such small line, and at one point started to hurt! That was the reason for asking about tensioners!