Tauntline hitch

[DavidWa]

Nothing wrong with the tautline hitch in my view. I like knots, some of them have a good story behind them too.

They don't weight anything and the only way to lose one is to forget how to tie it. On slippery line just adapt it a bit with an extra or two wraps around the line.

[Duffy]

I've used the tautline hitch on my tarp lines for years. Recently switched to figure 9's...so much easier to untie with stiff fingers on cold mornings!

[gRaFFiX]

One of my favorite knots... man I'm unfun for having favorite knots... anywhoo, I use Tautlines on my tarp - all six stakes and to the the ridgeline as well. I prefer my tarp over for that clean line look... also unfun... but I use a mini beiner and a figure nine for the trees just because its so much faster and easier, and they are far less likely to slip. When you know how to tie knots, though, it makes life easier.

[ozziepom]

Another vote for the slippery tautline. I don't always bother to untie mine either, just hank the cord with the loop intact.

[dejoha]

+1 for a slippery tautline hitch

+2 for slippery tautline. It's what I use regularly for pitching my tarp.

[McSpartan]

Knots don't hold well on some ropes. It is difficult for them to get a byte into very hard slick ropes like spectre and dyneema. Figure 9's with a backing quick-release half-hitch work very well, though.

+ 2, dyneema is pretty slick.

[Rug]

I use the tautline on all my guylines (self-tensioning lines from JRB), and I leave it tied all the time. Loosen to break camp, and tighten when setting up. I do prefer Fig9's for the ridgeline though.

[wwk10]

I use tautline.
I have started putting the knot at the tarp instead of at the stake. That way I can adjust the tension from inside the tarp.

[jofish]

I love the tautline hitch! Been using it since I was 11. Thanks Boy Scouts! I sometimes use it on my tarp. I've started to use it less, however, because my tarp lines will lose some of the tautness overnight which results in a sagging and noisy (OES Spinn) tarp in the morning.

I'm actually looking for a better way to keep them tight. I'd prefer a simple knot (easy to tie/untie) but I think something like the flyz will probably be what I end up doing.

Btw, some of my other favorite knots:
-Bowline
-Two half-hitch
-Square knot
-Sheet bend
-Clove hitch
-Sheepshank

EVERYONE should know how to tie these knots. Well, the sheepshank is on the list more for fun; its not really that useful.

[Matt.]

My tarp guys have always had a tautline at the tarp end, tying the loose end with an evenk and then adjusting with the tautline. I now use a mini crab to join the tautline loop to the tarp enabling me to hank and store the guys seperately to be used where and when I choose.

I too love using and learning knots

Regards, Matt.