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  1. #1

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    Opinions Please on Tarp Tensioners

    Still pretty new to DIY, I recently setup a new cuben 4 season tarp. Lines, soft shackles, tensioners, door lines, pullouts, a hank of zing-it and some shockcord made for the cheapest fun I've had in ages.

    Anyway, a number of folks have been discussing tarp tensioners for cuben to protect in high winds or against damage from tripping on lines, so I came up with a few variations for attaching and fixing loops. My thought was to keep them light with smooth transitions to minmize tangling and removable because they really aren't all that necesssary on cuben tarps to begin with. It occurred to me that short throw tensioners were less likely to launch a stake and I could achieve a substantial tension by doubling up the cord.

    Initially I made my loops small to grasp stakes. I closed them with copper ferrules used for electrical work, fast and cheap elimating 4-5" of cord per loop. Also I designed my attachments around the micro s-biners that are sold as key organizers. This gave me a variety of ways to attach at the d-ring, t the stake or both by s-biner/larkshead/prusik.

    The single strand tensioner runs around .15 oz with the s-biner the double runs .2 oz.

    Just wanted to get some critique from the assembled hanger/DIY'ers.

    The second pic is a collection of versions that evolved along the way.

    Thanks for looking.

    David
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
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    I'm liking that Bannerstone, looks clean too. I think you're right too about keeping the lengths shorter.

  3. #3
    DGrav's Avatar
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    I tried those S hooks on my ridgeline so I could easily reposition between a-frame and baker pitches. One of them broke after two nights .

    I would assume the ridge line has a lot more tension than the tie outs.
    Jacks R Better, makers of the of the Original Under Quilt and Bear Mountain Bridge Hammock.
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  4. #4
    Senior Member Dos's Avatar
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    I closed them with copper ferrules used for electrical work, fast and cheap
    I would like to know the actual strength of these vs let's say , a Fisherman's Knot.

    I like the ideas
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  5. #5
    Senior Member Tendertoe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DGrav View Post
    I tried those S hooks on my ridgeline so I could easily reposition between a-frame and baker pitches. One of them broke after two nights .

    I would assume the ridge line has a lot more tension than the tie outs.
    +1

    To drop some weight, simplify the design (to remove the hardware and any failure that may come from it) and still retain the removability, you can girth hitch the tensioners to the tieouts and girth hitch the cordage to the tensioners.

    Not that they are guaranteed to cause issues, just another way to skin the same cat.

    Nice work. I like the idea of ferrules to streamline things and prevent tangling that can come from knots.
    Last edited by Tendertoe; 01-13-2012 at 10:07.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Hawk-eye's Avatar
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    This is what I do ... simple, flexible, light and ... did I say simple?


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  7. #7
    Boothill's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bannerstone View Post
    Also I designed my attachments around the micro s-biners that are sold as key organizers. This gave me a variety of ways to attach at the d-ring, t the stake or both by s-biner/larkshead/prusik.
    David
    like a few other have said, these might break on you or atleast bend, i used them for attaching my UQ and after a few nites they bent on me, the plastic just ins't that strong, i wouldn't think that i have more tension on my UQ shock cord lines than your going to have on a tarp tensioning line

    they do make the exact same sized "s" biner in metal from the same company, i'm going to try those for my UQ and see how they work, gotta be stronger than the plastic version

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  8. #8
    Senior Member fred1diver's Avatar
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    Love it Hawk-eye, as you said simple

  9. #9
    Senior Member Hawk-eye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fred1diver View Post
    Love it Hawk-eye, as you said simple
    Yeah and if you have your tarp already deployed and decide you need to add one ... you can do it without taking down the line you already have tied out.

    WARNING: Will discuss Rhurbarb Strawberry Pie and Livermush at random.


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  10. #10

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    Thanks Guys,

    I wonder if some of you might be thinking of the size #2 nylon s-biners, Nite Ize rates them at 10lbs. I have them on my UQ and also tried them on a ridgeline with a failures.

    The one's I'm using are much smaller size #0 but they're surprisingly toughter. I've consistantly taken them over 30lbs with failure just under 35lbs. Actually, I see this as a pretty desirable point of failure since the idea was to protect my cuben tarp against the hard shock of tripping on a tarp line.

    Two Isle, testing the ferrules was a bit less scientific, of the (5) I tested the shock cord began to slip on (2) around 70 - 80 lbs. I attribute some of this to variation in the neatness of my crimps. I stpped testing when I started to consider using my own body weight. It really might have ended badly.


    Tendertoe, the clips are only an option, there are several ways to attach but as it turns out the s-biners are not any heavier than the extra 4-6" of shock cord in the loop. That plus they're just fun.

    Hawkeye, thanks for the link, why I didn't see it earlier during my research. I guess we were after the same thing, adding a tensioner to an already deployed line. Though I'll have to admit my preference for the prusik knot is mostly because they're just fun to play around with. I really need to get up to speed on doing videos.

    Thanks again for taking the time to look them over.

    David

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