Tarp Tensioners specs and additional tips for making them

[Hangs4Fun]

UPDATE:
I made the first tarp retensioner with 1.75mm Zing It
and the 1/4"OD x 1/8"ID x 1/16" thick latex rubber tubing and inner thread from 550 cord for lashing.
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It only weighs 4 grams yet goes from 10" to 18" until the Zing It stops it. I haven't measured the pounds of force yet but it seems more than adequate for tarp tie outs.
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[Hangs4Fun]

Made 12 of these and I must say both the 1.75mm Zing It cord and the latex rubber tubing was MUCH easier to work with compared to my first 4 that started this thread.
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For these materials I made the following :
- 6" of latex rubber tubing
- 26" piece of 1.75mm Zing It
- 8" on each half (loop knot ~3-4" loop)
- 10" expansion in the middle
- 12" strands from inside 550 cord for lashing

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[MAD777]

I keep saying that I going to make some of these every time I see such elegant execution of them. But I'm lazy and just live with my ugly loop of shock cord on the tie-outs.

[Hangs4Fun]

I keep saying that I going to make some of these every time I see such elegant execution of them. But I'm lazy and just live with my ugly loop of shock cord on the tie-outs.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it ;-) I bet your setup is just as light and functions about the same. Lucky for me, I didn't have any tensioners so I got to start from scratch. I doubt I would undo something that worked either. I will admit it was fun making these though. I can't wait to start on the other DiY stuff I have planned.

Once I field test these with some significant wind and storms, I will update. As of right now, I don't even know what pounds of force is adequate on these tensioners. Also, I plan to leave these "larks headed" onto my tarp tie-outs with the lines and line locks in place. So I will be using the corners of my tie-outs (the triangular area that is normally reinforced) for guy line pockets. I will still stich the extra triangle of fabrics into the tarp, but the 2nd triangle will be there solely as a pouch for the lines/tensioner/locs. So that is partially why I wanted to develop a small lightweight version of these that could fold up easily and such.

More to come....

[Hangs4Fun]

Made the tie-out sets last night. I must say I am very pleased with how they turned out, how much they weigh, how quickly they can be set up and tensioned, etc. I was a little concerned at first using 1.75mm zing it line in the LineLoc-3 locks, since they are for 3-5mm line. But thanks to the braiding in that zing it, the LineLoc-3 locks right into the line with an easy pull and it doesn't let go until you lift the lever on the ladder hinge.

I'm going to make some simple shock cord based wraps with a tiny carbon toggle on the end (cut from an old carbon arrow I have that is no longer useable as an arrow), so that once I coil the line up in a figure 8, I can easily put a wrap around the line bundle for easy storage. This shock cord/toggle will be attached to the line at some point with a larks head. Just coil up the line and stretch the shock cord around the bundle and feed the toggle in, done. I think doing the standard lashing with the end will be too difficult in cold weather and would likely lead to a bunch of lines being just pushed into the storage pocket leaving a mess for the next usage.

[Hangs4Fun]

Here is some pictures with weights. I did individual and all 6; and with and without stakes (I will use sticks on some hikes to save a little weight and space). The pictures include:
- Tarp tensioner
- 6" Black latex rubber tubing (1/4"ODx1/8"IDx1/16" thick)
- 26" 1.75mm Zing It with 4" loop knots in the ends
- 2 lashings of 10" 550 inner thread
- LineLoc-3 lock
- 8' 1.75mm Zing It
- MSR Groundhog stake

I use 4 tie-outs for the tarp corners and 2 for the hammock asym (pullouts are with OWL hw)

Single tarp tie-out with tensioner and no stake - weight: 6 grams
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Single tarp tie-out with tensioner and MSR Groundhog stake - weight: 20 grams
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6 tarp tie-outs with tensioners and no stakes - weight: 42 grams
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6 tarp tie-outs with tensioners and 6 MSR Groundhog stakes - weight: 122 grams
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Once I get the shock cord wraps with toggles complete I will update and weigh again. After that I will be making a new Argon Sil-Nylon tarp and Rip-Stop Nylon hammock both with special tie-out pockets that double as reinforcement materials for the corners where the attachment point is. The pockets will hold the tensioner, line, lineloc-3 with shock cord wraps. Then for the stakes, continuous ridgeline and other similar items, I am making an Argon Sil-Nylon organizer to neatly store all the items. Should not weigh much at all, as it will just be a paper size piece of scrap Argon Sil-Nylon with a piece folded over on the bottom and the a series of parallel stiches to create a "pocket" for each stake to go in. I will inject some thread into a scrap piece of noseeum to form a pocket to stuff the CRL and other similar items into. Then just roll up and shut with small piece of Velcro that is attached on each end.

[ezhiker]

You may want to reconsider using Syl-nylon for a hammock or any coated material for that purpose. You will end up swimming in condensation and sweat.

[Hangs4Fun]

crap ezhiker, I typo'ed... good catch, I edited that. I meant to say rip-stop nylon.. In my head I changed it because I took off the Argon ;-)

[ezhiker]

Hey stuff happens, Interesting thread. I normally just use taut-line hitches on my tie outs, using Zing-it.

[Newton]

I keep saying that I going to make some of these every time I see such elegant execution of them. But I'm lazy and just live with my ugly loop of shock cord on the tie-outs.

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The subject composition of this photo isn't the prettiest but you get the idea.

Reflective tie out lines and fisherman's knots + some 1/8" shock cord. We don't need no ugly loops.

Nicely done surgical tubing type auto tensioners.