Tensioners for cuben tarp

[Quentin Cassidy]

I just purchased a cuben tarp with doors from hammock gear and am trying to figure out tie outs. I was thinking that I would use a loop of shock cord to a mini line loc and then use 2.2 mm zing it. My thinking was that although cuben doesn't stretch the shock cord would be the weakest point in the system so that in really bad conditions instead of my tarp ripping the shock cord would tear instead, is this logical and necessary?

[SilvrSurfr]

I think you'd be in the minority using tarp tensioners on a cuben fiber tarp. I certainly don't use them on my CF tarp. I just use 1.75 mm Zing-it guy lines and ridgeline.

The primary advantage of cuben fiber is its weight; to turn around and add weight to the tarp to protect it seems a bit illogical to me. Cuben fiber is plenty sturdy.

[SilvrSurfr]

Now that I think about it, there are probably others who use shock cord on their cuben tarp guylines, however illogical I find that to be. Most CF tarp users are gram weenies, but I suspect (as evidenced by your inquiry) that some people buy cuben fiber tarps for reasons other than weight savings.

If you're gonna add shock cord to the guylines, may as well add it to the ridgeline too with these things.

http://www.tatogear.com/product/tarp...s-ridge-lines/

[IK_]

snip/

... is this logical and necessary?

/snip

Neither logical nor necessary, as far as the peripheral tie-outs are concerned.
The side panels ones (4x) do deserve shock cord as they are much weaker and sudden wind gusts may cause some damage, hence the shock cord protection.

[Quentin Cassidy]

Thanks for your quick response, I think the price of the tarp has got me trying to make sure that it will last instead of making more logical choices, thanks for the dose of reality. If you don't mind me asking why did you choose 1.7 zig it instead of some narrower lighter options.

[SilvrSurfr]

1.75 mm Zing-It is the lightest, strongest (480 lb. breaking strength) easiest-to-work-with spliceable line there is. When I first got into hammocking four years ago, I bought a 180' roll. I'm now on my third 180 ft. roll. You can use it for guylines, hammock and tarp ridgelines, bear-bagging, making soft shackles, soft shackle prusiks, or continuous loops.

With spliceable line like Amsteel and Zing-It, you can learn to live knot-free. I only use three knots in my tarp suspension. The tarp is connected to the Zing-it ridgeline via soft shackle prusiks (prusik knot). The guylines are larksheaded onto the tarp tie-outs, and I use a Marlin Spike Hitch on the stake.

[SilvrSurfr]

I've seen people splice fixed loops on the end of each guyline so they don't have to use a knot on the stake. I'm a little too lazy to do that, but if I ever have some time, maybe.

[Quentin Cassidy]

I think I am going to buy a spool of zing it and use the same set up with line love except use zoo it to connect to the d ring, it just seems incredibly simple and efficient that way, and if I get motivated enough I will try and splice a fixed loop at the end of each line. This system shouldn't be too heavy.... Right?

[SilvrSurfr]

Not at all.

[Johnco]

I made fixed eyes at the end of my tie outs so they can easily be detached to and from my tarp. This way lines can easily come off tarp if certian tie outs won't be used