Hello all,
I have a 4 season Cuben fiber tarp from Hammockgear on the way and I'm thinking of making some Self Tensioning guy lines via one of the methods used by HC4U in his post http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ead.php?t=3731 and I have a question.
What type of cord can or should I use, Zing-It 1.75mm or mason’s line? I’m leaning towards the mason’s line as it’s much cheaper but I would like to know if anyone has had any issues with it.
Thanks,
KC
I use Zing-it. Mason's Line is too stretchy, especially when it gets wet.
$20 for 180' of Zing it is a deal. It's not expensive if you consider what you paid for your Cuben tarp!
What the Silver one said...
"Do or do not, there is no try." -- Yoda
I use braided mason's line (mainly because I can get 500 feet of the stuff for 5 or 6 bucks). I haven't had stretch issues that were so bad that my tensioners couldn't take up any slack that has occured (and I've set my tarp up in rainy conditions quite a few times).
That said, I must also say that the mason's line has its downsides: it's very limp, and tying knots with it can be difficult (especially when it's cold and the loss of finger dexterity is an issue), it readily snags on branches and twigs, and if you are not used to handling cordage with caution, I imagine it would tangle easily.
In your particular case, however, I can't help but think that while zing-it is more expensive than mason's line, it certainly isn't anywhere near as expensive as a cuben tarp. Rocking the cuben tarp with braided mason's line seems akin to buying a Ferrari and fitting it with a padlock and latch like Mister Bean rather than equiping it with a high tech security system--ironic
Still, I love irony. If you're looking to save some money, and are aware of what you get when you use it, braided mason's line works just fine. If you don't like it, you can always get the zing-it later, and I've found mason's line plenty useful for applications around the yard and house as well
You're gonna need a bigger hammock
Crud! Got up to get a snack in the middle of posting, and John beat me to the punch. Still, at least I got a snack
You're gonna need a bigger hammock
With cuben, you'll find that tensioners really aren't needed. They are however a fun DIY project so I wouldn't discourage you in that sense. I would go with zing-it just because it's easier to splice which is what I find fun about making up lines and various other accessories. It also is less prone to tangling than mason line.
David
David
Something that mason's line does (and Zing-It doesn't) that's underrated in my opinion is give you a "firebreak" in your tarp design. The mason's line will snap before your tarp rips in high wind conditions (and it's a lot easier to replace a snapped line than a torn tarp in the field), saving your $300+ tarp from needing a trip to the shop for repair.
I would not use mason's line for the ridgeline, though; it stretches too much and will fail under heavy snow loading (which is less-than-desirable in near-freezing conditions when the snow might get your down wet).
Anyway, that's just a thought.
Overkill.
Send $5 for 100ft of 1mm hollow black braided polyester line that is SO easy to splice, and made for uniformity and strength (of between 75lb and 100lb).
That's postage paid.
Hi-zoot, too, "Barbour" from Italy.
---------------
Unless you leverage with a fulcrum or pulley, you can't put much tension on a thin guyline and a standard prussik, anyway. It's the challenge of breaking thread and fishing line. (Try it, he-man: break 25lb test stuff between two un-gloved hands (without consulting insights or the web for a gimmick.)
Mason's line is very prone to tangling. Zing-It doesn't have this issue. Also zing-it doesn't absorb water, doesn't stretch and is easy to splice.
Cheers
Brian
Good judgment comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgment. - Unknown
Is the Tensioning part of the line in HC4U's examples the shock cord?Originally Posted by Bannerstone
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