What's your system for staking out a tarp?

[rhendrix]

Been doing some reading on knots and playing with different tarp setups, I typically tie a bowline knot around the loop on the tarp and a taught line hitch on the side towards the stake for my guy lines. I was just wondering if there's a better way to set up my ridge line...I've looked at using or a truckers hitch, but I'm not proficient at it. I know I could just tie an overhand knot and run the running end through and pull tension and tie it off with a couple of half hitches, kinda like the poor man's trucker hitch, haven't tried it yet though. Anyone have any suggestions or feedback?

 

[muleman]

Cliff Jacobson has a good video, called The Forgotten Secrets, where he demonstrates tarp pitching and knots. You can buy the download of his video for $10. Be aware that it is 2.3GB so you need fast Internet to download. I would recommend this video to any flat tarp users.

His three go to knots are the quick release half hitch, quick release sheet bend, and the truckers knot.

The truckers hitch has the advantage over the taught line hitch of mechanical advantage to really tighten the line down.

 

[WyoElk]

Exactly what you described as the poor mans truckers hitch is what I would use. If you use a bight on the running end when you tension it down and throw a half hitch it will break down very easy too. Guess I'm not sure what a real truckers hitch is because what you describe is what I have always called a truckers hitch. Good luck.

 

[rhendrix]

WyoElk, can you show me a picture of where you put that bight on the running end. Thanks.

 

[muleman]

Here's a diagram.

 

[ozyclint]

i'd stay with the taught line hitch and bowline. leave it attached and your ready to go. nothing worse than having to tie knots in the cold when you've lost dexterity in your hands.

 

[voidecho]

I don't use one solid ridgeline. I have one "ridgeline" rope permanently fixed via a girth knot to each end of the topline of my tarp. I use this little piece of hardware rather than deal with knots. Just wrap the end of the line around the tree and bring it back to this little gizmo.

[video=youtube;GSVvIPFfpas]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GSVvIPFfpas[/video]

And then I'm using these as my guy lines. There's only a fixed loop on one end of the line (that's the end that goes around the stake obviously). I also didn't get the ones with the tensioners. Didn't want them. They weigh more and cost more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QcS0RFz-sE&feature=player_embedded

Doesn't get much easier.

 

[rhendrix]

I will leave the guy lines attached, but I don't plan on leaving the ridge line attached. I know what you mean about losing dexterity though. Happens to me every time my hands get cold.

 

[larryschwartz]

Cliff Jacobson has a good video, called The Forgotten Secrets, where he demonstrates tarp pitching and knots. You can buy the download of his video for $10. Be aware that it is 2.3GB so you need fast Internet to download. I would recommend this video to any flat tarp users.

muleman,

Where can I find that video?

larry

 

[muleman]

muleman,

Where can I find that video?

larry

http://www.cliff-jacobson.com/videos.shtml


Here is also a link to multiple tarp pitches and related info.

http://www.equipped.org/tarp-shelters.htm

 

[mfolch]

Linelocs are a fairly simple and inexpensive way to tighten the guy lines; they can be found at bearpaw wilderness designs and oware.

 

[arthurvino]

Here's a diagram.

What knot is this? Is that a stake end?

 

[muleman]

Trucker's Hitch.

Could be a stake, tree, etc... Basically anything solid that you can tension against.

 

[Willow]

I use a truckers hitch for all my guy lines. They are easy to adjust when the guy lines get wet or you need to relocate your ground stake. I prefer not to use any kind of hardware because they can break in extreme cold weather, weigh more, and can be lost. My guy lines are permanently attached to the tarp.

 

[mtnkid85]

I will usually just clove hitch directly into my stake/tree/what ever I am anchoring to. Its super easy to make length adjustments and you can get most of them fairly tight by just pulling on the line and then setting the knot. Then use a single truckers hitch on the other side of the tarp to really pull everything taught.

 

[aron]

I use taut line hitch to the stake. Can't remember what I use on the tent side.