Tent guyline storage

[Ralph]

Tangled tent guy lines are a pain. I've taken to doubling mine a few times until it's quite short and then tying a loose overhand knot. That seems to work most of the time to prevent guy line tangle. Recently friends gave us a cheap pop-up tent for our grandchildren to play in. That tent had little sewn bags for the guy lines. I have never seen them before. I did a search to see what was out there and didn't get much but it seems that Exped tents come with these bags for guy lines and they double as mini-flags so that you notice the guy line instead of tripping over it.

 

[Johnny 5]

I made a few guyline storage bags once.

 

[Johnny 5]

I have a canopy that has guyline pockets sewn into the guy out points.

 

[Will Derness]

I use a package of elastic pony tail loops to secure the line in a tight bundle. Placing one of them inside the bowline loop that ties the guyline to the tent it is readily available to wrap around the folded up line.

 

[Penns Woods]

I use a package of elastic pony tail loops to secure the line in a tight bundle. Placing one of them inside the bowline loop that ties the guyline to the tent it readily available to wrap around the folded up line.

Great idea, I'll be using this for sure.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I use a package of elastic pony tail loops to secure the line in a tight bundle. Placing one of them inside the bowline loop that ties the guyline to the tent it readily available to wrap around the folded up line.

I believe I can visualize this, WD, but a picture would be helpful for future researchers when you have time to take one.

 

[Will Derness]

I believe I can visualize this, WD, but a picture would be helpful for future researchers when you have time to take one.

Agreed.

This technique is quite effective and easy to deploy. I will install a guy line on every tie off the tent or tarp has and not worry about the ones that only get used infrequently.

 

[alsg]

I first saw the pony tail elastic trick mentioned in one of Cliff Jacobson's canoeing books. But that bowline, with the tag end outside the loop, rather than inside, is non-standard. Fine for this use but not recommended for critical uses (climbers call it a suicide bowline).

 

[kahel]

I also had these small bags on my EXPED tent ... but that was far too fiddly for me.
So I built myself a different system ... one that HELSPORT also uses:

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Since I was already doing this anyway, I also attached eyelets instead of the loops.

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and I replaced the thin 1.2 mm cords with longer 3 mm cords.
This makes the thicker cords easier to use even in winter with cold, wet hands.

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regards
Michael

 

[Will Derness]

I first saw the pony tail elastic trick mentioned in one of Cliff Jacobson's canoeing books. But that bowline, with the tag end outside the loop, rather than inside, is non-standard. Fine for this use but not recommended for critical uses (climbers call it a suicide bowline).

Thanks for the heads up on the bowline. Fortunately I don’t climb. However, your observation has me reviewing and adjusting how I tie the knot so the tagline finishes inside the loop.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

But that bowline, with the tag end outside the loop, rather than inside, is non-standard. Fine for this use but not recommended for critical uses (climbers call it a suicide bowline).

Thanks for the heads up on the bowline. Fortunately I don’t climb. However, your observation has me reviewing and adjusting how I tie the knot so the tagline finishes inside the loop.

It was in researching Alan's scary "suicide" knot claim, that I came across the video thread I posted about the double dragon knot being stronger, more secure and easier to untie than any bowline.

 

[Will Derness]

It was in researching Alan's scary "suicide" knot claim, that I came across the video thread I posted about the double dragon knot being stronger, more secure and easier to untie than any bowline.

Yes, but can it be easily tied in the pitch dark night?

Here is a nice video showing 3 ways to tie a bowline in the dark. I like the slip knot version, seems simpler.

 

[alsg]

Yes, but can it be easily tied in the pitch dark night?

Here is a nice video showing 3 ways to tie a bowline in the dark. I like the slip knot version, seems simpler.

I always use the slip knot method when tying a bowline.

 

[alsg]

It was in researching Alan's scary "suicide" knot claim, that I came across the video thread I posted about the double dragon knot being stronger, more secure and easier to untie than any bowline.

Eh, over dramatic. Also called the cowboy-bowline and left-handed bowline. Some say it is just as good; but the knot bible, The Ashley Book of Knots (ABOK), says it is "distinctly inferior."

 

[Keeled Over]

I have taken a decidedly low tech approach to this. I have nylon cord attached to small carabiners. The carabiner stays attached to the fly (for example) even when stuffed in the sack. The nylon cord is about 20' long. When tearing down, I simply gather up the cord and secure it to the 'biner with a thick red rubber band. I also keep 4-5 more cords in a small nylon sack to use for other flies, secure equip etc.

When I arrive in camp the ridgeline goes up, attach the fly to the ridgeline, look for stuff to tie off to and use stakes for the other lines where you don't have anything to tie off to. I guess I usually have to use only 2 stakes when I camp - plenty of trees, rocks, stumps to tie off.

I have experimented with other techniques but have not changed. I see some folks here have turned tarp-work into artwork. Impressive stuff!

 

[Seeker]

Like Will Derness, I've done the hair tie thing inside the bowline, but I also use velcro computer cable ties... you can fasten them to the bowline the same way as a hair tie, then wrap them around the coiled cordage to hold them fast.

On my poncho, I have a couple feet of cord on each corner. those get coiled by hand and then I wrap the tail around each coil, pass it through the middle of the bundle, under one of the wraps, and then pull snug/tight. This is far harder to get undone, but I hardly ever use them, and they stay put, whereas with the hair tie/velcro, they sometimes come undone.