View Full Version : tarp tension adjusters
:cool: cant wait to try my tarp tensioners by jacks r better:cool: neo
thanks jack,neo
http://www.jacksrbetter.com/index_files/Self%20Tensioning%20Lines.htm
ivanputski
11-16-2005, 09:54
Just got mine in the mail. going for a hang this weekend, hope for some wind and rain.
Just Jeff
11-16-2005, 11:59
Just got mine, too. Thanks, Jack!
Hey guys, these things look good. I'd certainly appreciate a heads up about how well they work out.
Cheers,
PKH
they look to be the same as is discussed here : http://hikinghq.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1343
construction looks to be fairly easy given the raw materials
tlbj6142
11-17-2005, 11:39
Make your own....
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3859
i made my own a few months ago... they worked fine until a storm two nights ago... i'd been experimenting out in the backyard with the lower temperature range of hammocking comfort, and had my hammock set up for a couple days... wife called me at work to say the wind was really blowing hard, and whipping the tarp around. was afraid my stuff would get wet... i said it would be fine, but thanks... (she'd offered to send my daughter out to take it down.) when i got home, my shockcords had blown out... i had tied a knot in the inner line, pulled the tubing past it, and then clamped it in place with a zip tie... i'm guessing the zip tie concept is still valid, but i must have done it too tight, because that's exactly where the tubing tore out... at the joint with the zip tie. my surgical tubing was from a walmart slingshot replacement kit. the line is some sort of 3/16" spectra, and it held fine. but the tubing was shot... i think there was about 18" of cord inside the tubing, so it wasn't getting over-stretched... just that the zip ties were too tight... on a side note, the inside of the hammock, despite all that, was dry... thank you mr hennessy...
texyaker
02-09-2006, 01:22
I had the feeling I would like to switch the hammock guy out lines to cord.
The all bungee seems to be to forgiving at least on the one side of the hammock anyhow.
Any thoughts on doing this?
Texyaker
the purpose of the elastic guyouts is threefold... one is to pull the sides of the hammock out, giving you a little more room (or at least the illusion of room) inside. the second purpose is to prevent excessive swaying... once you move around in side and start it swaying, the elastic brings it back to center and helps keep it still. personally, i like the swaying, and sometimes leave the side guyouts off, just so it will rock me to sleep... the third useful thing about the elastics is how the interact with the stock tarp when you batten down the sides during a severe storm... they allow the tarp to flap some, while resisting gently... if you batten the sides down to a solid line, the tarp will still pull, but might tear... i don't know... i just know it works well as designed, and i don't like to mess with it much...
that said, if you use solid cord vs elastic on the guyouts, you'll get the extra room, but it won't 'ease' you into stability... it might either pull up a stake or jolt the hammock if you move suddenly... but i'm sure it will work...
hammock engineer
02-09-2006, 11:50
I found a good supplier of thera bands if anyone needs one.
http://www.isokineticsinc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=isokinetics&Product_Code=tb_21040&Last_Prod=tb_21020~tb_21070&Category_Code=bands_tubing_all (javascript:ol('http://www.isokineticsinc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen%3dPROD%26amp;Store_Code%3disoki netics%26amp;Product_Code%3dtb_21040%26amp;Last_Pr od%3dtb_21020~tb_21070%26amp;Category_Code%3dbands _tubing_all');)
Cheesewhiz
02-09-2006, 16:52
I made mine a few months ago, I ordered the tubing from theraband and I made mine with a stronger band than the Jacks, I made them with the blue on the four corners of my maccat tarp and I also put Black bands on the ridgeline tyeouts. Handles wind and condensation like a champ! no sag in the Silnylon what so ever.
texyaker
02-28-2006, 14:12
:-? Well I finally got a chance to get to a local park with the right tree spacing to set up and test my Silshelter idea.
It worked out great I think. I made 3in.bungee cord loops and attached them to the webbing loops of the tarp. Seems to do the same thing as tubing type tensioners with less weight.
The extra fly material that the Silshelter has to form a vestibule when used as a ground shelter was a concern, but I just brought them out from the head end and around the tree to form a nice closed in space.
I did not try to get the whole set-up into my snake-skins, so that may be an issue, but not a deal breaker as far as using the set-up in foul weather.
Still working on a underquilt made from a Western Mountaineering Linelite that has no zipper and bungee closers at both ends. Split it down the side to open it up, so it it no quite the ideal shape to fit my hammock.
Hope to come up with a workable system made from gear I already had.
Spring is starting to show some signs here in N.Texas. I'm almost ready.
Texyaker
Just Jeff
02-28-2006, 16:21
Next time you set it up, can you post pics of the silshelter over a hammock? Sounds like a great idea.
texyaker
03-01-2006, 23:02
I am one of those "cavemen" that have not gotten into the digital image age yet. Keep saying I am but never do.
I do send my fim to Snapfish and if I get some good shots I'll post some that way. I know, pretty lame.
hey, move over and make some room in the cave for me... i don't have one either... or an ipod, broadband hookup, cell phone, and i just two weeks ago got a cd player for my car... so you're not alone... (my daughter did finally teach me how to use the DVD player.) :D
Just Jeff
03-01-2006, 23:47
(my daughter did finally teach me how to use the DVD player.) :D
I worked with a girl who taught her parents how to use the DVD player. Apparently she left out a step, because when she got home she got a phone call. "How do you rewind these things?" No lie.
Snapfish will work...I'm pretty interested to see how it fits over a hammock. I'm wondering about beaks and such, too...like Ray Garlington's end caps.