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SkeeterPee
01-24-2019, 01:39
I noticed my silnylon tent sagged quite a bit in a night of heavy rain. it was suggested using some shock cord with the guy lines. I now have some shock cord. Any one do this? How long of loop should I add to each guyline?

cmoulder
01-24-2019, 07:24
How much distance between guy-out points and ground? What sort of hardware (or other method) is used to tension the guy lines? What kind of tent? Photo?

With tents that have rain flys that come very close to the ground, you don't have very much space to work with, which will of course affect how you go about things.

cr115
01-24-2019, 08:10
I have reflective shock cord on the fly tie outs of my lunar solo. They are 7-8 feet long. I tie them to branches, trees preferably 4-6 feet off the ground. I also stake them when there is no elevated tie out. This raises the foot/head ends of the fly, giving me more room. The shock cord works well imo in this roll, as it is "self tensioning".
I dont tie them tight, as i feel the increased tension on the "pull" would needlessly stress the structure.

HooKooDooKu
01-24-2019, 10:50
The idea behind shock cord on guy lines is that they produce a constant tug on the line to keep things taught, but still have some given to allow things to move due to wind loads.
So if your loop of shock cord is so strong that it has no give or so weak that it gets stretched out 100%, then you are defeating the purpose.

I've been using shock cord on all my guy lines ever since I started camping 2+ decades ago. It's been a while since I've gotten a new tent to, so I don't recall exactly what size shock cord I've been using.
A quick internet search seems to suggest the common sizes are 1/8", 3/16", and 1/4". If I have my sizes correct, I've found that 1/8" is too weak and 1/4" is too strong, so I use a loop of about 6" to 8" long piece of 3/16" shock cord permanently attached to my guy lines on the side connected to the tent. Also note (regarding the sizes) that I haven't been using shock cord, but instead elastic cord from craft/fabric stores.

I use a Double Fisherman's Knot to connect BOTH ends of the shock cord to one end of the guy line (sort of like keeping the tail as short as possible), as shown in the attached crude image (combination of an image I stole from online with some MS-Paint edits).44530

I attach the guy line to the tent using the shock cord. That way, I tighten guy lines at the stakes and it keeps the shock cord off the ground and out of the way. The attachment is made by simply passing the loop of shock cord thru the attachment loop on the tent, then pass the free end of the guy line thru the shock cord loop and pull tight.
44531In this crude drawing, the Black represents the tent wall and it's guy line attachment loop. The Blue is the shock cord loop attached to one end of the Brown guy line. The blue loop is passed thru the black loop, and then the other end of the guy line is passed around the tent loop and thru the shock cord.

TexasBob
01-24-2019, 10:55
I noticed my silnylon tent sagged quite a bit in a night of heavy rain. it was suggested using some shock cord with the guy lines. I now have some shock cord. Any one do this? How long of loop should I add to each guyline?

Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AMLiPWvZh4&t=4s

D2maine
01-24-2019, 12:47
i use the 1/8 sized shock cord on my tarp, use approx 4 inch loop tied with a double fisherman's knot to the tarp, then make a loop on the end of my guy out (locked brummel knot)and larks head to the shock cord. this way i can change out the guy without untying everything, comes in handy because i use masons twine (the hollow core braid kind) for my guy outs and they wear out faster than the heavier stuff.

johnacraft
01-24-2019, 16:23
I noticed my silnylon tent sagged quite a bit in a night of heavy rain. it was suggested using some shock cord with the guy lines. I now have some shock cord. Any one do this? How long of loop should I add to each guyline?

44537

One method is to cut a 4 to 6 inch length of shock cord and knot each end. Tie clove hitches in the guy line with an appropriate amount of slack (based on how much your shock cord stretches) at each knot. From my perspective this accomplishes the goal with minimum weight and modification of the guy lines, and is easiest to reverse.

Time Zone
01-24-2019, 19:59
this way i can change out the guy without untying everything, comes in handy because i use masons twine (the hollow core braid kind) for my guy outs and they wear out faster than the heavier stuff.
Out of curiosity, how do you mean it wears out faster? Is hollow core mason's twine the same as braided mason line?

I have a healthy supply of braided mason's line which I used for guyline for a brief time. I switched away from it because it would not hold knots or hitches well. Too "springy" and slippery, respectively. If it also wears out quicker, I'd be curious in what way that manifests itself. I did noticed it frayed when run around the bark of a tree, when used as a tarp ridgeline. Maybe that's the kind of wear you're referring to?

HooKooDooKu
01-24-2019, 22:24
44537

One method is to cut a 4 to 6 inch length of shock cord and knot each end. Tie clove hitches in the guy line with an appropriate amount of slack (based on how much your shock cord stretches) at each knot. From my perspective this accomplishes the goal with minimum weight and modification of the guy lines, and is easiest to reverse.
Nice alternative.

I don't think it's any weight savings over my suggestion of a loop attached at the end.
This alternative requires a thicker shock cord to get the same strength as the loop, and you are wasting the weight of the guy line being by-passed by the shock cord. Plus it requires 4 knots rather than 3 (so there is a little more cordage used in making the knots).

However, you are most certainly correct that it is easy to reverse. Once I've gotten loops tied to the guy line, the knots are not easy to undo.
But for me personally, I never need to reverse it as I leave my guy lines permanently attached to the tent.

I used to include a small piece of string attached to the center of the shock cord loop. That allowed me to easily back the guy line out of the tent loops. But then I realized how much time I was wasting attaching and un-attaching the guy lines every time I setup the tent. So now I just keep them attached.

Venchka
01-24-2019, 22:31
44537

One method is to cut a 4 to 6 inch length of shock cord and knot each end. Tie clove hitches in the guy line with an appropriate amount of slack (based on how much your shock cord stretches) at each knot. From my perspective this accomplishes the goal with minimum weight and modification of the guy lines, and is easiest to reverse.
Colin Fletcher would be proud!
AND The bonus is that this method is fail proof in case the shock cord should break.
Wayne

D2maine
01-25-2019, 06:08
Out of curiosity, how do you mean it wears out faster? Is hollow core mason's twine the same as braided mason line?

I have a healthy supply of braided mason's line which I used for guyline for a brief time. I switched away from it because it would not hold knots or hitches well. Too "springy" and slippery, respectively. If it also wears out quicker, I'd be curious in what way that manifests itself. I did noticed it frayed when run around the bark of a tree, when used as a tarp ridgeline. Maybe that's the kind of wear you're referring to?

yest its the same stuff i probably used the wrong terminology, and yes the fraying is what i was referring too, so i replace them once or twice a year.

rmitchell
01-25-2019, 13:39
Johnacraft's idea got me to thinking about using the wide rubber bands that hold broccoli stalks together.

My neighbor manages a restaurant and brings home vegetable trimmings for his dad to feed rabbits . In turn his dad gives me boxes of broccoli stalks every week, so I have a very large supply of the thick rubber bands. It would be good to find some use for them.

Using Johnacraft's idea even if the rubber band broke there wouldn't be a problem.

Now what to do with the next thousand rubber bands?

SkeeterPee
01-25-2019, 14:36
Thanks for all the posts.

My tent is a solong6 so in each of the 4 corners you have two guy lines at each corner with one stake. One for floor and one for the fly/ top of wall. So with one stake I probably have to experiment how long to make each so they still work together. I would think the tension is more important on the fly guy line vs the tent base. Also I would use on the guy lines for the vestibules.

setup link I you have not seen this tent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQVDpJ3rFgU

johnacraft
01-25-2019, 15:52
Colin Fletcher would be proud!

Now that's a compliment I wasn't expecting - thanks ;)




My tent is a solong6 so in each of the 4 corners you have two guy lines at each corner with one stake. One for floor and one for the fly/ top of wall. So with one stake I probably have to experiment how long to make each so they still work together. I would think the tension is more important on the fly guy line vs the tent base. Also I would use on the guy lines for the vestibules.
I haven't used this tent, and don't know the details of how your tent sagged, but would guess that most of the benefit of adding shock cord would come on the awning and rear fly lines.

If you want to go farther and add it to the corner fly lines, you might experiment with longer bathtub guy lines, which would allow you to start with the corner fly lines fully extended, and give you a bit more length to add the shock cord. (I agree there's very little, if any, benefit adding shock cord to the bathtub lines.)

Separate bathtub and fly stakes might also be worth trying once.

Night Train
01-25-2019, 19:42
Make the length however long or short you want.