If you are putting the tarp on with prusics you technically don't even need a full Ridgeline. You can use 2 smaller hanks, one on either end just hanging lose.
Great advice, thank you. I never really thought that much of it to be honest. Lately I have been putting a carabiner in the marlin spike hitch. I found having the carabiner helps with less rubbing of the rope. Cheers Dave.
Using friction hitches to tighten is ok, but if you truly want to get that ridge super tight and still maintain the integrity of your paracord, you shouls find a strong round stick, attach a piece of cordage to one end, run the cordage around your anchor tree, and tie it the the other end of your stick, leaving you with a 1 to 2 inch gap to attach your ridgeline to. Your stick ideally should be in rhe 1.5-3 inch diameter range.For your knots on the ends of the stick, use something like a bowline so you have two loose loops for your anchor stick. Feed the ridgeline over the top of the stick and pull to tighten. As you pull, the stick will rotate much like a pulley reducing damage to your paracord. When you have the line tight, just run the line up and over 3 times and finish with two half hitches. In this manner, there are no knots to weaken the line. This is how you keep high tension without compromising your line. Knots in general will reduce MBS of the line by 30% or more. So if you truly want whats best for the line, use wood pulleys in the form of a short 6-8 inch stick to tie off to.
Alternatively you could use a carabiner in the loop of your truckers hitch to crank down on the ridgeline. Some shelters I make need a tight ridge (or at least it's easier to make the ridge tighter than adjusting it up the tree on both sides if you miscalculate the ridge tension.
Awesome video! My ridge line is very simple and only takes a couple of minutes to setup! All I do is tie a Bowlin on one end to secure my ridge line to a tree. The standing end is wrapped around the opposite tree and secured with a NiteIze Camjam cord tightener. Very simple and no other knots to damage my paracord. Works like a charm and so simple for a tarp shelter.
Learned from my dad (half a century ago) that too much tension is bad, more prone to snap in wind or if hit by something. I always use short lengths of shock cord with mine to allow for some give in windy conditions (ridge line and guy lines) I actually use 850 cord for my ridgeline but everything you're saying is spot on. Great video!
Sir yes, just over 20 years in the Army and this simple, all most basic care of equipment has been lost on me. This just goes to goes to accent the point, that when you think you know everything, you should probably look very hard to see find out what you missed. Thank you very much for teaching an retired Soldier a valuable lesson. This will now be common practice for me.
I don't consider a tight Ridgeline a mistake. Reefing down on it like you showed is an extreme. There's a happy medium. A proper knot will not expose the Paracord to the cutting friction that you demonstrated because the heat is distributed as you're pulling on the open end - it slides. Never had paracord fail using it as ridgeline. I have a dedicated ridgeline and when it or any gear I have starts looking ratty I swap it out. THAT is what should happen to worn out gear. Thank you though, for the demonstration on how to cut paracord in a new way I'd never thought of!
Thank you so much that was very helpful , I sometimes use bungee cord as well for long term shelter it helps with the wind loading on the tarp. Keep it coming great work I truly enjoy the videos
Running nylon on nylon is a basic no no taught in climbing. Thats the function of a carabiner, or in rescue we use a pulley. Depending on where I am going, there is always a short piece of rope and some limited hardware in case someone gets into a place they can't get out of. I know this goes against the ultra light quest which dominates TH-cam. I don't carry cameras and mics, but I do carry some basic climbing stuff when I'm near vertical terrain. The principles of proper care of equipment is a habit that runs through all the different disciplines that use rope. From setting up a tarp, climbing a cliff or topping out a tree. The basics, are still the same. Your milage may vary. Peace.
Spot on mate. Makes perfect sense when you think about it.. so technically you could cut your center of the ridgeline and that tarp ain't going nowhere.
Exactly right. I destroyed my bicept tendon so being out of work and bored I went camping n hiking to stay active. Got good at tying with one arm. Several trips out the same path and camp that hitch hit the same spot a few times. Nothing worse than cranking down and the cord snaps with a blown upper tendon. I started using a small carabiner in the hitch. 550 cuts through the cheap aluminum ones. Now I have a 1” stainless ring I keep on there. Definitely a game changer for me.
I think alot of folks have a psychological problem with the space between the Ridgeline and the top edge of the tarp. It somehow fools them into thinking the tarp isn't tight. But like you said and show the slack in the center doesn't matter. The tension is actually between the anchor point and the toggle. Great video thanks Top
Love it! the four corners (two tree points and two ground points) create the tightness - the ridgeline's tightness is unnecessary for a tight tarp! Nice one, chief!
I’ve never had a paracord ridge line fail when using a trucker’s hitch… you did put extreme tension on that loop. But I enjoyed the video as it showed another way of doing a ridge line. Cheers from Bonnie Scotland.
How does this apply with other tarp shelter configurations though? I use paracord under pretty extreme tension daily for Gate securement and “temporary” fencing repairs. It will break eventually, but I’ve been using the same piece on one heavy gate for several years, opening and closing it daily. I do treat these as a disposable latch, I know it’s going to break on me (one day, probably soon) and when it does I’ll replace it with another piece. It’s not that expensive. Clearly I wouldn’t use that on a hiking trip.
I'm guilty of cranking down while setting up my ridge....every time. I never even gave it a second thought. Once again, thanks for a great vid and a great tip
Makes sense to me. I like to use tarp tensioners made with shock cord, it takes out the slack as the tarp stretches or will provide movement/flex if the wind pics up. Keep up the good work.
I use a bowline on one side, get it taught and set up then then use a tightening wrap with two sticks tied in an X on the other. Wind the cord around one using the other like a crank and when tight wrap it under the line to keep from unwinding. This is good for new line. As it stretches you can simply wind it tight again and there are no knots or friction on the line at all
Great job showing that line cuts line!! That becomes more important as you begin to rappel and ascend. (Yes I've climbed rope with prussiks :-D ) A taut line hitch will work in place of the prussik and doesn't get into as tight a knot as the prussik. Tight bends and knots can break fibers in any line. So the easier a knot is to break (undo) the less destructive it is to the line. And there's always using a steel ring (tied on with a larkshead) instead of a marlinspike hitch. Then you're not sawing line against line. I've been looking into braided line instead of kern-mantle recently (Amsteel). Braided is usually not as slippery as kern-mantle, so knots don't need to be tightened so much.
@@STOKERMATIC LOL I try to keep it down too. Spent 10 years crawling through caves. Longest single rappel and ascent was 140 feet, in the dark. (did have a headlamp) So, became intimately familiar with fiber and line wear.
just make sure to have the prusik knot between the tree and tensioning knot so it stays with lower tension on the knot to avoid the deterioration of the pracord you worry about
Truckers hitch has destroyed many rope and para cord to secure a line tight. I’ve recently purchased Nite Ize figure 9 caribiner to solve the issue of rope wear, and can really pull rope or para cord very tight!
Mine is Nite Ize figure 9 Rope Tightener, 3-1/2 in., Aluminum, Silver, does not have moving parts. Use it without knots! Eliminates the hassle of tying, adjusting and untying knots, carry four in my kit.
I use toggles to get my tarps tight , I think you wanted the world to see you were working on the arms and show you could snap 550 cord 😂 Good video as always Happy Sunday .
Right on brother, something not talked about enough, I use shock cord and bungie cords as well, something I picked up from Brits during FTX's back in the day.
We do learn from each other,which means we have to speak in truths. Which is why I like your clips, good honest common sense. Pity the IPA sipping car park preppers can't get that. Cheers from Oz
but doesn't that simply take the stress off the cheaper 550 cord and put it on the more expensive sil-nylon tarp? And the cheap poly-tarps sold at big box stores have the worst grommets for this technique. If you are making a diamond fly to cover a hammock you need more tension to reduce swag n' sag
Not really. Even withe the Ridgeline super tight you still pull the toggles tight putting the same amount of stress on the tarp and/or grommets. This just reduces the overall stress on the entire paracord
@@johnthomasjr262 if I'm thinking of the same thing you are the one corner is tied directly to the tree anchor and the opposite diagonal corner is staked down to the ground with no Ridgeline. If you mean a diagonal hammock fly I think the same principle would apply.
@@johnstevenson9429 when I use a tarp over my hammock I make the ridge line blood tight and the tarp is not under a lot of strain because it is layed over the line. The prusiks are just tighten a bit and the guy lines are only tight as needed according to weather. But I hang my shotgun off the ridge line when hammock camping (or pouch with handgun if in liberal run parks) and bug nets are easily attached to a stiff ridge line. For the set up in the video you can easily get by with some slack but I don't see it for ridge line head high. My go to is the modified truckers hitch.
Less tightness is an advantage for another reason. It does actually make the ridgeline less likely to snap if a big load hits it like a branch or person falling on it for example or wind/snow. The reason can be explained with geometry and physics. The more the line is straight and tight the more a load on it has more leverage and becomes much higher. The more the line deflects the angle now lets the line have some vertical component. Which means it can hold that load at a lower tension. Als it allows the stretch to dampen the load reducing peak loads. Paracord is nylon and nylon is stretchy and strong and used for anchor line and anchor snubbers with chain to dampen load. If you had a straight tight line that theoretically had no stretch and could not deflect at all then a load in the middle would require a tension that approaches infinity. This is discussed in articles about tether jacklines on sailboats and why the jacklines should not be over tightened for this same reason. I would have let the ridgeline go through the tarp gromets along that edge without knots which reduce line strength but also to not end up with a short tight part that is prone to snapping but it would rather stretch the full ridgeline equally giving much more dampening and strength. I would maybe put a prussik or rolling hitch with a separate short piece of line to keep gromets where I want but basically avioding knots mid line is even better when possible.
Lash it or Zing it line is my go to for ridgelines. My 50' is the same size as a 25' of 550 cord. Tree placement doesn't always cooperate with me so I appreciate the lenght. 👍
I use a toggle and bowline at the 1st anchor. Then I wrap around the 2nd anchor and form a slip loop in the working end, close the 2nd anchor. I use and extra prussic loop and a toggle through the slip loop and pull it taut towards the 1st anchor and set the prussic. No friction, no knots.
I came to a similar conclusion thinking that the trucker's hitch was overkill; good for securing loads in a pickup, but tarps? I adopted a simpler wrap & hitch on that end. However, I hadn't experimented with the slack you showed here. Makes sense: you only need tension from the tarp to the tree. Thanks for the tip.
Must be a typical American problem ! Most folk in the UK will set up their poncho/ tarp shelters with bungees. Most ex-forces types will pack 4 to 6 bungees in their kit. Quicker set up than running around in circles tying para cord to everything. Try it and see how you get on. Obviously, the longer the bungees the more versatile your set up can be. Informed comments much appreciated.
I switched over to a dyneema ridgeline using a loop alien on one side and a dutch hook on the other side easy lightweight no knots needed doesnt stretch as paracord does and doesnt absorb water
Hey, so I just watched your bankline video (Stop wasting paracord) and I'm curious: What makes the ridgeline something that calls for paracord rather than bankline?
There's better cordage than 550 to use for a tarp ridgeline. 550 rips apart too easy. I've used both 3/32 Atwood rope and Spectra cord as ridgelines without the stretch or friction issues 550 has.
I once tried lifting a fallen Apple Tree off my deck after a storm, used truckers hitch, heavier half inch rope, but still nylon rope.....started pulling it up, then heavy load, then the rope friction burned and melted the loop. Ended up adding a sailing pulley I happened to have, was able upright the tree. Was eye opening, the amount of energy into the system!
I prefer that the ridgeline will take the tension, not the tarp! You can use a prusik loop and a toggle to avoid the friction of the paracord on itself. i use a #36 bankline for the prusik loop and if it wears out I replace it. The paracord is moving against rhe standing loop so it does not wear out quickly. Paracord is cheaper than the tarp!
You're right no need to have it so tight you can cut cheese with it. In the past I have used clips for one side in the holes then with another tarp over the line and another line to lift it up little bit for a small cooking area not to sleep with it. Lots of little things like poncho instead of tarps things that are in a good pack.
Semi guilty. What I've been doing is running a small extra length of 550 cord in a prusik knot, and running the end of my ridgeline through that. I can get it tight, but also it allows me to loosen or lessen the tension by moving the prusik knot. The only problem is it grips the main ridgeline pretty tight and you can get seperation for the 550 cords shealth, to the inner strands if you pull on it too tight. The other prusik knots I run for the tarp, have been bankline. Keeps things simple on setup.
Totally agree and have cringed at this technique since folks started showing this. As a rigger for many years, these kind of things were taboo. The overhand knot also causes a weak spot at that point. In a pinch this is fine, but when using that same rope over and over again....no bueno. There are things one can do to help fix that problem such as using some sort of chafing gear at that point. But the working end could still get some friction wear. So maybe putting some kind of round grommet at the loop end of the trucker hitch. More than one way to skin that cat, but that common technique is sketchy.
That initial knot in the trucker's hitch is a running slip knot; not a marlin spike hitch. The marlin spike has the overhand loop lying along the standing end of rope... the overhand loop laid toward the running end of rope forms the running slip knot. A marlin spike hitch knot will collapse down onto the running end when used in the trucker's hitch configuration.
@@STOKERMATIC I have enjoyed some of your videos! I appreciate the reply and the acknowledgment that, while the "method" is the same in forming the knots, they ARE different knots; and serve different purposes. Everyone appreciates clarity! Good work so far.
I haven't used the marlin spike/truckers hitch combo is years. If you add just one more prusik you can use that loop or just multi loop the tie in end around your anchor tree and tie it off with a simple loop.
The problem with using a trucker's hitch is creating the tension on the line with the hitch itself. I like to setup the hitch and then pull on the ridge line towards the hitch and only use the hitch to take up slack line. That way I don't saw through my paracord. but still have a slightly tensioned line that is adjustable.
Great advice Stoker! I agree, too much tension can be bad in the long run. Remember to check your ridge line tension, guy lines, and stakes a couple of times a day as mother nature will win this tug-of-war with the tarp. I'm STOKED!
Is that marlin spike hitch a bowline … sorry for question,well I just looked it up, retired lineman here.. often times there are a lot of names and terms locally and globally. I’ve pulled up many a line and heavy as heck with bowline on a bite without pumpers, trouble blocks or anything else,I prefer rope to bind, tension, and secure about anything than mechanical devices…tie a knot without looking at it.. great video… keep up the good work…if you tie a bowline on a bite you can possibly have your end of line cross over 4 pieces of rope reducing that 1 on 1 friction.
Technically. It’s not a marlin spike hitch, because it’s pulled the opposite way so it won’t collapse when you draw tension on it. I bet you have tons of stories from your experience! 🥃
It was a wild ride working alone as a Troubleshooter, could have made some great how to videos up in the air, retired young enough to save my body from any more abuse, … I was told by an old fireman that my moves were poetic, that one stuck with me…keep up the great work, your videos are increasingly better and better..
My personal definition on of poetic, is “smoothly, effortlessly, with purpose and class” and also to keep the chaos around you in line… you have well thought out charisma, glad to see you aren’t wasting it…
So your recommending that I should take the stress off of my disposable paracord and put it on bank line that has a much lower breaking strength. It also stress the grommets on my tarp, which we know is a bad idea . The purpose of a tight ridge line is to protect your tarp a far more expensive and valuable piece of equipment. Your method puts all the stress on the week points of your shelter system at the expense of a disposable item. That's just not good bushcraft.
There’s no magical transfer or tension in this. Suppose you have a super tight ridge line. Your tarp isn’t flapping in the wind is it? Of course not. The bank line is pulled taught as are the corners for staking. Same tension in this set up, except now - you don’t run the risk of breaking your line - and that’s good field craft. 👊
Finally, someone in this bevy of BS someone understands what paracord is: #1 - Disposable, #2 - Disposable, and #3 - Disposable. Sorry to break the news folks, but tarp ridgelines aren’t going to last forever, no matter what kind of cord or rope or whatever you’re using. Might as well use them right. Obviously no one in these comments has ever met a Navy guy, or any sailor for that matter, cause if it’s tight it’s right, if it’s slack it’s Jack (Spring Foot Jack, if anyone here knows what that means). Slack lines can get people hurt, or worse, in certain situations. So that being said, what you can do to make your paracord lines last a lot longer is to first put them in boiling water for about 10 to 20 seconds to pre-shrink ‘em. Let ‘‘em dry for a few days. They will shrink about 10-12% in length. Then coat them in something like greenland wax, or just beeswax. They’ll hold up much better, much longer, if you feel like going through all that, ‘cause remember #1 - they’re disposable.
Also thanks from me for the great advice, but this also brought me the idea to place one of these small curved/bend pieces of metal shoes, at least of aluminum (missing the right word) into that first loop of the truckers hitch just to prevent my cord from braking, again a smart idea - I always have some with me in different sizes, weights nothing. A tight ridgeline is pretty useful in most tarp settings in my opinion, except the lean-to, which we can set up without as you demonstrated.
"Gooder" and dumping on the tried but true truckers hitch. The "tightness" of the Ridgeline is to lessen movement in high winds. Any knot weakens the integrity of the cordage used to tie it.
Fine job young man. The ridge line doesn't have to be as tight as the pucker string in a frog's butt. I've had 550 cord break at inconvenient times because I tried to get it too tight. Keep the great videos coming brother.
The biggest issue people seem to forget is that paracord's strength is linear not lateral. Its easy to break when the load is applied laterally like it is on a loop.
I use a prussek loop to tighten my ridge line so I don’t degrade my para cord . I keep 4 loops on my ridge line 3 for my tarp and one to winch and sinch it down to a tree .I attach soft shackles to the prussek loops that then attach to my tarp .
Little gem of knowlege there. It makes me wonder how many other peices of equipment this might apply to. We like to get our tarps and tents etc. drum tight even when gusty winds are very unlikely... every time we tighten things to the max, are we artificially ageing the materials so that they fail before their time?
Yeah, I suppose you don't need to put a hoist on it.😂 Pulling your ridge-line tight allows you to hang your tarp more loosely while still providing support under rain/snow load. Of course I never hang a tarp lean-to fashion as you have done. In my opinion a much bigger mistake.
@@STOKERMATIC my primary solo shelter has been a tarp in some configuration since 1968. Early on it was usually a modified A frame (one side wider than the other). Now a days, it's either a diamond (I'm a hammock camper if situation allows), a plow point, or one of two tarp-tent (with trekking pole) configurations. For me, all configurations, other than Tarp-tent get a taught ridge-line. 👍
ok old school here. you don't do that stupid loop and line through to make a ridge line. that is what a taunt line hitch is for. it will not cut your line and be as tight as you need it for the weather. also some bungies attaches to your tarp or other cover then your line will absorb the wind action and not break your line.
i guess it depends on what you're doing but if all it needs to do is hold up a tarp, who cares. it's a 5 dollar piece of cheap rope. if it breaks, tie it back together ... or get out your spare chunk of rope...
If you are putting the tarp on with prusics you technically don't even need a full Ridgeline. You can use 2 smaller hanks, one on either end just hanging lose.
True!
Great advice, thank you. I never really thought that much of it to be honest. Lately I have been putting a carabiner in the marlin spike hitch. I found having the carabiner helps with less rubbing of the rope. Cheers Dave.
🥃
I do that as well. It definitely eliminates a lot of the friction and is much smoother
Yep, using carabiners are handy and a great way to prevent friction.
Using friction hitches to tighten is ok, but if you truly want to get that ridge super tight and still maintain the integrity of your paracord, you shouls find a strong round stick, attach a piece of cordage to one end, run the cordage around your anchor tree, and tie it the the other end of your stick, leaving you with a 1 to 2 inch gap to attach your ridgeline to. Your stick ideally should be in rhe 1.5-3 inch diameter range.For your knots on the ends of the stick, use something like a bowline so you have two loose loops for your anchor stick. Feed the ridgeline over the top of the stick and pull to tighten. As you pull, the stick will rotate much like a pulley reducing damage to your paracord. When you have the line tight, just run the line up and over 3 times and finish with two half hitches. In this manner, there are no knots to weaken the line. This is how you keep high tension without compromising your line. Knots in general will reduce MBS of the line by 30% or more. So if you truly want whats best for the line, use wood pulleys in the form of a short 6-8 inch stick to tie off to.
Alternatively you could use a carabiner in the loop of your truckers hitch to crank down on the ridgeline. Some shelters I make need a tight ridge (or at least it's easier to make the ridge tighter than adjusting it up the tree on both sides if you miscalculate the ridge tension.
Awesome video! My ridge line is very simple and only takes a couple of minutes to setup! All I do is tie a Bowlin on one end to secure my ridge line to a tree. The standing end is wrapped around the opposite tree and secured with a NiteIze Camjam cord tightener. Very simple and no other knots to damage my paracord. Works like a charm and so simple for a tarp shelter.
I’ve never seen anyone try to make their ridgeline that taut. This seems like a solution in search of a problem🤷♂️
Multiple people in these comments said they currently do or have in the past.
Learned from my dad (half a century ago) that too much tension is bad, more prone to snap in wind or if hit by something. I always use short lengths of shock cord with mine to allow for some give in windy conditions (ridge line and guy lines) I actually use 850 cord for my ridgeline but everything you're saying is spot on. Great video!
Great tips!
Sir yes, just over 20 years in the Army and this simple, all most basic care of equipment has been lost on me. This just goes to goes to accent the point, that when you think you know everything, you should probably look very hard to see find out what you missed.
Thank you very much for teaching an retired Soldier a valuable lesson. This will now be common practice for me.
👊🥃🇺🇸
I don't consider a tight Ridgeline a mistake. Reefing down on it like you showed is an extreme. There's a happy medium. A proper knot will not expose the Paracord to the cutting friction that you demonstrated because the heat is distributed as you're pulling on the open end - it slides. Never had paracord fail using it as ridgeline. I have a dedicated ridgeline and when it or any gear I have starts looking ratty I swap it out. THAT is what should happen to worn out gear. Thank you though, for the demonstration on how to cut paracord in a new way I'd never thought of!
He didn’t just reef down on it either he held both ends to actually cut into it which we are not doing.
@@EREBO95 For sure!
Solved a problem no one has
"This is how we get gooder"
Thank you so much that was very helpful , I sometimes use bungee cord as well for long term shelter it helps with the wind loading on the tarp. Keep it coming great work I truly enjoy the videos
Running nylon on nylon is a basic no no taught in climbing. Thats the function of a carabiner, or in rescue we use a pulley. Depending on where I am going, there is always a short piece of rope and some limited hardware in case someone gets into a place they can't get out of. I know this goes against the ultra light quest which dominates TH-cam. I don't carry cameras and mics, but I do carry some basic climbing stuff when I'm near vertical terrain. The principles of proper care of equipment is a habit that runs through all the different disciplines that use rope. From setting up a tarp, climbing a cliff or topping out a tree. The basics, are still the same. Your milage may vary. Peace.
Awsome explanation! thx for sharing
Spot on mate. Makes perfect sense when you think about it.. so technically you could cut your center of the ridgeline and that tarp ain't going nowhere.
Exactly right. I destroyed my bicept tendon so being out of work and bored I went camping n hiking to stay active. Got good at tying with one arm. Several trips out the same path and camp that hitch hit the same spot a few times. Nothing worse than cranking down and the cord snaps with a blown upper tendon.
I started using a small carabiner in the hitch. 550 cuts through the cheap aluminum ones. Now I have a 1” stainless ring I keep on there. Definitely a game changer for me.
I think alot of folks have a psychological problem with the space between the Ridgeline and the top edge of the tarp. It somehow fools them into thinking the tarp isn't tight. But like you said and show the slack in the center doesn't matter. The tension is actually between the anchor point and the toggle. Great video thanks Top
☝️☝️
I love your intro man. That was brilliant! I have been guilty of that for years. Not anymore. God bless you. Many thanks. John
So, you tie the same trucker's hitch, just not pulled tight ?
And then use prusik loops and peg it taut to tension the tarp ?
In this one, yup.
Love it! the four corners (two tree points and two ground points) create the tightness - the ridgeline's tightness is unnecessary for a tight tarp! Nice one, chief!
Too true!
Good stuff, I'm a hammock camper so I agree with your Ridgeline good stuff
I’ve never had a paracord ridge line fail when using a trucker’s hitch… you did put extreme tension on that loop. But I enjoyed the video as it showed another way of doing a ridge line. Cheers from Bonnie Scotland.
quality paracord won’t do this
Great tip, I'm guilty of over tightening so this is good to know 👍
Great tip man. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, it's much appreciated.
Fair point sir. Will give it a try.
Great advice, thank you! I would love to see you show more detail with the specific knots you use in this setup.
Definitely an over site on my end.
This one has a good break down of my ridge line set ups:
th-cam.com/video/Q0a_WXtIzSE/w-d-xo.html
@@STOKERMATIC awesome, thank you!
How does this apply with other tarp shelter configurations though? I use paracord under pretty extreme tension daily for Gate securement and “temporary” fencing repairs. It will break eventually, but I’ve been using the same piece on one heavy gate for several years, opening and closing it daily. I do treat these as a disposable latch, I know it’s going to break on me (one day, probably soon) and when it does I’ll replace it with another piece. It’s not that expensive. Clearly I wouldn’t use that on a hiking trip.
For any that require a ridge, it can hold true. Appreciate your other thoughts as well.
I'm guilty of cranking down while setting up my ridge....every time. I never even gave it a second thought. Once again, thanks for a great vid and a great tip
👊
Makes sense to me. I like to use tarp tensioners made with shock cord, it takes out the slack as the tarp stretches or will provide movement/flex if the wind pics up. Keep up the good work.
Outstanding!
Again..Moderation in all things. Good tip/example.
Excellent point. Thx
No disrespect but you are the only TH-camr that I have seen crank on that truckers hitch like that.
No disrespect received - point wasn’t to suggest that other YT’ers do it, but to caution against it.
This will make me gooder. Thanks.
Thanks Top! I appreciate you demonstrating that.
I use a bowline on one side, get it taught and set up then then use a tightening wrap with two sticks tied in an X on the other. Wind the cord around one using the other like a crank and when tight wrap it under the line to keep from unwinding. This is good for new line. As it stretches you can simply wind it tight again and there are no knots or friction on the line at all
Good stuff.
Great tips thank you very much
Great job showing that line cuts line!! That becomes more important as you begin to rappel and ascend. (Yes I've climbed rope with prussiks :-D ) A taut line hitch will work in place of the prussik and doesn't get into as tight a knot as the prussik.
Tight bends and knots can break fibers in any line. So the easier a knot is to break (undo) the less destructive it is to the line. And there's always using a steel ring (tied on with a larkshead) instead of a marlinspike hitch. Then you're not sawing line against line.
I've been looking into braided line instead of kern-mantle recently (Amsteel). Braided is usually not as slippery as kern-mantle, so knots don't need to be tightened so much.
Lots to consider there Merv! 👊
@@STOKERMATIC LOL I try to keep it down too. Spent 10 years crawling through caves. Longest single rappel and ascent was 140 feet, in the dark. (did have a headlamp) So, became intimately familiar with fiber and line wear.
I used 550 paracord, but I also use a push it on my 550 Peregrine.I hope that to my make my you're a trucker.You're a Trucker Hitch
just make sure to have the prusik knot between the tree and tensioning knot so it stays with lower tension on the knot to avoid the deterioration of the pracord you worry about
Hi Stoker. Thank you for those excellent words of wisdom. Stay safe. ATB. Nigel
Truckers hitch has destroyed many rope and para cord to secure a line tight. I’ve recently purchased Nite Ize figure 9 caribiner to solve the issue of rope wear, and can really pull rope or para cord very tight!
Mine is Nite Ize figure 9 Rope Tightener, 3-1/2 in., Aluminum, Silver, does not have moving parts. Use it without knots! Eliminates the hassle of tying, adjusting and untying knots, carry four in my kit.
Less wear & tear for sure, thanks.
As obvious as it is simple and ingenious! Especially when someone shows it.😊
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, I found this to be truly helpful.
I use toggles to get my tarps tight , I think you wanted the world to see you were working on the arms and show you could snap 550 cord 😂 Good video as always Happy Sunday .
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Right on brother, something not talked about enough, I use shock cord and bungie cords as well, something I picked up from Brits during FTX's back in the day.
Awesome point. 👍👍🇺🇸
We do learn from each other,which means we have to speak in truths. Which is why I like your clips, good honest common sense. Pity the IPA sipping car park preppers can't get that.
Cheers from Oz
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but doesn't that simply take the stress off the cheaper 550 cord and put it on the more expensive sil-nylon tarp? And the cheap poly-tarps sold at big box stores have the worst grommets for this technique. If you are making a diamond fly to cover a hammock you need more tension to reduce swag n' sag
Not really. Even withe the Ridgeline super tight you still pull the toggles tight putting the same amount of stress on the tarp and/or grommets. This just reduces the overall stress on the entire paracord
@@johnstevenson9429 what about the diamond fly? Sag?
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@@johnthomasjr262 if I'm thinking of the same thing you are the one corner is tied directly to the tree anchor and the opposite diagonal corner is staked down to the ground with no Ridgeline. If you mean a diagonal hammock fly I think the same principle would apply.
@@johnstevenson9429 when I use a tarp over my hammock I make the ridge line blood tight and the tarp is not under a lot of strain because it is layed over the line. The prusiks are just tighten a bit and the guy lines are only tight as needed according to weather. But I hang my shotgun off the ridge line when hammock camping (or pouch with handgun if in liberal run parks) and bug nets are easily attached to a stiff ridge line. For the set up in the video you can easily get by with some slack but I don't see it for ridge line head high. My go to is the modified truckers hitch.
I don't use any Para cord for tarp suspension. Just bungee cord with hooked ends. Faster up & faster down.
Especially in rain or snow conditions.
Right on.
Less tightness is an advantage for another reason. It does actually make the ridgeline less likely to snap if a big load hits it like a branch or person falling on it for example or wind/snow. The reason can be explained with geometry and physics. The more the line is straight and tight the more a load on it has more leverage and becomes much higher. The more the line deflects the angle now lets the line have some vertical component. Which means it can hold that load at a lower tension. Als it allows the stretch to dampen the load reducing peak loads. Paracord is nylon and nylon is stretchy and strong and used for anchor line and anchor snubbers with chain to dampen load. If you had a straight tight line that theoretically had no stretch and could not deflect at all then a load in the middle would require a tension that approaches infinity. This is discussed in articles about tether jacklines on sailboats and why the jacklines should not be over tightened for this same reason. I would have let the ridgeline go through the tarp gromets along that edge without knots which reduce line strength but also to not end up with a short tight part that is prone to snapping but it would rather stretch the full ridgeline equally giving much more dampening and strength. I would maybe put a prussik or rolling hitch with a separate short piece of line to keep gromets where I want but basically avioding knots mid line is even better when possible.
Lash it or Zing it line is my go to for ridgelines. My 50' is the same size as a 25' of 550 cord. Tree placement doesn't always cooperate with me so I appreciate the lenght. 👍
I use a toggle and bowline at the 1st anchor. Then I wrap around the 2nd anchor and form a slip loop in the working end, close the 2nd anchor. I use and extra prussic loop and a toggle through the slip loop and pull it taut towards the 1st anchor and set the prussic. No friction, no knots.
Nice!
I came to a similar conclusion thinking that the trucker's hitch was overkill; good for securing loads in a pickup, but tarps? I adopted a simpler wrap & hitch on that end. However, I hadn't experimented with the slack you showed here. Makes sense: you only need tension from the tarp to the tree. Thanks for the tip.
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Must be a typical American problem ! Most folk in the UK will set up their poncho/ tarp shelters with bungees. Most ex-forces types will pack 4 to 6 bungees in their kit. Quicker set up than running around in circles tying para cord to everything. Try it and see how you get on. Obviously, the longer the bungees the more versatile your set up can be. Informed comments much appreciated.
Looks like a typical British response! 🤣😂
I appreciate ya Clive. Bungee cords are cool and certainly have their place.
Great knowledge to have.i believe we all have made that mistake. I know I have
All you have to do is put a carabiner on and put the loop through the Carabiner so the Carabiner is taking the friction instead of the 550 cord
More than 1 way to 🔪 a 🐈
I switched over to a dyneema ridgeline using a loop alien on one side and a dutch hook on the other side easy lightweight no knots needed doesnt stretch as paracord does and doesnt absorb water
Hey, so I just watched your bankline video (Stop wasting paracord) and I'm curious: What makes the ridgeline something that calls for paracord rather than bankline?
The good way is to use slipery carabin in tension point to avoid rope destruction
There's better cordage than 550 to use for a tarp ridgeline. 550 rips apart too easy. I've used both 3/32 Atwood rope and Spectra cord as ridgelines without the stretch or friction issues 550 has.
Hi about tent stakes getting lose
I’m fortunate that most of my ground is not rocky. If I get to someplace that isn’t - it’ll be in the works. 👊
Perfect! That's how I was originally taught to do it (way back in Scouts). I've watched people trucker hitch their cords to death running ridgelines!
Be Prepared!
I once tried lifting a fallen Apple Tree off my deck after a storm, used truckers hitch, heavier half inch rope, but still nylon rope.....started pulling it up, then heavy load, then the rope friction burned and melted the loop. Ended up adding a sailing pulley I happened to have, was able upright the tree.
Was eye opening, the amount of energy into the system!
Crazy, but cool!
I prefer that the ridgeline will take the tension, not the tarp! You can use a prusik loop and a toggle to avoid the friction of the paracord on itself. i use a #36 bankline for the prusik loop and if it wears out I replace it. The paracord is moving against rhe standing loop so it does not wear out quickly. Paracord is cheaper than the tarp!
You're right no need to have it so tight you can cut cheese with it. In the past I have used clips for one side in the holes then with another tarp over the line and another line to lift it up little bit for a small cooking area not to sleep with it. Lots of little things like poncho instead of tarps things that are in a good pack.
Semi guilty. What I've been doing is running a small extra length of 550 cord in a prusik knot, and running the end of my ridgeline through that. I can get it tight, but also it allows me to loosen or lessen the tension by moving the prusik knot. The only problem is it grips the main ridgeline pretty tight and you can get seperation for the 550 cords shealth, to the inner strands if you pull on it too tight. The other prusik knots I run for the tarp, have been bankline. Keeps things simple on setup.
Great stuff!
If you make two jungle knots in the prusic you don't need toggles.
Good video. good job. God bless. From Glenn CATT in Massachusetts.
I haven't tried this technique w/paracord yet. But I would have been the guy to really crank it down! Now I know not necessary!
Totally agree and have cringed at this technique since folks started showing this. As a rigger for many years, these kind of things were taboo. The overhand knot also causes a weak spot at that point. In a pinch this is fine, but when using that same rope over and over again....no bueno. There are things one can do to help fix that problem such as using some sort of chafing gear at that point. But the working end could still get some friction wear. So maybe putting some kind of round grommet at the loop end of the trucker hitch. More than one way to skin that cat, but that common technique is sketchy.
That initial knot in the trucker's hitch is a running slip knot; not a marlin spike hitch. The marlin spike has the overhand loop lying along the standing end of rope... the overhand loop laid toward the running end of rope forms the running slip knot. A marlin spike hitch knot will collapse down onto the running end when used in the trucker's hitch configuration.
Technically true, though the method to make both is the same - just changing directions with overland loop.
Appreciate ya.
@@STOKERMATIC I have enjoyed some of your videos! I appreciate the reply and the acknowledgment that, while the "method" is the same in forming the knots, they ARE different knots; and serve different purposes. Everyone appreciates clarity! Good work so far.
I've been tying truckers hitch's with 550 for years and I have never seen para cord cut para cord.
Hope you never experience it unless intended.
I haven't used the marlin spike/truckers hitch combo is years. If you add just one more prusik you can use that loop or just multi loop the tie in end around your anchor tree and tie it off with a simple loop.
Huh?
Add another prusik to the ridgeline then use that as the loop to crank against?
The problem with using a trucker's hitch is creating the tension on the line with the hitch itself. I like to setup the hitch and then pull on the ridge line towards the hitch and only use the hitch to take up slack line. That way I don't saw through my paracord. but still have a slightly tensioned line that is adjustable.
Great advice Stoker! I agree, too much tension can be bad in the long run. Remember to check your ridge line tension, guy lines, and stakes a couple of times a day as mother nature will win this tug-of-war with the tarp. I'm STOKED!
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Is that marlin spike hitch a bowline … sorry for question,well I just looked it up, retired lineman here.. often times there are a lot of names and terms locally and globally.
I’ve pulled up many a line and heavy as heck with bowline on a bite without pumpers, trouble blocks or anything else,I prefer rope to bind, tension, and secure about anything than mechanical devices…tie a knot without looking at it.. great video… keep up the good work…if you tie a bowline on a bite you can possibly have your end of line cross over 4 pieces of rope reducing that 1 on 1 friction.
Technically. It’s not a marlin spike hitch, because it’s pulled the opposite way so it won’t collapse when you draw tension on it.
I bet you have tons of stories from your experience! 🥃
It was a wild ride working alone as a Troubleshooter, could have made some great how to videos up in the air, retired young enough to save my body from any more abuse, … I was told by an old fireman that my moves were poetic, that one stuck with me…keep up the great work, your videos are increasingly better and better..
My personal definition on of poetic, is “smoothly, effortlessly, with purpose and class” and also to keep the chaos around you in line… you have well thought out charisma, glad to see you aren’t wasting it…
Idk what this guys mos is but, as an 11b, I'd deploy with him! He actually knows things like stuff!
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So your recommending that I should take the stress off of my disposable paracord and put it on bank line that has a much lower breaking strength. It also stress the grommets on my tarp, which we know is a bad idea . The purpose of a tight ridge line is to protect your tarp a far more expensive and valuable piece of equipment. Your method puts all the stress on the week points of your shelter system at the expense of a disposable item. That's just not good bushcraft.
There’s no magical transfer or tension in this.
Suppose you have a super tight ridge line. Your tarp isn’t flapping in the wind is it? Of course not. The bank line is pulled taught as are the corners for staking.
Same tension in this set up, except now - you don’t run the risk of breaking your line - and that’s good field craft. 👊
Finally, someone in this bevy of BS someone understands what paracord is: #1 - Disposable, #2 - Disposable, and #3 - Disposable. Sorry to break the news folks, but tarp ridgelines aren’t going to last forever, no matter what kind of cord or rope or whatever you’re using. Might as well use them right. Obviously no one in these comments has ever met a Navy guy, or any sailor for that matter, cause if it’s tight it’s right, if it’s slack it’s Jack (Spring Foot Jack, if anyone here knows what that means). Slack lines can get people hurt, or worse, in certain situations. So that being said, what you can do to make your paracord lines last a lot longer is to first put them in boiling water for about 10 to 20 seconds to pre-shrink ‘em. Let ‘‘em dry for a few days. They will shrink about 10-12% in length. Then coat them in something like greenland wax, or just beeswax. They’ll hold up much better, much longer, if you feel like going through all that, ‘cause remember #1 - they’re disposable.
Also thanks from me for the great advice, but this also brought me the idea to place one of these small curved/bend pieces of metal shoes, at least of aluminum (missing the right word) into that first loop of the truckers hitch just to prevent my cord from braking, again a smart idea - I always have some with me in different sizes, weights nothing. A tight ridgeline is pretty useful in most tarp settings in my opinion, except the lean-to, which we can set up without as you demonstrated.
"Gooder" and dumping on the tried but true truckers hitch. The "tightness" of the Ridgeline is to lessen movement in high winds. Any knot weakens the integrity of the cordage used to tie it.
Good old truckers hitch. Used these on busted hay bales all the time.
Fine job young man. The ridge line doesn't have to be as tight as the pucker string in a frog's butt. I've had 550 cord break at inconvenient times because I tried to get it too tight. Keep the great videos coming brother.
Is the stress transferred to the tarp?
Yes, and the wear n tear that you save on the inexpensive 550 is transferred to the more expensive tarp. I can splice cord but not sil-nylon tarps
Depends on how you string it up. The way I do, no - it’s not transferred.
The biggest issue people seem to forget is that paracord's strength is linear not lateral. Its easy to break when the load is applied laterally like it is on a loop.
I use a prussek loop to tighten my ridge line so I don’t degrade my para cord . I keep 4 loops on my ridge line 3 for my tarp and one to winch and sinch it down to a tree .I attach soft shackles to the prussek loops that then attach to my tarp .
So many talk about putting up a ridge line like you are holding up a house.
Good Tips...There...
Kind of a slightly different topic. For your lean-to, why would you not feed your ridge line through the 5 loops on the top edge???
For me, it’s the time to set up and tear down
You just taught me something
I'am guilty your Honorable!!!😏👍.But not anymore.
Excellent video Stokerman!!!
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I have been using a truckers hitch and a tight ridge line for over 5 years with no issues with the same ridge line. Just saying. Gotta question bro?
Stay STOKED.
Little gem of knowlege there. It makes me wonder how many other peices of equipment this might apply to. We like to get our tarps and tents etc. drum tight even when gusty winds are very unlikely... every time we tighten things to the max, are we artificially ageing the materials so that they fail before their time?
Lots to consider.
Still stoked af!
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Jungle Knots are the way to go
What 550 cord do u like
I use milspec the most but like some of the survival cordage with waxed string.
Good tip , have a great day , God bless !
Same to ya Michael!
Good stuff!
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Yeah, I suppose you don't need to put a hoist on it.😂
Pulling your ridge-line tight allows you to hang your tarp more loosely while still providing support under rain/snow load. Of course I never hang a tarp lean-to fashion as you have done. In my opinion a much bigger mistake.
Ya just gave me an idea Doug! And true on shelter of choice.
@@STOKERMATIC my primary solo shelter has been a tarp in some configuration since 1968. Early on it was usually a modified A frame (one side wider than the other). Now a days, it's either a diamond (I'm a hammock camper if situation allows), a plow point, or one of two tarp-tent (with trekking pole) configurations. For me, all configurations, other than Tarp-tent get a taught ridge-line. 👍
ok old school here. you don't do that stupid loop and line through to make a ridge line. that is what a taunt line hitch is for. it will not cut your line and be as tight as you need it for the weather. also some bungies attaches to your tarp or other cover then your line will absorb the wind action and not break your line.
Taught lines are great for that!
i guess it depends on what you're doing but if all it needs to do is hold up a tarp, who cares. it's a 5 dollar piece of cheap rope. if it breaks, tie it back together ... or get out your spare chunk of rope...