Question about guylines and also tent stakes

[jejton]

So the REI Kingdom 8 I bought only comes with 6 guylines, but to properly guy it out would require up to 12 more I believe. So my questions are
1) What type of cord should I buy for guylines? The pretied, precut ones I've seen are all fairly short and expensive.
2) What is the proper way of securing them ? I've found a couple of websites that show various methods of tying them without cord tighteners, but it is hard for me to make out all the steps in their photos of the knots.

On another note, what stakes should I be using for both my tent and the guylines (if there is nothing close enough to tie them to? The tent came with steel stakes but when I tested it in my backyard during a rain storm, the wind easily pulled the tent and stakes up out of the very soft lawn. Should I be using a different type of stake?

[Cory Hess]

Re: Question about guylines and also tent stakes

The last guyline I bought was this stuff off of Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shine-Line-Ora...ilpage_o00_s01
It came in a 50 foot length, and that's usually how I buy it. That stuff is reflective, but that's not really as big of a deal as it's made out to be. The biggest requirement for me on guylines is that it doesn't easily stretch. I know some people that use paracord, but I'm not big on that as it's too elastic.

For securing I use a slipknot or cord tensioner. Either works pretty well from my experience. If you're having trouble with the knots just get a pack of tensioners, as only need to know how to tie a square knot to use them. They're cheap enough that they're worthwhile to me even though I can tie a slipknot. I use a combination of slipknots and tensioners depending on how often I think I'm going to be adjusting my lines. For example, the lines holding the sides of my portico will get adjusted quite a bit because the sides will go up and down depending on rain and wind direction so it's quicker and easier to use tensioners there. The lines holding the front of my portico I use slipknots as those don't get adjusted too much and tensioners can slowly slip down the line meaning I have to adjust them periodically whereas a slipknot usually stays put unless I mess with it.

As for stakes, in hard, rocky ground I use nail style stakes. In loose soil or sandy situations I prefer a screw style. The V shaped stakes are kind of an in-between to me. They work in both types of soil, but not as well as the nail in hard ground or the screw in loose soil. I don't use the little wire stakes that come with many stakes, as I don't find them to work as well as these three types of stakes. If your tent came with the wire style I'd try the V shaped stakes. If those are the ones that came out on you I'd go to a screw style.

[NMCamper]

Re: Question about guylines and also tent stakes

I actually quite like the paracord. In my experience, the elasticity of it doesn't introduce any more give into the overall system than already exists. There is a video on YouTube with good instructions on tying your own knots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9Jj1FZCPBo

As to the stakes, I use the provided stakes without issue in soft ground. I suspect either you did not give yourself a sharp enough angle or your yard is exceptionally soft. If it is the latter, I doubt you will have the same issue when camping unless on sand.

[a65hoosier]

Re: Question about guylines and also tent stakes

I also use paracord for guy lines without problems. I seldom use the guy lines (or stakes) that come with the tent. I prefer a reflective cord. I also use the three hole tensioners...mainly because I am a slow knot tyer.

I have gotten away from tying my guy lines directly to the tent fly (that is almost always where the connection points are located). Instead, I use guy lines that I have pre-cut to a certain length, tied, and already have a tensioner installed. Each prepared guy line is then attached to the tent fly connection points using a carabiner (essentially---instead of tying the line to the fly...I connect the line to the fly with a carabiner). Once clipped, I stake the line out and tension. Done.

NOTE: it is important to use the velcro on the underside of the fly to connect the fly to the poles (should you have a two walled tent). The velcro is typically located on the underside where each guy out point is located. The velcro essentially adds to the structural strength of the tent as it locks the fly to the inner tent and poles. Otherwise, your guy lines are really just tied to the fly.

I do the same guy line set-up when using the Noah Tarps (except this set of pre-tied lines are much longer than the ones I use for tents). I generally try to use the least amount of guy lines necessary for the conditions to minimize trip hazards at the campsite. However, if the weather/wind turns nasty, I can easily and quickly clip on additional lines to the tarp's tie out points and really batten it down.

Additionally, when I used to tie lines directly to the fly, I would inevitably have one or two of the lines on the fly get free/unravel (un-hanked) and they seemed to always get snagged on the inner tent when trying to throw the fly over the tent body or during take down. Having all my tent guy lines pre-tied and hanked in a small ziplock prevents this.

I have multiple tents in multiple sizes, so I have multiple sets of pre-tied lines. Shorter line sets for smaller tents, longer line sets for the larger tents, and an even longer set for the tarps. I take whatever set(s) I need depending on the tent/tarps I am using.


As far as stakes...I use either MSR groundhogs (I also have a few "knockoff/clone" ones also) or the nail style of stakes...depending on where I am camping and the conditions expected. Never had a problem with either coming out of the ground during storms.

[psufan]

Re: Question about guylines and also tent stakes

I typically use dyneema (1.75mm) line to make my guy lines. I splice (or alternatively you can tie something like an anglers loop) a fixed loop one one end. I'll then just feed the loop through the tent guy outs and then feed the line through the loop to secure it. I've had good luck with MSR groundhogs too... I probably own 4-5 packs of them and keep enough with each tent / tarp to fully guy it out. I've had good luck just wrapping the dyneema line around the top of the stakes 3-4 times and securing any extra length up the guy line with a slip hitch. For my silnylon tarp I use about a foot of shock cord doubled up w/ a clove hitch. The self tensioning lines work great even in heavy wind:

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...arp-Tensioners

dyneema:

https://www.amazon.com/Samson-1-75mm...6709547&sr=1-3

[kmaysob]

Re: Question about guylines and also tent stakes

As far as the guy lines go, I keep a bucket of wire pulling jet line in my camping gear. Plenty strong and cheap. Similar to this.

http://www.zackelectronics.com/ideal...FAKRoC6q_w_wcB

[Happy Joe]

Re: Question about guylines and also tent stakes

Here's another user of para-cord (550 cord) although I was once given woven woven flat nylon (3/8" to may be 1/2" wide) strapping that was excellent (haven't found any to buy).

Enjoy!