Tangling Guylines, Aircord 1

[Richard D.]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's struggled with this issue. Now that I've switched to using Aircord 1 (really really thin cord), it has become more important to devise a way to store them without tangling.

Does anyone know how Ryan Jordan stores his short pieces of Aircord 1?

QUOTE: "AirCore 1 is a gram-counter's answer to ultralight guylines for tarp camping. Ryan uses this cord exclusively year-round. When taking his poncho-tarp, which has 12 guyline tie-outs, he uses ten 3-foot lengths and two 9-foot lengths (for the ridgeline ends). The total weight of this guyline set is a less than 0.25 ounces! He just ties figure 8 or bowline loops in the end of each cord and girth hitches them to the tarp guyline tie-out points, slips a titanium stake into the other loop, and inserts it into the ground."

I've experimented with storing Aircord 1. Turns out it tangles somewhat less if you fold it in halves several times rather than looping it around your hand.

I am considering sewing 8 small silnylon pockets at the end of my poncho tarp to store the tie-outs separately from each other, but I want to get input from others before doing this.

Before this I took the Aircord reel and cut notches on each side of it to hook and wind the guylines. However, after timing myself putting the guylines on and off, I became disillusioned with the method.

Please, if anyone has information and/or experience, do share!

[Dave Myers]

I have no experience with Aircord but I would suggest you chain knot each individual length and then you can dump all of the chained cords into one pocket and they won't tangle.

Here is a video on how to tie a chain knot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_3C1Otu5gs

Once you get good at doing this you can do it quite quickly. Not sure if that will work for you with Aircord but I don't know why not.

[Frank Deland]

[Richard D.]

Chain knots don't work well with Aircord 1, it takes quite a bit of time, and it requires excellent dexterity (i.e. warm and dry hands).

[josh wagner]

nothing fancy needed. sometimes people try to comlicate this matter. here's how i do it…

starting at the corner of the tarp, i wrap around my hand

do that until @ 2 ft left.

pinch that loop together and wrap the rest of the cord around the loop.

tuck in the last little bit

[Roger Caffin]

I use something similar on my summer tent. However, I find it behaves a bit like Sam Gamgee's elven rope: it seldom tangles, and when it does it is pretty easy to untangle.

Very smooth slippery Dyneema.

Cheers

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