Tensioners or taut-line hitch for 1 mm Dyneema

http://zpacks.com/accessories/spectra_cord.shtml

zpacks says the work with their 1.25 and 1.5mm z-line that they sell

I have no experience with them though…

Bill D

MLH Micro Tensioners fit 0.3-3. I really like the glow-in-the-dark version. Search on eBay, seller is mlhwilderness.

I have some Dyneema. It's very stiff compared to other thin cord, so tautline hitch works pretty good.

I have some plastic doodads, but then I noticed taut line hitch actually works better so I leave them at home.

I re did the guy lines on my Cirraform tarp using G-line and the Zpacks mini line locks. worked like a charm on my JMT thru hike… not to mention I trimmed another ounce off the tarp ;)

Jeff

I got a dozen of the glow in the dark variety coming from here:

http://www.ultralightdesigns.com/products/shelter/microLoc-Glow.html

Yeah I can get the taut-line hitch to work just fine with this tiny dyneema
but I can picture having cold fingers trying to do the tiny knots at times.
I will try out the tensioners when they come and see if they will be more or less hassle than tying.
Thanks folks.

If you just leave the taut line hitches tied, then there is about the same amount of manipulation as little plastic doodads.

But of course, you can play with both and use what works best.

Here is another option.

I use gline from lite trail. It is slightly lighter than zline from zpacks. You can get it in grey or blaze orange.

1. I use a 5' length of gline for my tarp guylines. Tie a bowline knot at one end to go around your stake. Tie a stopper knot (like a figure 8 or something like that) at the other end.

2. Make a small continuous loop out of gline. About 3" in diameter will work fine. I use a double fisherman's knot to join the loop together.

3. Join the continuous loop to the guyline with a prusik knot. 2 wraps seems to work fine with gline. Some types of line seem to need more wraps to grip.

4. Now larks head the the prusik to your tie out point on your shelter. The prusik will act as a permanent taut line hitch. With gline, the prusik loop only weighs something like 0.1g.

I didn't know a prusik would work with lines of equal thickness.
(My only experience with it was using kermantle prusik loops on climbing rope
as practice for use as emergency ascenders)
With your setup you would need to feed the prusik+ main lines together to make the larks head at each guyout point. (I cant see making a larks head with a prusik already gripping another line unless the whole thing was looped through at once to form the larks head).

Simple enough.
That would mean you adjust tensions from the tent side and not at the stake end, and that the excess main line dangles below each guyout loop on the tent, correct ?

With your method I could just make a fig 8 loop at each end for the stakes, rather than a bowline. I hate bowline knots.

I use the Zpacks tensioners on my guylines…makes it simple and quick to get a tight pitch…

I replaced all my taut-lines with these

http://www.kitebuilder.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4437&highlight=

No added weight but easier to tie and untie (with the quick release shown lower on the page)

-Tim

Thanks for that link, excellent info !

Ive been using them all season and they hold great on all the line I've used so far and they do t need to be tied up so neatly and carefully as the taut line they replace.

-Tim

I just got my shipment of the glow-in-the-dark micro line locks finally.
They weigh almost nothing. I will try them out later to see whether they are worth using vs the knots.