I'm looking for a source for the small line tighteners. The item I'm looking for is either plastic or aluminum, about an inch long, maybe 1/16th thick with two or three holes; the ones I've seen have rounded ends. The larger ones (2 inches or soi) seem to be readily available anywhere, but the little ones are proving elusive. I've tried REI, EMS, MEC, Wally's, Campmor, Canadian Tire, Gander Mountain and Seattle Fabrics. Most of them carried the larger one, but no luck on the small one. Need something that will work with line the size of Triptease or smaller. Any ideas?
You took the words right out of my mouth. First thing I usually do with a tent is ditch those little tighteners and tie hitches instead. Less fiddly, and hold better.
Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6800
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
JPete, the MLD and BPL line tighteners are made for very thin line, possibly thinner than Triptease. (I did some googling, and nowhere, even on the Kelty website, could I find out the thickness of Kelty Triptease!) Both firms sell the tighteners only with their own cord, though. It might be that if you asked Ron Bell of MLD, he would sell the tighteners alone, and he could tell you if they'd work for Triptease. MLD sells their own reflective cord which is red, hence even easier to see than Triptease. It's 1.5 mm thick. I have some Gossamer Gear EZC2 line, also reflective and red, 2 mm thick, which appears (to my somewhat poor closeup vision) the same thickness as Triptease, but GG doesn't sell line tighteners.
I agree with Jim, Glenn and Eric: the taut line hitch is simpler, lighter and $0 cost!
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Heheheh....Everyone beat to the taut line hitch. In fact, I was teaching my boy scouts how to tie it just the other day. I had to teach them four knots, the half hitch, taut line, clove, and good ol' square knot.
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I've had good luck using the plastic beads that kite flyers use for the strings on kites. Kite cord is plenty strong for most tent and tarp applications.
Nice thing about the plastic cord tensioners is that they stay put. Once adjusted they stay that way until you readjust them. So when I take the tent or tarp out of the stuff sack I know they are the way I adjusted them last time I used them.
PS I forgot to add that the plastic tensioning bead is kind of difficult to put on the cord. It is something you would want to do at home and then leave it alone.
ditto; I use these with Triptease and they perform very well. It makes for less wear and tear on the rope vs knot tying. And they’re easier to adjust than using knots in all weather situations.
I'm a taughtline/rolling hitch user myself but I have heard of folks using two hole buttons as tighteners. You can drill your own holes if you like to get the spacing right. Some hardwood dowel rod cut to your custom length and drilled to your guy line size would work fine too.
My thought...why add hardware to an already simple system? Learn one knot.
I think you don't want to know how many Americans cannot even tie their shoelace and get a square knot right. My European climbing friends always laughed that Americans need all of the pieces of aluminum climbing gear cause we can't tie knots. I learned to tie a onehanded bowline around myself while hanging onto a rope with my teeth. Its a good trick to know, sometimes... Oh yes - teach em a figure 8, it can be used as a hitch, knot, bend etc. Jim
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These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.
I was one of those Americans who was tying my shoelaces incorrectly. Wasn't until last year someone on this forum showed me the correct way and since then have passed it on.
I find all those knots too hard to work with on thin guyline such as Triptease and the like.
I think you don't want to know how many Americans cannot even tie their shoelace and get a square knot right. My European climbing friends always laughed that Americans need all of the pieces of aluminum climbing gear cause we can't tie knots. I learned to tie a onehanded bowline around myself while hanging onto a rope with my teeth. Its a good trick to know, sometimes... Oh yes - teach em a figure 8, it can be used as a hitch, knot, bend etc. Jim
Funny you mention that. One of the boys tried to tie a square knot and tied a granny knot. So, I showed him again. He tied the granny again. Then I said "let me see your shoelaces". Sure enough, granny knot. I asked him if his shoelaces come undone a lot..."Sure do". I will quiz him again later and see if he remembers.
I am surprised that BSA doesn't make the figure eight a requirement. I think it is more important than any other knot. If you want to put your body weight on the rope and dangle over a cliff, you better use only figure eights.
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Wow, what an education in a short time, and fun to boot. Never thought that question could provoke two pages of discussion, clear down to the shoelace level. Jimshaw, Glenn, Eric, Rick, finallyME and Dryer. You're all certainly right about the taughtline hitch. Been using it since I learned it about 1950 -- and frankly, I think I sorta sneered at people who put hardware on lines. Also tied in with a girth hitch on loops or rings (learned that one working cattle on horseback in the late 1940s) and I use a bowline on grommets (and a whole lot of other things). Had just one tent with tighteners, a scottish one, and they were the exact thing on the kite site, DJ2. Wish I'd thoughta kites.
But with age, and weight reduction (so I can keep doing it)the eyes, the dexterity, the patience and the size of the lines involved have all dropped, plus, as Barry notes, the hitches get fussy in bad weather.
But the real irony is that the lines I want to tighten are Ron Bell's (MLD) lines. I mentioned Triptease simply because I figured everyone would recognize the size. Thanks for all your research, Oregon Mouse. I obviously haven't looked at Ron's website for way too long. The ones at ULD and BPL appear to be the same as Ron's and Francos suggestion appears to be the ultimate source. Couple of you suggested Campmor 15466 -- These are the large ones. I bought a package because the specs were limited. Thanks everybody, time to call Ron.
Registered: 05/28/08
Posts: 278
Loc: Texas Hill Country
I'm guilty of using a Trucker's Hitch for almost everything. You can cinch something down as tight as you want it, pinch it with your fingers, and throw a half hitch loop for quick release or adjustment.
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The Rolling Hitch is a common marine hitch but the Tautline Hitch is the same Rolling Hitch with a few more initial turns before the final "over the top" trurn. This gives more friction for thin lines like Triptease.
Eric BTW, I REALLY like the line tensioners Henry Shires uses with his TarpTents. Light, simple and reliable.
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The four most usefull knots to tie, for sure. I couldn't figure out how to use the little line tighteners that came with my tent and went to the taught line. Next weekend, I'll be tying knots when I'm pier fishin.
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