Cordage Advice

[Hideaway]

Hi All,

I currently use 3mm paracord when putting up my tarp but find that my prusik knots don't grip that well. After doing a little homework the recommendation seems to be to use a thicker cordage for the ridgeline.

What do other people use for their ridgelines?

Thanks,
Hideaway

 

[GGTBod]

5mm 7 strand paracord for me with line locks and no holding knots, i make a loop which goes over the peg and then use the line lock to tighten

 

[kristophish]

I use 550 paracord for the ridgeline. The prusiks just need to be thinner than the ridge. At the min im using an old bootlace

 

[Hammock_man]

B and Q do a thin orange builders line which is thin and very strong. I use it for prusiks on my ridge line and else where. It bites lovely. Think I paid a quid for 20 metres.

 

[spandit]

I use starter cord for my ridge line. With a trucker's hitch I can get it proper taut!

If your Prusik's aren't holding, try using more turns

 

[ged]

Agreed with spandit, you won't need to replace the lines if you modify the knots to suit the lines.

If it's only 3mm thick it's not what I'd call paracord, but there are lots of people on the Internet selling things that are to put it politely inaccurately described... :tapedshut

 

[John Fenna]

It all depends - on my sisal rope ridgeline I use Jute cordage prussic, on my Polypro Ridgeline I use thin braided nylon cord prussic, on my "utility cord" (think thicker 'paracord') ridgeline I use 3mm 'paracord'.
If you keep the prussic (I use "French Prussics") thinner than the ridge and use enough turns most materials work

 

[Hideaway]

Some great advice, thanks for all the replies.

I think I'm going to keep the ridgeline I have and instead opt to change the cord I use for the prusiks.

Thanks again.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

I used to use 3mm paracord for the ridge, with 2mm dyneema for the prussik cord. I have moved to 2mm dyneema for both the prussik cord and the ridge line. They seem to grip each other nicely.

I use line loks on the 2mm dyneema guy lines.

Julia