A Step-by-step Guide
STEP 1: Fix One End of the Guyline Firmly to the Tent
There are a few loops on your tent or tarp. These loops are known as “guy out loops.” You will find it usually on the corners. A few shelters may have these loops on walls or the edges too. These loops are for attaching the guylines.
A good quality tent usually comes with attached guylines. If your guylines are not good enough, then consider purchasing the right one to avoid the annoying experience.
We have already talked about where to find the loops to fasten one end of the guyline, and now you need the perfect the knots to keep the guylines in place. We need to learn the craft of tieing an ideal knot. All the knots need to be secured. We will talk about the most used knot and how to tie it later.
STEP 2: Technique to Anchor and Regulate
Selecting the right kind of anchors is another essential part. You know what you need to use. Yes, you are right. You need good quality stakes. If the ground is rocky or muddy or sandy, you may have to use rocks or tree logs to keep the stakes inserted in the field. Otherwise, it can be easily displaced.
You can choose the staking or anchoring method as per the situation and your comfort. Your goal is to keep the whole thing adjustable. Knots play a significant role when it comes to adjustment. Tensioners also help in regulating the line. In fact, a few campers consider using tensioners is the easiest way.
The taut-line hitch knot is a classic knot and perfect for staking down a tent.
STEP 3: Staking Down the Tent
Once you have tied the knot, now it’s the time to stake down the tent. Here, you can adjust the tension and length as per the location and your needs.
Angling and anchoring the stake at a 45-degree inward angle is the primarily used angle for the most durable anchor. Apart from that, It is always good to keep the line straight. If you keep the stake angle outward and far away from the tent, then it will decrease the resistance. And with even minimal force, it would pull out.
Essential Knot You Need to Know
Bowline Knot
- Lay the rope diagonally to your left hand. The free end will be hanging down. Form a small coil in the line in your hand.
- Take the free end up to and pass that through the heart from the bottom.
- Now, Bind the line around the line and back down through the loop.
- Tense the knot by dragging on the free end. You need to hold the standing line while pulling the open end.
Things to Know About Guyline Tensioners
You already know the usages of tensioners. Now it is time to talk about it in detail. Tensioners usually create a sort of loop at the end or bottom of the cord. It makes the whole attaching the tent stake easier.
A standard guyline tensioner comes with two different holes. The cord runs through those holes alternately and finally ends with a basic knot. You need to slide the tensioner to the end of the cable to the knot. Now, if you pull the cord through the tensioners, your loop will be formed.
The loop must be made big enough. If your cord is tight, this loop will keep the tensioner is midway up the line. This way, it will be easier to set up the camp. Now you can use the tensioner to adjust the tautness after staking down the anchors. Now you do not have to worry about popping out stakes anymore.
How Many Tent Guylines You Should Use?
The number of tent guylines depends on the particular design of your tent and the weather of your camping day or season. If you are camping in a location where the wind keeps changing its direction, then it will be wise to guy-out all the way around. Usually, four is a secure number for a perfectly strengthened tent.
A Few More Things to Consider
It is a normal tendency to forget about the tied guyline and trip over totally. To avoid that unpleasant event, try to go for bright colored ones. There are a few neon colored guylines available in the market. You can try those as well. Basic color guylines can be invisible if you are camping in a forest area, especially at night. If you trip over it, it can uproot your tent and injure you severely. A few guylines are made of reflective materials that will help you at night. But if you have basic ones, then keep something noticeable, like a big rock or something near it or hang something on it.
Take some time out from your packing and try attaching your guylines to the rain fly before you head out. Yes, it will increase some weight and can make a mess of tangles. But it will help you a lot once you reach the campsite. If the weather is already terrible, then you may not get enough time after reaching the camp.
Try to take a few extra stakes with you if you are not sure how many are you going to need. If you are going to use the guylines for the first time, then it will be a wise decision to make.
The Bottom Line
Camping is one of the ecstatic experience you can have to soothe your mind and all your senses. But a simple mistake can ruin it. Mother Nature and her mood are really unpredictable. So it is always good to head out prepared. Be it our friends or your kids, preparing for safe and non-messy camping will make you a pro camper in front of them. So get the right guylines and stakes for your tent, and enjoy camping.
