Guy Lines

What guy lines do

Guy lines are the cords that run from a tent or tarp out to pegs in the ground. They hold the tent steady in the wind, keep the fabric pulled tight so rain runs off instead of pooling, and keep the flysheet off the inner tent. A tensioner, also called a runner or adjuster, lets you tighten or loosen the line without retying it. New lines replace frayed ones, and extra lines make a tent much steadier in bad weather.

Cord, ready-made lines or tensioners: which guy line

• Reflective cord on a reel to cut to length: 1.5mm cord with a strong core, tested to 170kg, in 10m and 50m lengths. See tarps and tarp shelters.
• Thin ready-made lines: 2mm Dyneema lines with glow-in-the-dark buckles and a breaking strength of 330kg.
• Thicker ready-made lines: four 4mm lines, each 4m long, rated to 260kg, with aluminium adjusters.
• Tensioners: S-type, triangle and self-locking aluminium adjusters, a three-setting tensioner for 2mm to 6mm rope, and spring buckles with carabiner clips that hook straight onto a peg. See tent pegs.

Strength, thickness and the tensioner

A thin cord made of Dyneema or a similar fibre is strong for its weight and stretches little, which is why the 2mm Dyneema line here is rated stronger than the thicker 4mm nylon line. Thicker cord is easier to grip and tie with cold hands. Whatever cord you choose, match the tensioner to it: the self-locking adjusters here take rope from 2mm to 10mm, and the friction tensioner 2mm to 6mm. A tensioner on too thick a cord will not slide; on too thin a cord it slips.

Seeing them at night, keeping them tight

Guy lines are easy to trip over in the dark, which is why most lines here are reflective and show up in a torch or head torch beam. Run them out in line with the seams of the tent, peg them at about 45 degrees, leaning away from it, and tighten them evenly. Check them again after rain and at dusk, because fabric and cord give a little when wet, and slack lines let the tent flap.

Questions people ask about guy lines

Do I need to use every guy line?

On a calm night not always, but in wind, yes: each line takes some of the load off the poles.

Can I use the cord for a tarp or a hammock?

Yes. The cords here are sold for tents, tarps and hammocks.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives, so check it before ordering for a set date.

More to look at

• Tent pegs
• Tent poles
• Tent mallets
• Tarps and tarp shelters
• Windbreaks
• Hammock tents
• Guide: The festival tent guide
• Guide: Winter and snow camping, and hot tents