NON-STRETCH GUY ROPES TO ANCHOR TENTS

Non-stretch guy or anchor ropes are important in the total anchoring system of a tent

Guy ropes or anchor ropes are ropes that anchor tents to the ground and they should not stretch in strong winds.

Your caravan or camping tent should be firmly anchored in the ground on your campsite to ensure that it will not collapse in gusty winds.

The best ropes to use as guy ropes are braided ropes. Braided ropes are made from synthetic yarn such as nylon, polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene or high-performance fibres.

• Nylon is strong and can stretch but it absorbs water and loses up to 20% of its strength when it is wet.
• Polyester has about 90% of the strength of nylon but it does not absorb water and stretches less than nylon. It is UV and abrasion resistant which makes it more effective as an anchor rope.
• Polypropylene is water-resistant because it floats on water but is less ultraviolet and heat-resistant and it does not handle friction well. Polypropylene is cheaper which makes it popular to use. It stretches up to 20% which makes it less effective as a guy rope. It does not rot when stored wet.
• Polyethylene or ski rope is light (it can float), strong and cheap but it is not UV resistant and knotting weakens the rope.

Rope types

Ropes are braided to make them stronger. A rope that is made of fibres that are not weaved or twisted has less strength because the shortest strands bear the most strain. Braiding a rope distributes the load evenly over all the strands.

When a guy rope stretches it increases the risk of a tent pole toppling over and if the rope stretches and does not return to its original length it means a slack rope and an unprotected tent.

Nylon ropes are popular as guy ropes because they are cheaper. Unfortunately, the stretching capability also means it makes bad guy ropes. Campers who use nylon ropes as guy ropes need to continuously tighten the ropes so it will keep the tent stable.

The best guy ropes are made from polyester mainly because it does not stretch and is very strong. These anchor ropes are usually braided as a “solid braid” which means the strands are woven in a way that alternates the strands between forming the outside and inside of the rope. This method makes it more affordable than double-braided rope but still strong enough to be effective guy ropes.

Maxcons tent anchor (guy) ropes are usually sold in lengths of 3,5 and 7 metres and in thickness of 4 or 8mm depending on what strength is needed. Four-millimetre single-braided polyester rope makes an effective guy rope for most weather conditions.

Rope terms

There are many terms used when working with ropes with three which influence anchor ropes for camping:

• Abrasion resistance – the degree to which a rope withstands chafing. Abrasion resistance needs to be adequate in guy ropes where the rope moves (chafes) against poles or pegs.
• Creep – the slow stretch of synthetic ropes under high heat or strain. Creep may be a factor when camping for an extended duration where the rope is exposed to direct sunlight.
• Dynamic load – sudden force on the rope caused by jerking. Dynamic load occurs during wind gusts in a storm.

None of these should be a problem if you use a quality guy rope made to purpose from the right material.

How guy ropes fit into the camping setup

The guy rope is an important part of the chain of strength in a camping setup.

Anchoring your tent is largely dependent on the idea that a chain is just as strong as the weakest link. The whole tent anchoring setup is just as strong as the weakest part of the combination.

A tent stabilizing system consists of:

• Anchoring in the soil – the tent peg.
• Connecting the anchor with the construction – the guy rope.
• Anchoring the connection to the tent – the rope and pole anchor.
• Stabilizing the tent construction – the tent pole.

These four sections link together to form the stabilizing system that keeps your tent stable in all weather conditions. If any of them is the victim of ignorance or saving money it may be ineffective, especially in severe storms or incessant rain that soaks the soil.

If you are ignorant (unaware) of the type of soil you will camp on, it may mean you will use the wrong tent peg. Short tent pegs in sandy soil may lead to pegs pulling out of the ground.

Using a cheaper rope that stretches easily may mean your tent is unstable in gusty winds.

Plastic rope and pole anchors may rip out in a severe storm.

A tent pole should be protected from lifting and toppling over by keeping it upright with pole steady pins. Extreme gusts of wind often lead to the tent roof lifting which in turn lifts the tent pole and topples it over or the bottom part dislodges.

Well-designed good quality guy ropes are a necessary part of an effective and sturdy tent stabilizing system that will keep your tent where it is pitched and protect you from the elements.

Non-stretch guy or anchor ropes are important in the total anchoring system of a tent

In conclusion, it is important to remind campers of the importance of guy or anchor ropes in the anchoring set-up of your tent, as well as the fact that is must be non-stretching ropes to ensure that it does not become slack in gusts of wind.

Read more about the history of rope making.