Just curious is anyone has experienced any failures/breakage/trouble/freezing with LineLoc3 tensioners?



I was mulling over Skurka's article on guylines where he says he moved beyond line locs & tensioners for these reasons:
- added weight
- created an additional failure point
- froze up during cold conditions
- instigated unintentional knotting
- required a specific diameter of cord

Most of these points aren't big concerns to me for perimeter stake outs on my mid, but if these LineLoc's really do fail occasionally and/or commonly freeze up in winter/slushy conditions, then I might switch to fixed loops. Winter's coming and I'm getting ready.

Edited by dandydan on 10/20/2012 18:27:33 MDT.

I have only a little experience with them, so my comments are more generic than direct.

- added weight
Yeah, well, sometimes the convenience is worth it. I use ClamCleats on my winter tents for that reason (try serious bad weather).

- created an additional failure point
Theory. Good brand (not Chinese) nylon toggles are very reliable in my experience.

- froze up during cold conditions
Yes, can happen, but so what? If the string freezes after you have pitched your tent?

- instigated unintentional knotting
This can happen IF you put the toggle at the end of the guy rope. I put the toggles at the tent end and get no tangles.

- required a specific diameter of cord
Well, cord of a limited range, true.

Cheers

I do remember seeing a LineLoc 3 failure 1-2 years ago, but I don't think it was in the field. Seems like someone was testing fabric or tie-out strength and ended up breaking the plastic piece that the line goes around. I've never seen a failure beyond that.

Ryan

I like the LineLoc3 and plan to use them on my next packs and tarps.
These are made by ITW Nexus which is far better than any Chinese nock-offs (National Molding, etc).
I really like using mil-spec paracord with the LineLoc3. There is a lot of paracord out there that is a bit thinner.
The great advantage of using these at the tent end of the guy line, it that you can adjust the length from zero to the full length of your line. With most tensioners, you can adjust from half the line to full length.

I saw those comments at Skurka's site too and thought them a bit off. Seems like an unnecessary focus on minutia.

I know my knots and use them plenty but for guylines on my tarps the LineLocs rule. I've never known one to fail but if it did, I would fall back on... a knot. It's knot rocket surgery.

I have used them a bit, and I say "meh"... There are pros and cons for both and I think it just comes down to personal preference.

In my experience, yes, they are kind of mediocre in cold weather. This particular lineloc doesn't do a great job gripping line when it gets wet and frozen. They're OK but kind of slippy and I never really trust them in these conditions even though I've never had a real problem. I think the triangle-shaped ones are supposed to be better but I don't have any experience with those.

They will do a fine job 90% of the time. And the 10% of the time when they kind of struggle they should still be able to get the job done. And if they don't, well, then you can just tie knots. There is no question that linelocs are more convenient and easier, and will get the job done adequately.




On the other hand, knots will hold MUCH better and be more versatile. Not having a loop already tied in the end of your line makes it easier to tie off around a tree or whatever you want. My favorite thing about knots is that they make it much easier to put a lot of tension on the line. I would really recommend not using fixed loops, and instead learning the trucker hitch system Skurka talks about. It's really not as hard as it looks at first - you aren't even really tying knots per se. This system gives you a mechanical advantage and makes it very easy to get a super taut pitch, and once you tie them off they hold extremely securely with not even a threat of slipping.

Using a tautline hitch makes adjusting easier but I would stay away from that knot. It has the same problems as the linelocs with not holding all that well especially when the line is frozen, and you also lose the mechanical advantage so it can be more annoying to put tension on.



So basically my opinion is that the linelocs are easier and more convenient and will get the job done, but using a trucker hitch type of system is "better". Whether the convenience of the linelocs outweighs the advantages of the trucker hitch syetem is a personal choice.

Edited by hosaphone on 10/21/2012 02:04:41 MDT.

Thanks guys. Good to hear some more experiences. My LineLoc3 experiences have all been positive as well. At 1.5g each, I don't mind the extra 12g on my shelter in exchange for a quicker pitch. I can see the combination of small cord + freezing conditions possibly leading to slippage, but I can always fall back on a knot.

Having the Lineloc as a failure point isn't exactly a bad thing. It means the loop and shelter is still intact.

Lineloc3's sometimes slip, but a slip knot takes care of that. Adding an extra knot does take away a lot of the convenience though.

Thread successfully visible-ized :)

Edited by hosaphone on 10/21/2012 18:40:37 MDT.

I've had the lineloc 3s slip on me when using the Kelty Triptease as guylines when I've had the lines under a lot of tension. Nothing that a knot wasn't able to fix.

Other than that, no problems, no complaints. Seem like they add a lot of convenience for a very small weight penalty.