Basha/ poncho erection system with speed of bungee & lightness of cord

[Phe]

I hope you're all well thank you for letting on this forum.
I am a outdoor pursuits instructor ( mainly watersports) and have a number of years military service, infantry and Naval. I would like to know what you guys think is the quickest lightest and even cheapest basha/ poncho shelter erection system.I have asked the same question on another forum.
I have tried a number of systems which you guys may be familiar with: bungees, cord, knotted para cord with short bungee loop for shock absorption. My reasoning to find out is just a by product of years outdoors always looking for the elusive silver bullet to make life easier. In the army bungees were a must for speed but were heavy, as well as the ever present danger of being impaled. Cord although versitile and light was to slow for my ever rushed commanders; as well as prone to sagging and tangling. I am experimenting with a loop of knotted paracord with a section of shock cord girth hitched on to my basha/poncho depending on the situation.
In short, what system do you use has the fastest setup tear down time and combined with the lightness of cord. Cost is also an issue as being able to avoid unnecessary expense is always a winner for me. Oh forgot to mention, being able to be used between trees or with basha poles in the absence of them. As I am primarily am on the ground with a bivvy bag, though systems for hammocks are interesting also. Please post system description, set up speed, weight and cost.
Many thanks for reading this and I look forward to hearing from you
Phee

[saxonaxe]

Phee, Have you tried making up your own 'Lightweight' bungees? In the past I used paracord for a ridgeline and homemade bungees for the sides of a tarp/basha. Instead of the deadly eye snatching hooks on the bungees try making an eye (loop) on the end. Pass the looped end round a branch/vehicle chassis or whatever and stick a toggle through it. If you want to really customise have a look at this website..http://www.uktarps.com/shock-cord-clip-rings.php?gclid=CNWY4oXa98gCFUsYGwodKJ4FAg. 6 mm shock cord is not too heavy and you can use lightweight ally tent pegs for toggles if you wish.
As for timing..never really timed it, but it doesn't take long to rig the ridgeline with a slip knot each end and then spread the tarp with bungees that have an eye in one end, the other end can have a figure 8 knot in to stop it pulling through the tarp eyelet, so there are no hooks to worry about.
Probably not much help but I think you'll be struggling to find a quicker method than our stretchy friend Mr Bungee..:D

[Phe]

That a great suggestion. I could even tie a mini I toggle at the eye and use a jam cleat at the basha cringle. I'm going to time and weigh various option this weekend or early next week and post my findings for the Craic . Cheers saxonaxe.

[Humakt]

Where's the need for speed come from?
Is tarp erecting becoming an Olympic sport?
yeah, I can see why in wet weather you may want to get a tarp up quickly but I'm not convinced there's going to be a significant time saving between using bungees and using pre-rigged lines. I'm sure there is a time difference, but I've used both systems and neither take that long. I can do it leisurely or I can do it in a hurry - that's where the time saving comes for me: the speed at which I put up the tarp rather than the method.
But i don't get the rush, not in the normal run of things.
In fact when arriving at a campsite the actual putting up of the tarp and hammock is one of the last things I do because for me getting it all rigged and set up right is part of the enjoyment and I like to savour that.

[Pootle]

tarp is always first up for me. That way I can get my bag out to loft a bit, get organised and get somewhere dry for kit, firewood etc.
Anyway back to op, I just use paracord permanently strung, with prussick at each end. stuffed so that I can tie thej ridge line while the tarp is still in its stuff sack. makes it quick and easy even in wind and rain. probably similar to most people I expect.

[andy t]

If there are trees i use a set up similar to this.
Alpkit tarp set up.
The difference is i dont use a prussik on the left, i clip a carabiner to the tarp,take the ridge line around the tree through the carabiner and lock it off.
This set up lets you move the tarp to exactly where you want it before pegging it down at the back.

[phillip]

hi with my tarp 3x3 dd,, i use zing it thats conected to ti, dutch stingerz, it takes seconds, ,but that suits me for hammock camping though,

[FishyFolk]

In winter, first first...that way I have a way of warming up my hands while I do the camp set up. And it has burned down to cooking embers when I am done :-)
Else with humakt on the speed thing. I am not on the clock when I am out, or I would not bother going. At least not on an overnight trip.

And a con with bungees for me...if it gets cold enough, they do not bungeee anymore.

[ian c]

I can set up a tarp/ basha with or without bungees in the same time I prefer using paracord though as its lighter also there are no hooks that can damage your tarp if they are packed away together, my tarp has paracord attached and its easy to put up, also I don't like using bungees because I once had a bungee hit me in the face.

[beermaker]

Just thinking about the toggles made me think of my boat. I got fed up of having to shackle the main halyard on to the head of the main sail so instead, I used a small solid plastic ball on the end instead. To use, I pass a bight of the halyard through the eyelet on the head of the sail, then pass the ball over the head and through the bight and pull tight. Takes seconds, it's never come loose even under harsh sailing conditions and it comes undone easily when required without the need of pliers or a shackle key!

[Phe]

Yes I've used them before. Must look into them for shelter use.