Prevent Tripping Over Tent Guy Lines
Q. Our troop is often a little crowded at campsites. How can I keep people from tripping on my tent guy lines at night?
— Travis, Salt Lake City, Utah
Try replacing your tent’s guy lines with reflective cord, such as MSR’s Reflective Utility Cord Kit ($23). The kit includes handy CamRing Cord Tensioners that result in a knot-free design.
You could also use a UCO StakeLight (four for $20) to make your tent easier to find in the dark. Turn it on when there’s high traffic; otherwise, keep it switched off to conserve the AAA battery’s 10 hours of power. A strobe mode is helpful for way-finding should nature call in the middle of the night.
I make flags out of orange surveyor’s tape. It helps remind the young scouts how far the stakes and lines extend away from the tent. Seen them trip over lines in broad daylight
As mentioned, four $1 solar walk lights from the dollar store are lightweight and can mark the four corner stakes to establish a safe perimeter for much less. Did so at the Jamboree.
I tape the glow sticks on the middle and bottom of guylines
Clip your stinky socks on the tie-down line.
Pool noodles, split lengthwise but not all the way through. Just cut them 1-2 foot sections and slide them over the guy wires.
Dollar store glow in the dark braclets in the guide wires work for a 2 night camp out.
Hang a glow stick on them or a string of battery operated lights from the dollar store…
We use glow bracelets from the dollar store. you can weave them in the lines.
We used glow in the dark duct tape to make flags attached to the lines.
I get solar garden lights from dollar stores and stick them in the ground next to the tent stakes. It’s cheap and also makes it easy to find my tent at night!
Set up the tents in rows and teach the boys to NOT walk between them, go around.
Best answer from my point of view. This is the NO COST / PACK LIGHT way while teaching the campers organization and responsibility. If they cant learn how to avoid this then they should bring the RV next time! 🙂
I agree. Good campsite setup helps avoid this.
Not all camp sites are set up like that. At campgrounds there are specific spaces where tents can be set up. Tents have to be spread out. I think the solar lights and glow in the dark paracord are both good ideas.