How Do I Tie Guy Lines on Tents?

Properly tied and secured guy lines can mean the difference between a dry and comfortable tent and one that leaks or even collapses. Guy lines support a tent and help keep its shape, even during windy and rainy weather. Tie guy lines on tents carefully -- too tight and you may damage your tent; too loose and they will not support it properly.

Things You'll Need

  • Tent stakes
  • Hammer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Lay out the tent where you wish to set it up with the ridge of the tent on top. Secure the floor of the tent by pounding the pegs at each corner into the ground. Place tent poles into the ridge and insert the vertical poles where they belong at the front and back of the tent.

    • 2

      Grasp the front guy line and pull it out diagonally out from the front of the tent. Do the same with the rear guy line, pulling it out diagonally from the rear of the tent. Pull each guy line down toward the ground, loop them over the hook of the stake and position each stake so it goes into the ground at a 45-degree angle (angled away from the tent). Pound the stakes about halfway into the ground for now.

    • 3

      Pull the front left guy line out away from the tent and the rear right guy line out at the same time. Secure these guy lines to tent stakes using the same technique. Repeat the same process with the front right and rear left guy lines and then each of the guy lines along the sides of the tent.

    • 4

      Adjust the guy lines for tightness by removing the stakes from the ground and reinserting them further away, if necessary. The guy lines should be taut, not sagging. The ridge poles should stand straight and secure.

    • 5

      Pound the tent stakes the rest of the way into the ground with the hammer, until no portion of the stakes protrudes up from the ground.