Ground Control Guy Cords (4 Pack)

Sea to Summit Ground Control Guy Cords are four ready-made guylines for a lightweight tent: two long cords of 2.2 m and two short ones of 1 m, in braided, reflective nylon with a knot-free V-Toggle at one end and a tensioner built in. Clip on, stake out, pull tight, done.

What it does

Guylines are what keep a tent standing straight when the wind gets up on an exposed saddle or a beach campsite. Staked out properly, they take the load off the poles, pull the fly away from the inner so condensation stays off your sleeping bag, and stop the walls flogging all night.

These cords make that a thirty-second job. Push the V-Toggle through a guy loop on the fly and it locks in place, no knots to tie with cold fingers and none to pick apart in the morning. Run the cord to a peg and slide the adjuster to set the tension. When the wind swings around at midnight, unclip a cord and move it to the loop on the other side.

• Two lengths: the 2.2 m cords reach out wide for storm guying; the 1 m cords suit closer pegging where space is tight.
• Join them up: clip cords together when you need a longer run to a rock or tree.
• Reflective: the cord lights up in a head torch beam, so you are far less likely to trip over a line on a midnight trip outside, and you find your tent faster in the dark.
• Braided and UV resistant: tightly woven so it resists tangling in the stuff sack and holds up to a summer of Australian sun.

Which tents it fits

Sea to Summit supplies these cords as standard with every Alto and Telos tent, so this pack is the exact match when you want spares or extra guy points on either of those tents. The V-Toggle passes through a fabric guy loop or webbing tab, the kind found on most lightweight tents and tarps, and a big family tent or a large tarp may want longer lines than these.

Weight and packed size

All four cords weigh 18 g together and bundle down to about 12 x 3 x 8 cm, so there is no reason to leave them at home when the forecast looks settled.

Looking after it

Coil each cord loosely and pack it dry. Grit in the adjuster makes it slip, so give the cords a rinse in fresh water after a sandy or salty trip.