Bushwalk Australia

Hi,
I'm planning to walk the OLT solo in mid-December (having previously walked it with a small group in July 20...12? Possibly 2011). This might be a silly question, but I'm wondering about cordage for tent platforms. I've never camped on platforms before. I assume that something like hoochie cord would be okay (pretty strong, and lighter/thinner than paracord or similar). Is that right? Also, I tend to get a bit finickety about prep when I'm walking solo, so I'm wondering how to carry it. Are platforms a standard size, with standard distance to anchor points, or do they vary? I guess what I need to know is whether to (a) take pre-cut lengths for each anchor point (and if so, what would be good lengths--ie what's the size of the platforms, and where are the anchor points), or (b) take [x] metres of cord and cut to length on the first night, and, if so, how much slap should I allow for? It's not that big a deal (I tend to carry 10-20m of hoochie cord, paracord, or both when I'm on my own anyway), but like I said, I like to dot the i's and cross the t's whenever I can. To stretch a metaphor, it can save me from my bad handwriting
Cheers.

I just screw cup hooks into the platforms and use them as pegs. Nothing else needed then.

Welcome to the forum Disfocus
You could use tent platform anchors similar to the ones at this link:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4-Aluminum-A ... 5d57595b89

+1 for cup hooks

The cables etc work if you have a standard tunnel but for any other tent the cup hooks work better as you can fit them where you need them especially if the platforms are full.

Out of curiosity, what size cup hooks do you guys recommend? Just the standard small-ish ones or something more substantial? Cheers

J M wrote:Out of curiosity, what size cup hooks do you guys recommend? Just the standard small-ish ones or something more substantial? Cheers

3mm thread work well. About 30mm diameter

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Thanks for the quick responses. I'm still a bit confused, though. Like I said, I've never camped on platforms before. I guess I envisaged anchor points to tie on to (based on the PWS advice to just bring cord), but it's sounding like it might be a bit more complicated than that. When you guys say 'cup screws', do you mean you're literally screwing a hook into the platform at each peg point? Is that okay?
And the T-anchor things look interesting, but I'm curious as to how they work if (as I'm starting to suspect) it might be hard to be near the edge of a platform.
I should have paid more attention last time, but it was a snowy July, so we pretty much had the track to ourselves, and never had to break out the tents.

Cup hooks are the best thing to use. Very easy as the platforms will have splits in the timber close to where you need to screw them in.

Take some cord with you as well.

The cables that are on some platforms can be used depending on where you pitch.

Thanks for that. It's funny: After all the walks and treks I've done over the decades, I thought I had my gear list pretty much nailed. Cup hooks! Pays to ask the locals

I didn't take cuphooks this time, but found that my tent anchored down pretty well using the nailheads already hammered into the sides of the pad - plus there's the chain/wire-rope dogleash attachments already there too on some pads...

I always take 6 x 3m paracord lengths wherever I go, so I don't get stuck

MickyB wrote:Welcome to the forum Disfocus
You could use tent platform anchors similar to the ones at this link:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4-Aluminum-A ... 5d57595b89

Ideal! The ones I tried weren't quite long enough for the timber thickness though.