I needed a couple of tensioning devices for a pop-up tent and changing room I had…. then it got out of control from there. Take a little trip with me.

I couldn't figure out what design I liked best nor did I know how they would perform so I just started drawing, printing, researching and repeating. That got me to having more than a lifetime supply of paracord tensioners.

I did bust out my inner Mr. Wizard (I'm old enough I didn't watch Bill Nye) and did some very unscientific testing of the strength of these printed parts.



Here are my settings for how I printed.

e-Sun PLA in various colors in matte or gloss

4 top layers

4 bottom layers

6 walls

36% cubic infill (long story…don't ask about the weird %)

I attached 550 paracord, which is 4mm, to a stand. On the other end I used a 3d printed part with the paracord looped around a bucket handle. From there, I started putting more and more stuff in the bucket until the part broke. I then took the last thing out and weighed the bucket to see what it held before breaking. THIS IS BY NO MEANS A TRUE WORKING LOAD LIMIT. This is more of a reference to what it might be able to hold with your print settings and material. Don't go trying to tie yourself up with these and scale a mountain, that's not what these are for. Tie up a clothes line or hold down your rain flap with these. They are not going to save your life…. you have been warned and I will not accept any responsibility your estate tries to pin on me after you fall off Mt. Everest.

I have named these tensioners whatever I felt like they looked like, they probably have official names but I don't care, they are for me…. and now all of the internet.



Here are my findings:

3 hole with slots …. these sucked. I quickly found out that 3d prints don't care for the back and forth of the paracord holding across the thin area of the print. You can use these for something super light, they held 34 pounds

Fish -I didn't even weight test these because I know it would suck. This design is useful for sleep mats and sleeping bags, something that isn't taking a lot of force to hold.

Mickey - with the end tied off in the small hole and the paracord wrapped around the medium 'ear', this held 40 pounds

Vaude guyline pro - I was able to find some pictures of this but not real information. I like the design and how it let you take a length of paracord with you (almost 9 feet if wrapped nicely and tightly). I may not have the shape exactly the same but I put my twist on it. It held 48 pounds

Triangles - …. this one was amazing. I had a bucket full of tools, 2 jack stands and a just of washer fluid holding off of this tensioner and it was still going strong at just over 100 pounds. I decided to hook it to a supporting beam and I was only able to break it when I put my full 250-pound body weight on it. I know between 100 and 250 pounds is a huge spread but again, it just gives you a ballpark of if you want to wrap a sleeping bag with it or hang all of your wet clothes with it. I couldn't remember how to thread it so I ended up putting numbers on it. The know should be at the backside of 1.

Fat 6 hook - This will work better when wrapped around something large like a tree. Good for a clothes line but definitely not holding a lot of weight, I didn't test this one

Mickey Open - I saw a claim that the open slot made it easier to use…. not sure I believe it but I drew it up anyway. Future testing needed.

Dogbone - Future testing needed

Peanut v2 - Future testing needed

2 holes with slot - Future testing needed

Blackwall carabiner - I didn't do any load testing on this. I just recently stumbled across this and thought it was a cool idea. It's a device to lower things and is self-releasing so you can get your cord back and lower more stuff. You can find YouTube videos on how it works