Advanced Anchoring Types Box Ratchets
Advanced Anchoring for Tents, Part I: Box Ratchets
The installation of tents for backyards and fairs isn’t easy to compare to the sweeping wonders created when an eighty foot wide pole tent is lifted for a massive event. The forces that are acting upon each are going to scale the same way; larger shelters need to be able to withstand larger stresses as the amount of wind and fabric increases. This is why there are a wide variety of anchoring hardware what Celina offers – different strap buckle types, lengths, widths, materials, the list goes on and on. Today we’re going to focus in on one of two types of anchoring not as widely used as the standard stake and guy line.
The Ratchet
Ratchet Buckles are a pretty neat invention. The mechanical piece attached to whatever staking you’ve decided upon allows you to create more pull on a strap (normally a loop strap that is attached to your installation) by simply functioning the handle on the buckle, spinning the central piece and wrapping more strap around it. This has the effect of increasing tension increment by increment – completely controlled by the installer.
Ratchets are easier to adjust than rope guy lines, which have to have the knots adjusted each time in order to increase or decrease the pull they’re securing. If not using knots, tension bars may be utilized but are not certified for shelters larger than those used for backyard events and most certainly not approved for bad weather.
Outside the Box
Most ratchet buckles are attached to stakes by a strap of their own attached to the buckle. In most installations this is more than enough to provide easy tension adjustment and anchoring strength, but larger tents such as the Premiere II Series and the TP Series tents use a variant that goes strapless. A Box Ratchet is the same revolving mechanism as the ratchet buckle, but instead of a strap that connects to your stakes there is a plate that extends off of the back of the assembly with a staking hole. Proper usage includes a staking plate, which allows you to combine the holding power of two stakes, one of which is through both the plate and the box ratchet.
Image the amount of force on a PII Series Tent (or the TP Series, where a single support pole is held in place by 6 staking locations). Got it? Now image that the immense forces at work on the straps are being adjusted by a ratchet assembly at just about stomach level. Did you cringe a bit? I did. Trying to crank up that amount of tension using a hand-cranked assembly sounds tiresome as well. Utilizing the box ratchet allows you use a lever system for tightening – the assemble functions by using a wrench to turn the central bolt and pull in strap – that is holding the force directly at the stake location so that there isn’t a lot of play on the assembly while you’re trying to crank it tight.
Get Goin’!
Most tents that require stronger guy line systems are already sold with box ratchets and the appropriate staking and accessories, but if you’re feeling like beefing up your anchoring game (or just need a replacement part or two) you can contact your favorite Customer Account Manager to see about availability and whether advanced staking is something that benefit you. Call (866) 438-8368 to get in touch with us or send an email with your inquiries to sales@gettent.com.