The equilibrium conditions on distended reconnected field lines in the distant geomagnetic tail are investigated on the assumption that the field line tension is balanced by tail lobe 'mantle' plasma convecting into the central current sheet. Subject to steady reconnection at a neutral line being possible at some point in the tail we show that steady solutions can be obtained for arbitray down-tail variations of mantle influx. Results are presented for a simple but physically plausible model in which the mantle density and bluk speed at the current sheet increase steadily down-tail. Acceleration of lobe plasma in the current sheet is also discussed, and the consequent structure of the hot plasma regions down stream from the neutral line.