For those who don't know:

It was quite popular on-campus this past semester, and I had a few friends who owned them... only got to try it once, but it was over a flood section of beach, between trees, so it was pretty awesome.

I'm about to head out and get the supplies and make my own... there's quite a few different setups using carabiners and ratchets... I guess it's possible to do with a single length of webbing, but I think I'm going to stick with the 3 part setup (one for the length, 2 for the anchors)



Anyone done this before/have any advice on a good setup?

video of a backflip from line to line: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6148559029616060313&q=slackline+backflip

It's sodding hard.

I may be wrong, but I believe dud can help you out.

Why don't people use the youtube tag correctly? JUST the video id.

Seems pretty boring. Maybe if you had 4 or 5 going in different directions and jumped between them, it'd be a little more interesting.

I see people doing that on campus all the time... It's only the weird people who don't shower regularly though...

Yeah.

There was a slacklining event on campus a few months ago, but I couldn't make it.

I was out slacklining today!

I went out for a few hours a week every week in the fall. Then it got cold. Then it got warmer again, and I slacked a ton! And then I came home. And then I bought my own!


What I'd recommend to start:

50-70 ft line. Better to have too much than too little, and considering line should cost you something like 11 cents a foot or so... Depending on how you tie it, you'll use different amounts.

One or two 8-10 ft line(s). This (an anchor) is to go around one, or both, trees. Originally, I just had one of these, but the trees I am using were too far apart, so I got another and had two anchors.

Four carabeeners. This is for the tightening system. I can take a picture of mine, if you'd like, otherwise there are plenty of resources out there. Some use less than four, I've even seen some that use five or six. But I find that four is a good way to do it.

And that's all!

The way I have mine set up:

There's one tree that either has the line tied around it and then tied off to itself, or an anchor with two bowline knots tied on each end. Put a beener through the bowlines, and then put it down.

The second tree: same set up, except use two beeners.

Get your line. Use a bowline to tie it to the first beener on your first tree/anchor. Then on the other side, (this takes some estimation) tie a bowline somewhere along the line, and put two beeners through that. On that side, you should have the anchor with two beeners, and then the line and two more beeners. (The beeners are NOT at the end of the line)

Now you'll feed the line under and then over one beener on the anchor side, pull it back across to the other set, under over, back and forth back and forth, until it's looped around all the beeners. Done correctly, you should end up on the tree side of your tightening system.

The next step: find several large people to help you pull. When I got mine set up, it required myself, my dad, and two friends. (18-20 yrs old) You should pull it as tight as you possibly can, and then have someone make a fist over the tightening system, which should keep enough tension on it for everyone else to be able to release. At this point, just tie the extra line off, and then go have fun!


That was really confusing. I'll take, and post, pictures of mine tomorrow.

But yeah, any more questions, just ask!

I can walk the line decently well, balance pretty well, and I'm working on doing a pistol (one legged squat), and then standing back up.

I <3 slacklining.

JediKirby- A lot of people say that, most people just don't get it at first. It really is quite fun though, and it teaches great balance.

A combo of Parkour and Slacklining would be awesome.

I am like... so far ahead of you.


One of my eventual goals is to be able to do a handstand on a slackline. Talk about freaking control...

What's better, 1 inch webbing or 2 inch?

1 inch! Or uhhh... 11/16ths, I think is even better. If it's too thick, you can't really wrap your foot around it, and it's too hard.

I was doing it in my shoes today for a bit. So much harder. It's kind of the same idea. Your foot wraps around the line, and with thicker lines/shoes, they can't, which makes control much harder.

Happydud, think you can bounce across a slackline with this?
With the extra force from the slack line itself, You can expect yourself to bounce really really high if all the 1,500 pounds of forced is used.

(this sticks are the scariest)

Crazy.

Dud the line I'm assembling is kinda like that, it uses 5 carabiners though.

I assume your using carabeeners to gain additional purchase on the line? I would tie a normal line to the webbing, and then use blocks to gain purchase, you wouldnt need so many people to pull that way. Maybe get an 8 to 1 purchase or something fun like that.

Not 100% sure what you're referring to, but my setup only requires 1 person to do.

Are you sure you can get it tight enough with one person?

Greenboy- The one carabeener is just to connect the rope to the anchor. The other four are part of the tightening system.

Should be able to... it's got a pulley with 2 loops (4 lengths) for the tightening, so it's a 4 to 1 mechanical advantage. I've seen it done by one person a couple of times... and if I can't, it shouldn't take more than one other person.

Yes. I tried it the other weekend. I managed to walk a few paces within 5 minutes, then decided it was just best I headed back to the bar.

Ratchet straps.

Waaay easier than all that.