Slacklining?

[Seiji]

Has anyone ever tried it?

If you've never heard of it, it's where you have cargo straps (what people at home usually hang their rings on) tied to two anchors. It creates a springy tightrope. It's different from tightropes, obviously, because it gives when you touch it, and because the rope is flat. It's harder to roll off on a flat surface compared to normal ropes. Because of a slackline's give, it is very unstable. One of the most interesting things about slacklines is that they bounce like a trampoline. When I say bounce, I mean that they ARE basically really thin trampolines. The guy in the second example video with a white-ish afro attempts a double backflip- they are that springy.

I decided earlier today that I should get into it. I do parkour occasionally, and I'm not that good at walking on rails. I figured slacklining would be fun and it would help my balance. I don't have much interest in learning flips on them, but I do need a major balance upgrade. I took down my rings because I can't use them, so I might as well use one of the straps and have a go at slacklining. I didn't try for too long because bugs were bothering me, but I find that I suck. Walking on rails is nothing compared to slacklining. I can't even stand for more than a second without assistance. I think the funniest part is that I can do an elbow lever, but not stand. The only other things I've tried are sitting down and laying down. They aren't bad at all, but standing is just too hard right now.

I just realized that in the last two paragraphs, almost every sentence has "I" in it. Geez.

So anyways, if you don't know what it is, here are some examples:

In this one, some gymnasts (who you might recognize) attempt to do some slacklining in the beginning.

Here, I'm guessing, is the olympics of slacklining. (watch near the end of the credits for more)

[Mark Weaver]

I have a slackline. It's slightly different than the straps my rings hang on. It's 1" nylon tubular webbing, which is what most of the DIY slacklines are made of. I got my webbing at a climbing store, and some other gear from slackline express.

The slacklines on the 2nd video are two inches wide, made more for tricking, i guess. Looks like there's more tension too. The tighter the line, the easier it is to balance. Also easier to balance closer to the anchor points than the middle.

It's really great for balance. It's kind of like support on rings vs support on a dip bar or dip station. The instability of the line makes it challenging just to stand up.

I also never use shoes on mine, as the 1" width makes it easier to slip off.

Also considered putting in two anchor points in my backyard, so I can set it up whenever. I typically set it up at parks with big trees.

Lots of fun, that's for sure.

[Graham Smith]

I LOVE slacklining. It's great fun and terrific for balance. I used to do it on an old rope at work, I've not tried it barefoot though, only in steelcapped work boots...