Dennis floating on a slackline; knee drop on to the line, arms wide out moving like a bird. Belfast (Northern Ireland) picture by Benjamin Sohrt
FAQs

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why Slacklining?

- Apart from being completely addictive, extremely fun and unique, being balanced is our natural state. With today's lifestyle many of us are out of balance. Whether it be physically, mentally or spiritually, balance is essential. LIFE IS ABOUT BALANCE! It is a feeling, and being able to recognise that feeling within yourself allows you to draw upon it when you need it. Having a sense of balance in your life is priceless.

- It is such a great chance to improve your balance. Maybe the most enjoyable. It is a great opportunity for having fun with friends and family. The benefits of balance are there for everyone to enjoy, and whether you play sport, surf, meditate, are an adrenaline junkie or just want to try something new, be a part of the slackline revolution. It is Evolution in Motion.

- A Slackline is a unique way to liven up a BBQ!

- Slacklining is very useful for any kind of professional balance education. It highly increasing your physical co-ordination and concentration. These great exercises support your abilities in other sports such as rock climbing, hiking, cycling, skateboarding, surfing and so on. More and more schools are integrating slacklining in their PE lessons.

- For many kinds of circus arts slacklining can really expand a performance.

Who can Slacklining?

- Nearly everyone: Children or adult! Just a little bit general fitness required.

Who uses a Slackline?

- Slacklining started in the rock climbing community, but in the past 20 years it has spread across the world. Now all walks of life are using it. Due to its versatility it has now become its own sport and is being pushed to new limits everyday.

It can be used as..

- A physical workout (core strength and stabiliser muscles)

- A mental workout (reaction time, increase neural pathways between left and right hemispheres)

- Sports training (proprioception and balance, all sports require it!)

- Rehabilitation (great for knee and ankle injuries)

- Recreation (tricks and stunts)

- A form of Meditation (find that quiet place inside)

- Balance Therapy (some physiotherapists are working very succesfull with the slackline, even for older people)

- As a form of Yoga and Tai Chi (moving meditation)

- Highlining, Waterlining (Our kits are not designed for this!)

- Social gatherings (its so funny watching your friends try for the first time!)

And anything else you can think of, because it can be done anywhere there are two anchor points to attach to: you are bound only by your imagination!

What Slackline-Kit is the right choice for me?

- lenghts 15m (50 feet), 25m (82 feet) or longer? - For beginning 15m is our recommondation. If you want something more advanced or flexible order 25m. Depending how tight your Slackline is set you can arrange very different levels of difficulty. The 15m slackline is lighter and a little easier to handle.

Please note, the lenghts is flexible so you can always use our Slackline-Kits for shorter distances.

- webbing width 25mm, 35mm or 50mm ? - 35/50mm is great for beginners. 25mm is generally for more advanced users, but it is still possible to begin learning with this width. The less width the line the more bounce you have.

If you need any assistance, please contact us! We are more than happy to help you decide.

Barefoot or shoes for slacklining?

- Many slackliners prefer slacklining barefoot, because your can feel the line better. If the slackline is quite wide (>35-50 mm) it is more suitable for barefoot. The 25mm line is far easier to walk with shoes and some tricks are only possible with shoes.

Shoes offer more foot protection. If you don´t wear shoes, make sure that your slackline area is clear - do not leave things lying around, and clear the area of any thorns or other sharp items.

Do I need special shoes for slacklining?

- No, you do not need special shoes, but its a good idea to wear trainers with a flat sole and good ankle support - no high heels, please! :-)

How long does it takes to learn slacklining?

- The beginning is easy. In general you can see your progress between 1-4 hours of practise. As with most activities moving from beginner to intermediate is relatively quick however, moving from intermediate to advanced takes lots of practice. Once you start you don´t want to stop! :-)

What is a good distance to start with?

- 4 to 8 meters is good the start with.

What is the difference between tight-rope walking and slacklining?

- Basically, the rope is very tight, the slackline more or less 'slack'. The webbing of the slackline is flat and a lot more bouncy. Slacklining is much more dynamic than tight-rope walking. Tight-rope walking requires a lot more equipment due to the very high tension.

Is slacklining dangerous?

- If you follow our safety instructions, you can minimize the risk. Nevertheless there is a risk of an injury. Please do slacklining only, when you feel fit and healty. Warm yourself up before you step on the line, specially rotate your ankle joint several times in each direction. All our product items hold the CE mark to ensure they meet safety standards. We take our product safety very seriously and trade only with appropriate equipment.

How do I set up a Slackline4u-Kit?

- please download our pdf Instruction Guide (1.1mb).

What anchor points are suitable for our slackline kits?

- Trees over a 30 cm diameter are generally suitable for holding a slackline. Please make sure that you only consider healthy trees. Never use rotten tree trunks. Additionally you can use iron posts or other strong things. The tension is a lot higher with a longer lines: as the slackline gets longer the anchor point becomes more important.

What is the best way to protect the trees?

- Please protect the trees. You should use following items:

  • professional tree protector (order here)
  • piece of carpet
  • door mat
  • car mat
  • camping mat
  • thick cardboard
  • wooden strips for weight distribution

Can you have more than one person on the slackline?

- Our slackline4u-kits are made for one person only.

How much tension is on the anchor points?

- around 500-800kg, depending on body wheight and movements.

Can I use my climbing equipment for slacklining?

- Please don´t. Our Slackline4u-Kits are designed and manufactured for the tension of slacklining- your climbing equipment can be damaged and become unsafe.

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