Best Slackline Brands Of 2024: Completed List
Brandon Forder Apr 23, 2024 12:43 PM
Which are the greatest Slackline brands is a question, we can tell you in advance, that does not relate to an absolute reality.
There are many brands, with strengths and weaknesses, some with superior equipment for trickline, others more focused on the development of longline and highline gear.
In fact, if we think about the best gear conceivable, independent of the the style of slackline we practice, it is likely that it will incorporate parts from different companies.
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Types
Slacklining was originally a sport among California climbers some 40 years ago; in between climbs, they attempted walking and balancing on the webbing they had in their kits. As the activity or sport got increasingly popular it developed into various other specialties, each demanding for certain sorts of equipment.
Longlines need considerable balance and stamina since they extend over extremely long distances and are quite unstable.
Highlining adds a big degree of natural terror to the equation, even if you’re tightly tied to a harness. Slackline walking and slackline yoga are done closer to the ground but require tons of concentration in addition to agility.
Tricklining is the most prevalent style of competitive slacklining, with competitors completing mind-bending jumps, drops and spins on a skinny, suspended line. There are additional types as well, including waterlining over a body of water, windlining in severe winds and daredevil-style freestyle slacklining which is done on a very slack line.
Once you’ve determined which style of slacklining you’ll be focusing on, here’s a look at some of the equipment you’ll be utilizing.
Slackline Tensioning Systems
Each style of webbing lends itself to a distinct type of tensioning system that attaches to trees or other support structures.
One-inch webbing often calls for what’s known as a “primitive” configuration, sometimes known as a “Ellington.” It utilizes carabiners (metal loops that have a locking mechanism, frequently used in climbing) and rings to retain the end of the webbing and construct a pulley system. It’s really straightforward, but it’s difficult to maintain the correct level of tension with this method; primal is a good label for it.
Slackline ratchets are used with two-inch webbing and they’re straightforward to use because they’re dedicated equipment that you just purchase and set up. The webbing is threaded through the unit and you crank down the ratchet until the tension is right. The process takes just minutes. When you’re done with your session, you just pull a release trigger. The main concern is making sure that the line stays straight when you feed it into the ratchet so it doesn’t snag and rip.
There’s a specialist form of tensioning system built for advanced longlining and highlining and it can cost as much as several thousand dollars. As you’d think, these anchors aren’t available in slackline kits, therefore we won’t go into depth here.
Length
Typically, slacklines designed for novices are about 50 feet in length. That’s because it’s simpler to learn on a short, taut line - you don’t have as far to go and you’ll wobble less.
However, if you believe you’ll be using your slackline a lot and growing swiftly, you won’t want to end up buying another one soon after the first, so it might be worth investing in a longer starter line.
The distance between trees in your location might also be a factor in what length you go for - make sure you have a line that can cross the gap between them!
Training aids
Most novice slackline kits come with a training line included. This line is strung above the slackline and can be grasped with the arms. This is a terrific technique to build confidence as you learn to walk on a slackline. However, even more, skilled slackliners can find these great tools while learning new postures or tricks.
If you’re buying a slackline for little children, you’ll obviously want a training line, but you should also consider a kit that comes with an arm trainer included - these are straps of material that dangle down over the training line and can be grabbed even by children. Again, sometimes adults will find these useful too, and they’re a terrific way to get acclimated to having your arms by your side rather than overhead.
Safety
With more and more factory products being churned out and sold online, you need to be wary when online shopping for things that come with an inherent safety risk. One option to play it safe is to stay with well-known brands, however these things won’t necessarily be flawless and you’ll likely pay a premium.
We recommend searching out for robust ratchets and integrated safety mechanisms, but, perhaps most importantly, make sure that anyone using the slackline realizes the dangers involved.
Which is the best trickline brand?
If Gibbon and Slackline Industries dominated the trickline industry an untill a couple of years ago, today things are a little different.
In addition to the departure of Slackline Industries, at the present the companies offer fairly similar solutions when it comes trickline lines performance. Gibbon, Spider, SlackMountain and EQB, have good webbings that would be difficult to discern if we tricklined them with our eyes closed.
Elephant Slacklines has not evolved at all. Remains confined to the Freak Flash Line option, which, although not awful, is far more forceful to the body than the tricklines of the companies we just discussed before.
Slacktivity too continues without nothing new, having the Super Jump Line as its best remedy. A 3.7cm trickline, very slow but very comfy to the body.
But there is something that has a significant change. With the trickliners demanding for longer lines, trickline pulley systems got more popular, strengthening such as LineGrip Corp, SlackMountain and EQB.
The best slackline brands for highlining and longlining?
To answer the question “which are the best slackline brands for these types of slackline”, the list is a lot shorter.
If, on one hand, companies as Gibbon and Elephant do not cover this area, on the other hand, due to the innovations they introduced to the slackline industry and the quality of the gear they continue to create, Balance Community and Slacktivity Slacklines deserve to be emphasized. They offer solutions for all parts of the highline and longline, presenting new and spectacular advances on a regular basis.
In addition to these two brands, EQB, SlackMountain and Raed Slacklines all offer quality gear, often with more competitive prices than the previous two.
What is a slackline definition?
Definition of slackline 1 : a cable (as in a lumbering operation) strung slackly between spar trees and designed especially to yarding downhill or across steep-sided valleys or gullies — compare skyline.
Are slacklines just ratchet straps?
Slacklines are produced from the same material as ratchet straps that are utilized in the transportation industry. The material that is used for slacklines comes generally in either 1 inch wide or 2-inch wide polyester webbing material based on ability level some slackliners may favor one side or the other.
Are there different types of slacklines?
Some people favor loose slacklines while some like tight slacklines. Some people favor short slackline while some people like large slacklines. The point is whatever slackline you choose, you will be able to learn on it. However, it's generally acknowledged that the easiest way to learn is on a line that is short, tight and low.
Today, many various forms of the sport have arisen, such as urban-lining, water-lining, trick-lining, freestyle, and even yoga. Each variety has the same simple gear yet presents differences about strategy. Variance regarding set-up also has enormous effects on how the line responds to the user's movement. For example, increased ratcheting tension lends well to the precision required of trickling. On the other hand, looser rigging facilitates smooth swings and surfing.
While each may differ in aesthetic ways, all involve balance, attention, and inventiveness of the mind and body. The practice of funambulism is no longer confined for daredevil circus artists in royal courts – the discovery of the slackline has made the ancient balancing technique available for everyone. All it requires is two stable points between which the line is secured and a willingness to play. From there, the sky is the limit for originality and athleticism.
