How to set up a slackline Archives - Slackline South Africa https://slacklinesouthafrica.com/tag/how-to-set-up-a-slackline/ The home of Slacklining in South Africa Fri, 15 Dec 2023 18:57:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 https://i0.wp.com/slacklinesouthafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/cropped-lofo-icon-01.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 How to set up a slackline Archives - Slackline South Africa https://slacklinesouthafrica.com/tag/how-to-set-up-a-slackline/ 32 32 194850673 Easy tutorial to set up your first 1″ slackline kit https://slacklinesouthafrica.com/howtorig1inchslackline/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=howtorig1inchslackline Fri, 15 Dec 2023 18:53:07 +0000 https://slacklinesouthafrica.com/?p=1740 How to set up a 1″ slackline You’re interested in learning to walk a slackline but first you need to learn how to rig your 1″ primitive slackline kit, such as this beginner slackline kit from Viper Slacklines. We have a post about most of the different types of slacklines you’ll encounter on your slackline… Read More »Easy tutorial to set up your first 1″ slackline kit

The post Easy tutorial to set up your first 1″ slackline kit appeared first on Slackline South Africa.

]]>

How to set up a 1" slackline

You’re interested in learning to walk a slackline but first you need to learn how to rig your 1″ primitive slackline kit, such as this beginner slackline kit from Viper Slacklines.

We have a post about most of the different types of slacklines you’ll encounter on your slackline journey as well as this guide on how to set them up or “rig” them as it’s known in slackline lingo.

  • How to rig a 1″/25mm primitive slackline

This is the most common type of rigging method for beginner 1″ slacklines. All you need to set up a 1″ primitive slackline kit is:

  • A length of 25mm/1″ webbing between 15m-50m long with a sewn eye on one end
  • 2-4 steel oval carabiners
  • A chainlink linelock / steel rappel ring

1. Slackline Anchors and tree protection

The most common way to rig a slackline is between two sturdy trees. When rigging on trees it is vital that you use tree protectors to not only protect the trees but your slackline equipment as well.

Tree protectors are all very similar in principal and are generally made of a long strip of durable fabric. Simply wrap the tree protectors around your trees at the height you will set your line up and secure it with velcro or string.

 

2. Connecting your slackline to the tree

The next step is to connect your slackline to the tree. For lines up to about 15m or low tension rodeolines it is sufficient to attach your webbing to the tree using a girth hitch. 

To attach the slackline to the tree using the girth hitch method, wrap the sewn eye around the tree where you previously placed the tree protector and pass the ratchet through the sewn eye.

Pro tip: Once you have all the webbing pulled through you can fold (Taco) the webbing in the sewn eye to ensure that it comes out flat.

For longer slacklines over 15m or higher tension lines you will need to attach your slackline to the tree with a sling and shackle.

To attach the sling to the tree, wrap it around where you had placed the tree protector and attach the shackle to both ends of the sling. Then place the sewn eye of the webbing into the shackle and tighten the shackle pin.

 

3. Setting up the Primitive tensioning system

  • Take your second sling and place it around your second tree and girth hitch it. To do this, wrap the sling around the tree and pass it through itself.
  • Attach one of your carabiners to the sling.
  • Next pull your slackline webbing across leaving a gap between 2m-4m to the tree.
  • Take a bite of webbing and pass it through the chainlink, wrap it around a the chainlink a second time and attach another carabiner to it. 
  • Now pull the tail of webbing coming out of the carabiner and pull it across to the tree
  • Pull the webbing up through the carabiner and back towards the first carabiner
  • Pull the webbing down through this carabiner and back towards the tree
  • Now pull the webbing up this carabiner and underneath the first piece of webbing 
  • Pull it back towards the first carabiner and pull it underneath the first layer of webbing

3. How to tension your 1″ slackline using the primitive method

  • Pull the end of the webbing coming out from the carabiners and tighten it up as much as you can
  • You can get two people to pull on this webbing to tighten up the slackline
  • If you have a line longer than 20m you might want to add a multiplier to the system

How to add a multiplier to a primitive slackline system

Using two additional carabiners you can gain mechanical advantage and increase the tension of your slackline.

  • add one carabiner onto your anchor below the primitive system
  • take the tail of webbing leaving the tensioning system and run it down through this carabiner
  • now take a second chainlink and add it between the tensioning system and the carabiner
  • to do this simply pass a bite of webbing through it and attach a carabiner to the loop
  • now run the tail back through this carabiner and start pullings

Video tutorial to rig a primitive 1″ slackline kit

They say a picture says a thousand words, well then you can understand why a video can describe this whole process of rigging a slackline much clearer. below is one video explaining the process of rigging a 1″ primitive slackline and below that a video demonstrating how to rig the multiplier.

How to rig a primitive slackline

How to use a multiplier on a primitive slackline

The post Easy tutorial to set up your first 1″ slackline kit appeared first on Slackline South Africa.

]]> 1740 Easy tutorial to set up your first 2″ slackline kit https://slacklinesouthafrica.com/howtorig2inchslackline/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=howtorig2inchslackline Thu, 14 Dec 2023 17:00:58 +0000 https://slacklinesouthafrica.com/?p=1728 How to set up a 2″ slackline You might have seen someone slacklining at your local park or come across a video of it online and thought to yourself “That’s awesome!”. But then quickly discovered that there’s more to walking a slackline, you first need to learn the basics of how to set up a… Read More »Easy tutorial to set up your first 2″ slackline kit

The post Easy tutorial to set up your first 2″ slackline kit appeared first on Slackline South Africa.

]]>

How to set up a 2" slackline

You might have seen someone slacklining at your local park or come across a video of it online and thought to yourself “That’s awesome!”. But then quickly discovered that there’s more to walking a slackline, you first need to learn the basics of how to set up a slackline yourself.

Well I’ve got good news for you, you’ve come to the right place!

We have a post about most of the different types of slacklines you’ll encounter as well as this guide on how to set them up or “rig” them as it’s known in slackline lingo.

How to rig a 2″/50mm ratchet slackline

This is the most common type of slackline you can find online and is catered towards beginner to intermediate slackliners. Ratchet slackline kits such as this one from Viper Slacklines in South Africa are extremely easy to rig and are recommended for anyone looking to get into this hobby.

1. Slackline Anchors and tree protection

The most common way to rig a slackline is between two sturdy trees. When rigging on trees it is vital that you use tree protectors to not only protect the trees but your slackline equipment as well.

Tree protectors are all very similar in principal and are generally made of a long strip of durable fabric. Simply wrap the tree protectors around your trees at the height you will set your line up and secure it with velcro or string.

 

2. Connecting your slackline ratchet to the tree

The next step is to connect your slackline to the tree. With most beginner kits you receive a ratchet with webbing and a sewn eye on the end.

To attach the ratchet to the tree, wrap the sewn eye around the tree where you previously placed the tree protector and pass the ratchet through the sewn eye. Ensure that the ratchet has the handle facing towards the floor. You might need to twist it 180 degree to get it like that.

Pro tip: It is possible to wrap the ratchet around the tree multiple times before passing it through the sewn eye to shorten it. 

3. Attach the webbing to the Tree

In your kit you should also receive a length of 50mm/2″ slackline webbing with a sewn eye on one end. You will attach it to your second tree in the same way as the ratchet side. 

Sewn eye around the tree, pass the rest of the webbing through it and pull tight.

You can now walk the webbing towards the tree with the ratchet removing any twists or knots as you go.

Pro tip: Once you have all the webbing pulled through you can fold (Taco) the webbing in the sewn eye to ensure that it comes out flat. This also works on the ratchet side.

3. Tensioning a 2″/50mm slackline

Stick the end of your webbing through the slot in the ratchet from the top down and pull through all the excess. 
 
Hold the webbing tight and start moving the ratchet handle back and forth to start tensioning your slackline. 
 

4. time to start walking! Have fun on your slackline journey

 

The post Easy tutorial to set up your first 2″ slackline kit appeared first on Slackline South Africa.

]]> 1728 The best and worst slackline tensioning systems https://slacklinesouthafrica.com/the-best-and-worst-slackline-tensioning-systems/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-best-and-worst-slackline-tensioning-systems Thu, 18 Nov 2021 13:48:54 +0000 https://slacklinesouthafrica.com/?p=1556 The best and worst slackline tensioning systems One of the most asked questions that we get is “Should I get a ratchet kit or a primitive kit?” and the truth is there is no right or wrong answer.  We will compare the various tensioning systems and give you all the pros and cons of each.… Read More »The best and worst slackline tensioning systems

The post The best and worst slackline tensioning systems appeared first on Slackline South Africa.

]]>

The best and worst slackline tensioning systems

One of the most asked questions that we get is “Should I get a ratchet kit or a primitive kit?” and the truth is there is no right or wrong answer. 

We will compare the various tensioning systems and give you all the pros and cons of each. You can ultimately decide which slackline tensioning method works best for you.

This post may contain affiliate links to gear that we recommend, clicking the links does not cost you anymore it does however give us a slight kickback to help create more informative content in the future.

Ratchet slackline tensioning system

We will start with the ratchet tensioning system because it is by far the most popular slackline tensioning system out there. It is mostly only used with 50mm / 2 inch wide slackline webbings but with some spacers it is possible to use it with 25mm / 1 inch wide webbings.

This is the tensioning system that comes with the Active Slackline kit that we sell and is the best choice for beginners and kids.

Viper Slacklines ratchet tensioning system

Parts needed

  1. Single Ratchet kit

Pros

  • Easy to set up
  • Quick to set up
  • You can easily get high tension on a slackline
  • Works with 50mm webbings
  • Cheaper to replace than most other systems

Cons

  • Adapter spacers necessary for 25mm/ 1 inch webbing
  • Can be tricky to de-tension
  • Limited to about 30m slacklines
  • Heavy
  • Bulky

How to set up a ratchet slackline

Primitive slackline tensioning system

This is the tensioning system that we use with the lightweight slackline kit. The Primitive slackline tensioning system is the original method that was created for slacklining. It is still used and loved by many for its portability and low price.

It is also known as the Ellington slackline tensioning system. 

Mellow yellow slackline webbing

Parts needed

  1. 2-6 Oval carabiners
  2. 1-2 Linelockers

Pros

  • Low cost tensioning system
  • Uses easily available parts
  • Doesn’t require sewn loops or special weblocks
  • Cheap to replace parts
  • Can be used with a multiplier

Cons

  • Only for slacklines up to 50m
  • Requires a multiplier over 20m
  • Damages webbing over time
  • Lower breaking strength than other methods

How to set up a Primitive / Ellington  slackline

Pulley slackline tensioning system

Pulleys can be used for both 25mm/1 inch webbings as well as 50mm/2 inch webbings. They are able to achieve incredibly high forces for tricklining as well as longlining with the downside of being heavy and expensive.

We only recommend pulleys for experienced slackliners, highliners and trickliners or professionals trying to rig extremely long lines. 

Parts needed

  1. Weblock
  2. Pulley system
  3. Rope
  4. Grigri / Mad Rock Lifegurad / Edelrid Eddy
  5. Multiplier Pulley
  6. Linegrip (to softpoint)
  7. Shackles
  8. Ascender / Shunt / Prusik

Pros

  • Can achieve incredibly high tension
  • Can be used with any size webbing
  • Can tension”any” length slackline
  • Can be made with off the shelf parts from climbing manufacturers

Cons

  • Pulleys systems require a lot of additional gear
  • Pulley systems require rope and end up being big and bulky
  • Pulley systems are heavy
  • Risk of surpassing safe working loads of gear if you are not very experienced
  • Requires extra gear to remove it from the slackline set up
  • Complicated to use
  • Pulley systems are expensive

How to set up a pulley  slackline

Buckingham slackline tensioning system

The Buckingham slackline tensioning system is the most popular amongst intermediate and professional slackliners.

It does not require a lot of additional gear and is very lightweight and portable.

We recommend this tensioning system for anyone planning to keep slacklining for a while or wants to start longlining or highlining.

Parts needed

  1. Weblock
  2. Hangover / Rollex
  3. Linegrip / Slackline wafer / slackline snatch
  4. Soft Release

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Compact
  • Can tension”any” length slackline
  • Only requires 3 small parts
  • Dual purpose parts for highlining
  • Really easy to use

Cons

  • More expensive than other methods
  • Requires a hangover or Rollex
  • Requires a linegrip
  • Requires extra parts to rig lines over 50m
  •  Requires slow release in system

How to set up a slackline with the Buckingham method

Rodeoline no tension system

This is by far the easiest method to rig a slackline and only requires one Locking Pin or one linelock or one weblock.

You simply connect your slackline directly to your anchor with a linelock or weblock so that it doesn’t touch the ground and you’re ready to start slacklining.

Parts needed

  1. Weblock / linelock / Locking Pin
  2. Shackle / Carabiner

Pros

  • Very lightweight
  • Very compact
  • No tension required
  • Very quick setup
  • Very cheap
  • Really easy to use

Cons

  • Can be tricky to get the tension just right
  • Only for short lines
  • Requires very high anchors
  • Only works with 25mm /1 inch slackline webbings

How to set up a rodeoline with only a weblock

The post The best and worst slackline tensioning systems appeared first on Slackline South Africa.

]]> 1556