Slacklining kit

Discuss slacklining here...
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Ghaznavid
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Slacklining kit

Post by Ghaznavid »

After years of mocking slackliners for claiming that somehow slacklining has something to do with rock climbing - I have finally realised why a rock climber would want to do slackling. When I was 12 I could stand on a balance beam for 10 minutes on one foot without so much as a wobble. My balance is pretty bad these days, and I think it is part of what is resulting in me being so bad at climbing. Long story short - I want to give slacklining a go. It also looks quite fun (but rather difficult).

I've done some research, I see that you can either buy a kit such as the one MMO sells (https://www.mountainmailorder.co.za/ind ... uctId=2550) or you can buy the webbing, 4 biners (which I assume you should never use for climbing due to the strain a slack line puts on gear and anchors), some water-knotted webbing (same stuff as the line itself I assume) and some abseil rings to make the hitch hold the line in place. Cardboard/old heavy duty clothes to save the gear from getting killed also seems to be necessary (and I see you mustn't do a slackline from a pillar over a swimming pool :lol: ).

Basically what I want to know is this:
- Is it better to get a kit or to just buy the stuff yourself and go from there
- Is there anything important that I need to know before I try something like this out

If there is someone in the general PMB area who has the gear for me to try this out on before I put my money into it, that would be great!

Please note: I don't want to take up highlining! Bouldering 2m off the ground is scary enough...

Thanks in advance
"There is something fundamentally wrong in treating the Earth as if it were a business in liquidation." Herman E Daly
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CraigBurden
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Real Name: Craig Burden
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Re: Slacklining kit

Post by CraigBurden »

I would recommend buying a kit, getting to the point where you are walking a line longer than the kit provides will take some time. In which case you can just buy a new length of webbing and use all the hardware you already have. Yes, as you said do not use slackline gear for climbing. Not because it puts more strain on the gear but because it puts a strain that the gear was not designed for, namely static loads. All climbing gear is designed with dynamic (falling) loads in mind.

If you would like to try gear first go ahead but trust me you will love slacklining! I don't know anyone on that side of the planet so I can't help you out there.

Lastly, highlining is a very very different game. Almost a different sport. The danger if you ask me is probably less than lowlining purely because when we fall head first it is into air rather than the ground!

Anyway, enjoy slacklining!
Climb for life!
Ghaznavid
Posts: 432
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 6:37 pm
Real Name: Ghaznavid
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Re: Slacklining kit

Post by Ghaznavid »

Thanks :thumleft:

So for a kit - the SA Slacklining one MMO sells looks great? I see there was a thread on this site discussing it, people seemed pretty happy with it. I see its also 15m vs 10m and R80 cheaper than the one I was previously looking at.
"There is something fundamentally wrong in treating the Earth as if it were a business in liquidation." Herman E Daly
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