Talk:Slacklining

Updates
Ref http://ptenslacklines.com/what-is-slacklining/ title=What is Slacklining? publisher=PTEN - Removed as it's a bad attempt at advertising by an extinct slackline company. Loads a blank page.

Updated the descriptions of basic slackline systems to use more common descriptions. The "two piece" and "three piece" descriptions are an odd way to describe different slackline setups, especially given the distinction the author had put on having sewn loops.

I intend to update much of this site with updated information, including safety analysis (as performed by the ISA http://slacklineinternational.org/resources/publications/#sairpublications, a bit about slackline access maintenance, bolting strategy, etc., drawing on content gathered by the International Slackline Association and national organizations.

Scislacker —Preceding undated comment added 22:42, 3 April 2017 (UTC)

Major updates needed
I'm noticing most updates on this page have been either A) to record records (and remove old ones) or B) to describe styles of slacklining that I've never heard of in the greater community. Windlining, for example, where does that come from? I've spent much of the past two years heavily involved in the slackline community in the US and Europe and while people will talk about the effects of wind on a slackline, the term windlining is absurd and just dilutes the narrative. End rant.

Point being, I think this page needs some major updates. The International Slackline Association and various national and regional groups have done a lot of work to promote the sport in a safe and sustainable fashion. If no one objects, I'd like to see some of those non-profit efforts mirrored on this site. I added the direct links to the international and national pages to the references section a while ago. I'd like to also update the general descriptions of the sport, and add sections related to accident rates (accidents are amazingly minimal, we have some numbers on that), access issues, history of the sport and ongoing development. Things like the development of kernmantled webbings, soft shackles, and the shift from tight slacklines to loose slacklines that is currently happening. I would also like to add a blip about the formation of the International Slackline Association, our goals and progress, and the resources we are making available.

Also, I think it does little good to remove old records when new ones are added. Why not keep them in the history section? It shows the development of the sport rather clearly. We have an accurate listing of records maintained by the community through the ISA that can be added here. In many cases there are news articles available in that listing that can be used as references.

Any comments? I'll probably make some time later this week to do some edits, but wanted to open a conversation here first in case anyone is listening. Scislacker (talk) 12:37, 25 May 2016 (UTC)

Commercial Links
Anyone feel anything about these commercial links? Pedant 01:54, 2005 Jun 24 (UTC)


 * I was bold and eliminated the least helpful/interesting ones. Stewart Adcock 08:47, 24 Jun 2005 (UTC)
 * I think due to the newness of both this sport and this article we should keep the commercial links because they do offer useful information, and with time that information will flow back to the article. However, I did sterilize the links from words such as "best" and "quality" that are less informative and are more advertising.

Slacklining has its roots as an activity that rock climbers did for fun with webbing that they had lying around. Like any good idea, it is being tapped into by people who are trying to make money off of it. This in no way increases the general public's access to slacklining or slacklining related information. On the contrary; As commercial sites increasingly appear online, the first querry results on search engines for words like "slackline" will be commercial sites, the purpose of which is to convince people that they need to buy their products if they want to take part in this activity. It is easy to set up a climbing spec webbing slackline using only four caribeeners. This setup is much cheeper than the ratcheting setups available at many commercial sites. Additionally, many commercial sites sell military spec webbing which does not perform as well (this is a subjective statement perhaps, but I've been slacklining for 6 years and I can feel a very big difference). Lastly, I would rather see people buying webbing and caribeeners from small, local, independent buisnesses than ordering them online from the most "competitive" company which will ultimately end up being bought out by REI or EMS.

Oh, I don't know how relevent this is, but bottoming out actually tends to make tricks harder in my experience...especially when the line is moving fast, as is the case with the backflip. --Mathfu

—Preceding unsigned comment added by Mathfu (talk • contribs) 03:07, 3 July 2008 (UTC)

Slackline First?
I added the backflip, line-to-line, as one of the sections. However, if you watch the video closely in the slowed section, he actually bottoms out on the ground when he lands it. Even though, he is on the line, bottoming out on the ground probably helped stabilize the landing. The trick is probably harder and more "pure" if done without using the ground in the landing. Is this enough to invalidate this trick as a "first"? Spolizzano 19:22, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

I got rid of it. It doesn't seem that significant and can't be verified. Here is the text I removed, in case it is verified or deemed significant.



Slackline First - Backflip line-to-line
Andy Lewis from Marin, California landed a backflip on the line in this video. --75.73.155.34 00:16, 18 March 2007 (UTC)
 * Slackline Backflip

World records section
This section either needs to be removed or we need add links to photos/sources/write-ups about the events--something to add more credibility to the claims.Spolizzano 21:26, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

If someone wants to update this topic -there is a new world record by Damian Jörren & Stefan Junghanss with 1006 feet (or 306,8m)!: http://www.landcruising-slacklines.de/blog/neues/flight-of-the-1000-feet.html —Preceding unsigned comment added by 141.76.177.235 (talk) 16:17, 9 June 2010 (UTC)

You tube link removal (1)
2 links removed- No clear indication uploaders have right to the respective footage concerned or are connected with the production entity responsible for it. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 13:48, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

highlining record
The records section defines highlining but doesn't give an actual record for it. Seems like it should be updated or removed. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Bholley (talk • contribs) 09:06, 22 November 2007 (UTC)

Setup methods
I think that "carabiner pulley system" should be changed to the more common term z-drag unless "using wraps of webbing between two carabiners" is a z-drag. If so, "carabiner pulley system" should be removed. Im am not sure what "simple friction methods" means. I dont know how to insert the citations or I would add a link to a ratchet, http://www.slacklineexpress.com/ratchetusage.htm, come-a-longs are the same as ratchets so that can be removed. Commercial slackline kits are either pulley systems or ratchets so that can be dropped too. I think it should be mentioned that while the ratchet is a popular commercial option it limits your slackline because if you over tension the device you will break it. This is not a common setup for experienced slackliners and most speak out against their use. The problem of part failure is not common with traditional use of rock climbing gear to set up because these setups are not mechanical and are thus less prone to failure. Tree slings should be protected from the tree (and trees protected from slings) by something, a common buffer is a scrap of carpet http://www.slackline.com/?p=264. Also because constant pressure is exerted on the biners, the most common choice is an oval biner. I cannot verify whether this actually helps with stress on the devices or not but it is a commonly held belief in the slacklining community. Ovals do have the benefit of putting even pressure on your webbing making them less likely to twist. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.46.232.99 (talk) 07:16, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

History section
I went in and edited the history section to make it more accurate. Walking on flat one-inch tubular webbing didn't so much come about in Yosemite; it was in Olympia in the Fall of 1979, where Jeff and Adam met, and that's were those guys lived and spent the vast majority of their time slacklining. They also did a bunch of slacklining in Boulder in the summer of 1980. When we'd take trips to the Valley around that time those guys would string up a slackline. I guess that's why the Valley references keep popping up. Brooke Sandahl was right in there too, and was really good; I'm not sure why Brooke is not credited along with Jeff and Adam. I've got photos of those guys slacklining from 1980/81 but have no idea how to upload them, or if they should be. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Bvanbelle (talk • contribs) 00:33, 7 February 2012 (UTC)

Dean Potter crosses a canyon in central China
Just saw this article with video footage in the news. EdwardLane (talk) 11:32, 24 April 2012 (UTC)

Guelphslackers abused this page
I don't know how this is handled, but here's the evidence of this idiot's comments. I removed everything I saw from the page what's the process to get this account reprimanded or removed? http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Slacklining&diff=507930030&oldid=507927912 --Eglue (talk) 15:46, 18 August 2012 (UTC)

Merge proposal - urbanlining
I propose that urbanlining be merged into this article. Urbanlining is just slacklining in an urban environment. There is no reason to have a separate article for it. It would work better as a section of this article. Kaldari (talk) 18:32, 9 January 2013 (UTC)


 * I support this merge proposal. AtticusX (talk) 23:13, 9 January 2013 (UTC)


 * I too support this proposal to merge the articles. Imseanpatterson (talk) 15:26, 18 July 2014 (UTC)


 * I too support this proposal to merge the articles Tokenjoker21 (talk) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 206.144.97.82 (talk) 16:14, 18 July 2014 (UTC)


 * I can't imagine why we wouldn't merge these — Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.51.137.66 (talk) 18:56, 22 September 2014 (UTC)

✅ Thryduulf (talk) 21:51, 9 July 2015 (UTC)

General Edits/Saftey/Longlining/Pulley Systems
After fully reading through this article, there is much that needs be updated and changed. Some of the information is outdated. I think that there should be a section on saftey as slacklining can be a very dangrous sport if done improperly. There should be a warning about setting highlines without the proper rigging knowledge or with the help a mentor who knows exactly what they are doing. I would like to add a section on longlining in a park setting and how to go about setting up these longlines with the various pulley systems that are in use today for tensioning lines longer than 100 feet. In general there is very little information provided here on slacklining and this page doesnt seem very helpful for somone looking to get into the sport. --Tokenjoker21 (talk) 18:59, 23 May 2013 (UTC)
 * Cool and a good point, but we can't just write a 'how to' (as that's not encyclopedic). It just needs a good source and text that can be written as if you were reading an encyclopedia. I'll drop you a line on your talk page. EdwardLane (talk) 10:15, 26 May 2013 (UTC)

History
Not sure who tagged it, but I'm the source as it was my chest young Adam was rudely sitting on waking me up into a perfect storm hangover and explaining how we all needed to start practicing that day in order learn 'this' circus trick.

Oh, and he didn't "successfully harass the small band of local climbers into almost believing they could reproduce this feat", but you had to know how persistent Adam was and how much we liked him so we just went along with it to a point, but that point didn't extend to one-hand handstands on anything let alone the top of flag poles though we did do a lot of practicing along those lines. Sure, we were tripping a lot at that time, but hey, none of us was tripping hard enough to think we could "reproduce this feat". We all did learn to walk well as a result, though my preference was and still is walking hard cranked down 10.5mm climbing rope set at about nine feet up between trees (more like walking a bow string than a slackline or a wire).

Healyje (talk) 07:45, 8 March 2017 (UTC)

External links modified
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 * Added tag to http://www.slacklinemeetup.com/
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