FAQ

Slackline Shop Australia FAQ

What are the main benefits of slacklining?

Slacklining is very positive for your health, as well as being so much fun!

There are many health benefits that can be achieved from regular Slacklining sessions including

  • Increasing core strength.
  • Improving concentration and mental focus. Many Slackliners compare the feeling while slacklining to the feelings that arise from meditation and activities such as surfing.
  • Toning of lower body when simply balancing on a line.
  • Additional toning of upper body when performing certain tricks on a Trickline.
  • Burning calories whilst having fun!

Another point that should be highlighted is that the Slackline is extremely addictive. It is not uncommon for people who try slacklining for the first time to keep asking if they can have just one more try. This is very advantageous for parents who cannot get their kids away from the screen or someone who needs extra motivation to exercise.

Then it really is time that you invested in probably the most fun piece of fitness equipment that you will ever own! It is also a cheap and environmentally friendly sport to practice. Once the initial equipment is purchased, there are generally no other costs involved at all.

Setting up your line in a public place such as a beach or park has also many social benefits as it allows you to meet new people. We still have to experience an outdoor session when nobody walks over to us and introduces him or herself asking to try our line.

How to choose the right set for you?

To help you choose the slackline set that is wright for you, we have categorised our products according to their main suitability. You can find the recommended lines for beginners, children, tricklining, travel and much more on our homepage menu! Just check out the menu on our homepage and if still have doubts, do not hesitate to contact us!

What are the main components of slacklining equipment?

There are a few core pieces of equipment used in Slacklining, and these can be added to, updated and improved as you start to develop your skills. Some pieces of kit are only required for certain disciplines and others are required for all of them. Here we explain the main bits of equipment used in the sport. You don’t need to go out and buy all of this kit in one go, just decide what is required for the discipline you intend to practice.

Webbing

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Webbing is essential in all disciplines, the webbing is the Slackline.
Different widths, weaves and materials are used in the different disciplines of Slacklining.

Ratchets

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Ratchets are useful for being able to quickly setup a line between trees or other stable fixtures and they are less complex to setup and use than pulleys. However, even when using two, at time it can be difficult to get a good tension in the line; a lot of physical strength is required and ratchets do have a tendency to degrade with usage over time. The teeth eventually get eroded making it hard to get them to lock securely when the line is under tension. Most Slackliners accept that ratchets won’t last forever and they will have to be replaced. The standard ratchet that comes with most slackline kits is the 2500Kn type, these are usually sufficient to get enough tension for a standard walking slackline and also a trickline (usually using two ratchets simultaneously).

A-Frames

 

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A-Frames are required if there are no suitable tree’s or other stable points to rig your line to.
Generally you will need to couple an A frame with a secure fixing point in the ground
such as ground anchors.
A dead mans anchor can be a good solution to fix the line securely, or we have even seen a car wheel driven over the loose end of the line used with successfully.

Slackline Rack

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With more of a tendency to be used indoors, the Slackline Rack is perfect for situations where you are short on space and/or have no stable fixing points and are unable to create stable ground anchors so that A-Frames can be used.

The Slackline rack is a totally independent and self supporting frame so there is no need for any other fixing equipment. 3 to 4 metres is a common length for these racks so easily usable in a gym, bedroom, garage or other inside space. As the line is set very low when used on the Slackline Rack, it is not suitable for dynamic tricklining, however it can be perfect for walking practice and even some static tricks.

Soft Release

Also known as a slow release this is a really crucial piece of equipment to be used whenever you have a line with a high level of tension such as a trickline. A soft release strap allows you to carefully and slowly de-tension the line therefore minimising the potential for damage to the line, the ratchets or yourself.

Tree Protectors

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If you are using trees as your anchor points then tree protection is essential. The protectors stop the line from cutting into the tree bark and damaging or even killing the tree.

How to set up a slackline set?

Setting up a slackline set is very easy. Each product contains a user manual and instructions that will tell you exactly what you need to do. You can also easily find Youtube videos showing set up processes for different lines.
 

Watch the Gibbon Slacklines ClassicLine product video to learn how to setup:

If you have any questions or doubt, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will assist you further!

How can I ensure safety?

As with most sports, injuries can and do occur when using Slackline equipment.
But, by taking just a few precautions during setup and usage, these situations can really be minimised.
Always read the manufacturers instructions fully before setting up your line. Bear in mind that these are just general safety guidelines. Slackline Shop Australia declines any responsibility related to injuries and damage resulting from the use of our products.

The main points to consider are:

1. Having stable Anchor points.

It is extremely important to ensure that the anchor points you are using are stable. There are huge forces that go through a line under tension.
If an anchor point fails the line becomes a giant catapult with a heavy metal ratchet at one or even both ends.
Trees generally make good, solid anchor points, although please use tree protectors.
An A Frame can be used along with the anchoring point, but you need to ensure that it is specifically designed to withstand the forces produced while slacking.

2. Don’t over-tension the webbing and always lock the ratchet(s).

Realistically it is difficult to over-tension the line webbing using the standard ratchet kit that will come with it.
However we have seen instances of people using a pulley system to pull a ratchet tighter than usual.
This could lead to equipment failure and is not advisable.
The clue here is in the name of the sport – Slack Line – i.e not like a tight rope
Once the line has been tensioned, always put the ratchet into the locked position.
It is also a essential to take the loose tail end of the line and fasten it securely to the anchor point.

3. Clothing

A lot of Slackers love to slack on the beach wearing just a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.
This is airy and comfortable on a sunny day but it can lead to injury.
The edges of the webbing are sharp and can cut into bare feet and having the line whip up and hit a part of your body while performing tricks or when falling off can cause cuts and bruises (slack-tats) on bare skin.
It is advisable to wear long trousers, shoes and at least a long sleeve t-shirt when on the line particularly during tricklining.
If you are practicing Highline activities then always use a safety harness and a backup line or rope.

4. Warm-up

As with any sport, risk of injuries to joints and muscles can be reduced be warming-up first.
So, make sure you perform a warm-up as you would with any other sport or gym session before starting.

5. Mattress/Crash Mat

If you are tricklining then its a good idea to use a crash mattress. Even competent trickliners can get thrown hard to the ground due to the unpredictable nature of a strongly tensioned trickline.

How to shop

Place an order

Our website online shopping System is very secure. We are always working to get our website updated and free of bugs, in order to give you the best shopping experience. Placing an order is easy, thanks to a one page checkout system.

Create an account

We offer the option to place an order as a guest, that means we won’t save any information for future purposes and you won’t need to wait for email confirmations nor login and remember another password!

We won’t force you to create a customer account with us, but, if you do register an account with us, you will be able to enjoy the following benefits through your Slacklineshop Australia account:

  • Track your orders and manage your order history
  • Save your address and credit card details for faster shopping
  • Gain access to your Wish List and Cart

To create an account, simply select SIGN IN on the navigation bar and then REGISTER NOW to fill in your details.

Checkout your Cart

Checking out your cart is free of risk! We won’t store any information we don’t need for processing your order. And, of course, won’t hand out your information to any third party! If you want to know more, please read our privacy policy.

Pay via PayPal

We realized that paying online with PayPal is easy, fast and risk free. That’s why we decided to provide you this long-established payment gateway. You can either pay with any credit or debit card you have handy, or register quickly and easily for a PayPal account, which will allow you to pay or receive money through this account later as well. If you have any questions about this, feel free to contact us at any time! Email us at info@slacklineshop.com.au.

Returns

We do take your slackline order back if you don’t like it. We won’t ask any questions. But to get a full money refund, the slackline cannot have been opened or used in any way, and needs to be in the original packaging with all tags/documentation still attached.

Talk to us before you ship it back! Contact us within 30 days of purchase.

Shipping

We will ship your Slackline for free within Australia if your order value is over AUD $169.00. For orders with a value under AUD $169 there is a standard delivery that takes approximately 5 business days. The majority of our products is shipped with Australia Post and all deliveries are traceable with a tracking number.