Slack line setup and story

                                                 Slackline setup

A slackline is commonly constructed with three sections of one-inch webbing: a long section of webbing (30–100 feet) strung tightly and connected to the two shorter sections (8–12 feet) that are called "tree slings" and are used as anchors on either end. The most difficult and widely discussed element of a slackline setup is the tensioning system. Common setups include simple friction methods, using wraps of webbing between two carabiners, a ratchet, a comealong, a carabiner pulley system a roped pulley system, or a commercial slackline kit.

                                                     Tree anchors
The most common anchors for slacklines are trees. Trees greater than 12" in diameter are considered ideal in most cases. There are several very effective methods of tree protection that function on two principles: eliminating abrasion, and redistributing load over a wider area. One of the most effective means of tree protection is a wrap of vertical blocks (1" x 1" cut into 6" pieces) strung together by drilling a small diameter hole through the center and running cord through them. Blocks are spaced evenly to prevent the anchor slings from contacting and abrading the outer bark and the length of the blocks distributes the load vertically as opposed to horizontally compressing a continuous line around the trunk. The addition of a carpet square between the block wrap and the outer bark is considered ideal among the founding community of slackliners. Many other ways to protect the tree are commonly used such as towels, mats, cardboard, carpet and purpose made tree protectors.
Using carpet squares or cardboard even, by themselves, only addresses abrasion, leaving the load concentrated on a small area of the tree. These methods would be adequate for occasional use, but with the high tensions of longlines one who slacklines regularly should take every precaution to protect the life of the tree.


                                                     Variations
A special characteristic of slacklining is the ease with which the dynamics of the practice can be altered. Using narrow (5/8-inch) webbing will result in a stretchier slackline. This allows for more sway in the line and can make a short line feel substantially longer. Wider webbing (2 inches) is much more rigid and has a tendency to twist and decrease the grip of the slackline and the foot. The tension of the line will also increase or decrease the sway of the line. Weight due to the different methods of tensioning will also vary the performance of a slackline. A comealong and a ratchet will both add enough weight to allow the feedback from quick movements on shorter slacklines to be felt.

                                                     History

While rope walking has been around in one manner or another for thousands of years, the origins of modern day slacklining are generally attributed to a pair of rock climbers while attending Olympia, Washington's The evergreen State College in 1979. Adam Grosowsky and Jeff Ellington started walking on loose chains and cables around Olympia, and quickly innovated the technique of stringing up 1" flat climbing webbing and walking it, employing the dynamics and flexibilty of the nylon webbing to develop tricks, including a three-pin tossing routine between two slackliners balanced simultaneously on the same line. Red Square, Evergreen's central campus plaza, was a convenient between-class practice area where they often drew crowds of spectators. Brooke Sandahl, another Evergreen student and frequent climbing partner of Grosowsky and Ellington, was also a very early practioner. Grosowsky and Ellington were fascinated with wirewalking history and circus culture, and in 1981 performed leashless on a 30' highline strung 25' over a concrete floor as part of a project to recreate a traditional one-ring circus in The Evergreen State College's main performance auditorium. During this period Grosowsky, who is now a regionally well-known Northwest artist, devoted much of his lithographic art to themes involving wirewalking and circus culture. The sport blossomed within the West Coast rock climbing community, and then branched out elsewhere all over the world.



                                               Highlining History
In 1983, Adam Grosowsky and Jeff Ellington set up a 55-foot (17 m) cable line at Yosemite's Lost Arrow Spire that was nearly 2,890 feet (880 m) high. However, neither of them were able to cross this line. The next year, Scott Balcom and Darrin Carter set up a highline in the same location, but used webbing instead of cable. In 1985, Scott Balcom crossed the now-famous line.In 1993, Darrin Carter became the second person to successfully cross the Lost Arrow Spire highline.On July 16, 2007, Libby Sauter became the first woman to successfully cross.On September 10, 2011, Chris Rigby and Balance Community Owner Jerry Miszewski established the Balance Community Backyard Highline Festival in Garden Valley, CA. There have been 5 highline festivals since and the next is scheduled for April 13-15. 8 Highlines will be setup ranging 50 to 400 feet long for highliners from across the U.S. to come train on.


                                                Tricklining History

In 2012, Andy Lewis performed a series of tricks on a Gibbon Slackline during Madonna's Super Bowl XLVI Halftime Show, a worldwide audience of 114 million people.