Making a choice is never easy, especially when there are so many options. What is the difference between the slacklines? And which slackline set is the best for beginners? Or to do tricks? In this article, we will try to answer them all and help you to choose the best lines for your needs.
The perfect line for beginners: Classic Line
What are the characteristics of Gibbon slacklines?
Gibbon was created in 2007, and had the goal to make slacklining available to everyone. Ease of installation, safety and fun being the main criterias. No matter which set you choose, those 3 criterias will be fulfilled and all our slackline sets can be used to learn how to slackline.
Their quality has now been tested and approved for over twelve years. Indeed they are TUV certified, so it is impossible to break one during normal use.
So whatever you choose, you will be able to learn your first steps on a slackline. Now let’s look at the different specifications to look at and understand when choosing a slackline set.
3 different width: 5cm, 3.5cm and 2.5cm
“Size does not matter (a little bit though.)”
What to choose between a 2.5cm, 3.5cm or 5cm wide Slackline?
The wider a slackline is, the heavier it will be. So if the 5cm slacklines set are the most comfortable, they are also complicated to carry when they are very long (more than 30m).
5cm will always be more comfortable so if you are not interested in the longline (walking long distances), so we advise you to take a 5cm wide slackline, like the classic line.
But if you hesitate between the two, the Banana Lama will be the best compromise with an intermediate line width of 3.5cm.
For your children, the best slackline would be a 5cm wide slackline like the funline.
If you are interested in trickline, then you need a 5cm wide line, there is different trickline webbing like the surferline, the epic pro, element…
What to choose between a 15m or a 25m Slackline set?
Then it all depends on your ambitions. A 25m slackline can always be set up on less than 15m, while a 15m slackline cannot be set up on more.
In this sense, if you think you need long distance quickly then take a 25m line.
On the other hand, if you want a small line that fits in a bag for very occasional practice, then short lines like the travel line will be perfect for you.
Gibbon Power ratchet
TENSION
All slackline sets are designed to be set up by beginners. So, it will be in any case easy to use.
The Funline and classic line also have low stretch which means that you can set it up closer to the ground.
What will vary in the slackline sets, besides the length, are the ratchets.
There may be one or two depending on the slackline set, but there is also a difference between a classic ratchet and a power ratchet.
If you just want to walk a short line then one classic ratchet will work fine for this practice.
If you want to trickline, then you will need one or two power ratchets. It is also possible to buy the ratchets separately to upgrade your set up.
(IF THERE IS A LOT OF TENSION, USE A BACK UP FOR SAFETY.)
Picture by @owenmhope
What is your goal?
The slackline includes different practices. It is therefore necessary to know which practice could correspond to you the most. What is the practice that is made for you?
For children, the funline is the perfect line. It’s comfortable, pretty, and has very little stretch which allows it to be stretched very low on any length.
You just want to work on your balance in a park with your friends, and do chill sessions with the sole purpose of trying to balance on it. In this case, the beginner slackline kits will allow you to have fun in the best conditions.
You love thrills. You want to get high and do the most committed and beautiful tricks. In this case, the trickline is made for you. We have different trickline webbing. There are also sets like the Surferline or the Jibline XL. If these sets don’t suit you anymore, it is always possible to improve it as I will explain it to you later.
You want to do tricks on your Slackline but you are not interested in getting high on a very tense line. Static tricks are for you. In this case, a lot of slacklines are made for you, depending on your preferences, which we will discuss later.
You want to walk ever longer lines, with an always different tension. In this case, the Flowline is made for you. It is the only 2.5cm wide line from Gibbon that is set up with two ratchets to choose the exact tension you want.
The FunLine – Perfect for kids
Slackline without trees
It is possible to set up a slackline without trees in your garden thanks to the indikit for a practice on a length of 15m. But there are two other tools you can put in your house:
You want to work on your balance with a fun and easy to use tool. You want to discover different sensations of the Slackline and not have to set it up and take it down every time. In this case, the Giboard is made for you.
You are athletic, you want to use the Slackline to improve your core strength. You want to become better in your sport by working specifically. In this case the slackrack fitness is for you. You can find exercises here.
Perfect to improve your balance – The Giboard
DESIGN
And yes, if the sets change according to the ratchets, the length and width. But if you still hesitate between two similar sets (Classic line/Funline) it only depends on your taste.
All the mentioned slackline sets are available on the webshop HERE.
