Slacklining - fun for everyone! :)

[Northwind]

OK, so I thought I'd post a few videos of my latest obsession -- slacklining. Slacklining started a number of years ago with just a few climbers goofing off in Yosemite. Since that time, it has exploded in popularity and has become what it is today - a largely unknown and unheard of "sport" that is almost completely and totally off the radar screen for the vast majority of people in the world. Look out 2008 Summer Olympics!

And just in case anyone asks, no, none of the videos are of me. Since setting up a slackline in my backyard a couple of weeks ago, I have progressed to being able to stand for about 20 seconds and being able to walk about 15 feet before falling off. Not exactly the kind of thing that impresses the ladies. And plus, any videos of me at this point would no doubt have people saying things like "who is that guy and why is he thrashing around on that webbing like he's having a seizure?" and "ooh, that looks like it hurt, do you think he needs medical attention?" or "Gah, he just doesn't seem to learn, does he?"

Video 1 (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7897948621043510610)

Video 2 (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2257099706867686425)

Video 3 (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6148559029616060313) There are probably fewer than 3 people in the world who can do this.

The mother of all slacklines. (http://www.slackline.com/Page.bok?file=Spire.htm) (And yes, while people normally have a safety to catch them if they fall, this has been done totally unroped.) :eek:

How to set up a slackline. (http://youtube.com/watch?v=18qbgwCn2ZA)

Enjoy!

[OFFLINE]

thats pretty cool kinda gets boring after all they do is jump on a rope and balence

[Realist]

Hey, that looks easy. ;)

[imagination]

haha i used to be in a rockclimbing club and i would do that in the gym. i really sucked at it.:(

[Hugh Junit]

That was awesome.
If I was 15 years younger, had a lot better balance, absolutely no fear of breaking my neck, and nothing else going on in my life, I might possibly dedicate my life to slacklining.
Ahhh, who am I kidding. I never even got the hang of the hacky sack.

[Ächilles]

I am SO doing that in my yard.

I have to get good so when I let you hang me off that cliff, I can first school you in your yard with this thing.

:cool:

Oh yeah - I might be in Concord on Friday, dude. There is a 30 ft and 60 ft quarry up there I want to jump. I have to find someone to go with me first, in case I die.

[Tama Drummer]

I definately want to try that... my yards rather small though, and lacks trees. :(

How much would a suitable "slackline" cost? I'll probbaly try it out if I go camping sometime.

[nads]

Man, those guys put all their skill points into agility! Haha, joke's on them though. Just wait until they go and try to cast magic missle and don't have enough intelligence to generate the necessary mana!

[Jeffery]

They've been doing that around town for a while now......

It's fun to watch new people fall on their ass a lot. After that is gets boring as a spectator sport.

[FreddyAdu23]

haha i used to be in a rockclimbing club and i would do that in the gym. i really sucked at it.:(
i do that all the time, people stand and watch me do hard routes, its kind of funny they are amazed by how easy i do some...

[Northwind]

That was awesome.
If I was 15 years younger, had a lot better balance, absolutely no fear of breaking my neck, and nothing else going on in my life, I might possibly dedicate my life to slacklining.
Ahhh, who am I kidding. I never even got the hang of the hacky sack.
No, you're wrong. I'm older than you, I almost certainly am less coordinated, and . . . well, it's true that there isn't much else going on in my life. :( But really the secret is being unable to learn from past bad experiences. You'd be surprised how helpful that is in getting yourself into a variety of interesting experiences.
I am SO doing that in my yard.

I have to get good so when I let you hang me off that cliff, I can first school you in your yard with this thing.

Oh yeah - I might be in Concord on Friday, dude. There is a 30 ft and 60 ft quarry up there I want to jump. I have to find someone to go with me first, in case I die.
*cough* speaking of people unable to learn from past bad experiences *cough*

Oops. Sorry folks. I have a bad cough. I'll have to get that looked at.
I definately want to try that... my yards rather small though, and lacks trees. :(

How much would a suitable "slackline" cost? I'll probbaly try it out if I go camping sometime.
It depends on how fancy you want to be. The webbing is about $.33 per foot, so 30 feet only runs you about 10 bucks. If you want to set it up the way that the video shows, you also need two other 10 (or so) foot pieces of webbing and 5 carabiners. Carabiners often run between $7 and $10, so you're looking at about 70 bucks all told. You can also get more expensive slackline packages, but so far my little setup has worked fine for me.

It is possible to build stands and do it without trees, but that involves some hassle. More hassle than I'm guessing some head-banging, teenage, stoner drummer would want to expend. :)

Man, those guys put all their skill points into agility! Haha, joke's on them though. Just wait until they go and try to cast magic missle and don't have enough intelligence to generate the necessary mana!
Ahh, but I'm sure they play only "thief" characters. Their +3 slacklining skills would be a significant asset when sneaking into a kobold lair.

[Tama Drummer]

It is possible to build stands and do it without trees, but that involves some hassle. More hassle than I'm guessing some head-banging, teenage, stoner drummer would want to expend. :)

Heh, probably..
But I also just don't really have room. At least, I don't have room my dad would approve of me using to set up a long "strackline." Our yard is only what you see infront of the green garage. The white garage isn't our property.
http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/8241/yardwa8.jpg
(Yea, it's dark out and my camera sucks...)

I'll set one up in my room.

[Poop Slinger]

You're all just tightrope walker wanna bees :p

Join the circus...