10 Best Slacklines – Top Kits Tested & Reviewed

As far as extreme sports go, slacklining is one that involves the most patience and skill. Tying a flexible line between two points and walking across isn’t something that you can master in a day or two, and it involves mental endurance as well as physical ability.

The challenge of slacklining is why people are drawn to it. Whether you do it close to the ground as a form of exercise, or you push your limits by doing highlining across mountain peaks, everyone has their reasons for pursuing this sport.

Today we’re going to show you some of the best slacklines on the market. Beginners, experts, and everyone in between can utilize these products to fit their needs. Let’s compare these models and see which one is right for you. 

10 Best Slacklines Comparisons

As we’ll see on this list, a lot of slacklines come with an all-inclusive startup kit to help you prepare yourself for this exciting and rewarding sport. When looking at different kits, you want to pay attention to all of the items included to be sure that you’re choosing the best option for your needs.

If you’re a beginner, one essential component will be a training line. Because getting your balance on a slackline takes a lot of practice, it helps to have a separate line above you so that you can steady yourself as you go. Over time, as you get used to walking on the slackline, you will be able to use the trainer less and less, until it’s no longer necessary.

Another thing to consider when picking out a kit is whether it comes with tree protectors. Since the bulk of amateur (and professional) slackliners like to walk between trees, it’s helpful to have protectors handy. These components help in a couple of different ways.

First, they keep you from damaging the bark of the tree. Once you put weight on the line, it can dig in and leave a lasting mark. Second, the protector also helps ensure that you get sufficient grip. Some trees are better at holding the line than others, so having these elements can keep you from falling off because your loop slid off.

Other parts of this beginner’s kit include two ratchets (one for each line), and a durable drawstring bag to keep it all together. Also, the line is longer than most standard units. Instead of 50 feet, you get 57. This extra length enables you to push yourself even farther. 

While having a trainer’s kit is essential for you if you’re still learning the sport, what if you’ve already mastered balancing? If that’s you, then you may prefer to get something like this model from Gibbon Surfer Line.

When looking at different slackline options, you’ll see that there are ones that are designed for bouncing and tricks. For the most part, the longer the line, the more give it has, which is why this slackline is one of the best for extreme sportsmen.

Rather than offering you a standard 50-foot line, you get a whopping 90 feet on which to do any tricks or jumps. When the slackline is this long, you are going to get a lot of bounce and sway, so it’s only recommended for highly experienced people.

While the length of this line contributes the most to its ability to let you do tricks, it’s the material itself that offers support as well. Gibbon Surfer Line makes some of the best slacklines out there, and this one uses dynamic webbing to give you more elasticity without sacrificing durability.

These days, tightening your slackline is as easy as pulling a handle. When the sport was first created, climbers used standard carabiners to get a taut line, but since that can be tricky, almost all modern models come equipped with heavy-duty ratchets. In this case, the handle is longer than normal so that you can get more leverage and tighten the line even faster.

One thing to remember is that you’re going to get a lot of sway no matter what, thanks to the stretchier material and extra long size. Thus, feel free to tighten your loop as much as possible so that you don’t have to worry about dipping too low or sliding.

When you look at most slackline beginner kits, they come with a single training line to help you steady yourself while learning how to balance. However, some people can still struggle as they throw off their center of gravity by leaning to one side.

If you want to make learning even easier for yourself, then you might want to get this kit from Slackline Industries instead. What sets it apart is that it comes with two training lines, which enables you to grab on with both hands.

The benefit of this setup is that you can practice your balance while using the trainer. Since you’re not leaning to one side, you can develop better core strength. Then, once you feel ready, you can take the trainers away, and you should be able to stand up all by yourself.

As far as slackline companies go, we really like the quality and versatility of Slackline Industries products. Each of their lines is made to be resistant to the elements, so even if you leave your line up all the time, it’s not going to get frayed or brittle from exposure to the sun and rain.

That being said, we don’t recommend leaving your line up overnight, but we also understand that it happens.

Another unique feature of this beginner’s kit is that the carrying case is rugged and dependable. In many cases, you get a flimsy drawstring bag that can come apart after a while. However, Slackline Industries makes sure that you can bring your equipment anywhere without any issues.

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Although we can’t sing enough praises about having two trainer lines for learning balance, we also understand that it can be a nuisance to set up three slacklines just to practice. Overall, most people can overcome their issues and utilize one training line to master their skills. While it may take a little longer, it should be sufficient.

As we’ve already seen, Slackline Industries knows a thing or two about making high-quality materials. You get that same commitment with the Play Line kit, so you can rest easy knowing that your slackline isn’t going to fray, crack, or break over time. It’s weather resistant and will hold up in almost any condition.

We talked a bit about having tree protectors, and this kit comes with two of them. Thus, you can maintain control of your line while keeping a smaller imprint on nature in the process. The loops that go around the trees are also rubberized, which helps them grip even tighter and give you the performance you need.

This slackline is two inches wide and 50 feet long. The training line is shorter, but that’s because you should start with a shorter line when learning how to balance. When the line is too long, it has a lot of give, which can make it much more challenging to stay on it. 

With most beginner kits, you get a standard two-inch slackline and a one-inch training line. However, if you have graduated to the point where you don’t need the trainer, then you might want to get this kit instead.

Although it’s billed as a kit for people new to the sport, the fact is that this line works for everyone, all the way up to skilled enthusiasts. We say that because you can get it in two different sizes. First, you can choose the standard 50-foot option, or you can upgrade to the 85-foot version. Having a longer line means more of a challenge, and it’s also well suited for tricks and jumps.

The line itself is also reinforced to ensure that you don’t encounter any problems. One thing that can happen with a ratchet system is that the material can get caught in the gears, leading to fraying. Once that happens, it’s not long before you should get a new line to avoid any safety issues.

Thankfully, this custom weave resists fraying so that it will last longer. Also, the ratcheting system is really simple and effective. Overall, it’s much easier to tighten your line than with other models. The ratchets are double geared to make it as effortless as possible. Also, this line can support up to 300 pounds. 

When slacklining was first introduced, climbers were using their standard ropes and lines to learn how to balance. Because of that, the original slacklines were one inch wide. In the beginning, most lines were that thin, which could make it challenging for new users to master their technique.

These days, almost all new lines are two inches wide, which provides more stability and makes it easier to master the sport. However, when you get a training kit like this one from HopOn, that also means that you get a one-inch guiding line for your hands.

The only reason we mention this is because some people may think that they can challenge themselves by walking on the training line instead of the main line. However, in almost every instance (including with this kit), that can lead to disaster. Training lines are not built to withstand the full weight of a person, so you could wind up crashing if and when it snaps.

Overall, we like this kit because it comes with a super easy ratcheting system. In fact, it’s so smooth and quick to set up that you can do it all one-handed if necessary. There are several different colors from which to choose, and you get a thick carrying bag to hold it all.

Also, this kit comes with a training video to help you get started on your slackline journey. Just another reason to like it.

When you start learning how to slackline, it can be addictive. Because the sport is so challenging, being able to master it can give you a lot of self-confidence and drive to push yourself even further.

With most beginner kits, you get a standard 50-foot line. However, once you learn how to master that, then you want to find something longer so that you can challenge yourself more. Fortunately, this kit from Zen Monkey gives you an additional 10 feet. It may not seem like much, but it’s enough to add a little more sway to the line, which can make it an excellent option for both intermediate and expert-level slackliners.

Overall, this kit has everything you need and more. You get a one-inch training line with its own ratchet, and you get a set of bark protectors to keep any trees you use safe from abuse. The lines are weather-resistant, and they have a multi-weave webbing to ensure that they don’t break.

The ratchets in this kit are also incredible. They have twin gears to make it easier and more efficient to tighten the line, and they have molded handles to make it more comfortable for you. Finally, you get a sleek drawstring bag to contain everything.

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One element of slacklining that we haven’t discussed in detail is the ratcheting system. If you’re not familiar with the way that these work, it can help to learn about them so that you don’t break them or misuse them in practice.

Ratchets are designed to tighten your line by wrapping it around a cylinder. You pull the line through the slot in the middle, and then as you pull the handle up and down, it tightens the line. Low-quality ratchets can get stuck as the gears start to rust, which can be both a pain to operate and make them dangerous.

The ratchets that come with this slackline kit are better than most. First, they have a safety locking mechanism so that there’s no chance of gears slipping. While that’s not usually a problem with any ratchet, it’s nice to have that extra bit of protection. Second, they have a smooth action release. Usually, it’s when you go to loosen the line when the ratchet has problems. This mechanism ensures that you can do this without having to struggle.

Other elements of this kit include a heavy-duty carrying case, a training line to help you master your technique, and water-resistant materials so that you can bring it along wherever you go. This is also a stronger line as it can hold up to 315 pounds. 

Overall, we’ve pretty much covered every element that you can find in a slackline kit. This setup from Ten Toes comes with all of the standard components, which makes it a viable choice for your slackline career.

The line itself is 50 feet long, and you get both a main line and a training line to get started. It also has two tree protectors to provide extra grip while walking. These protectors are a great way to minimize your impact on wildlife, especially if you like to do it in places like the park or the forest.

The ratchets included are quick-release for convenience, and you get a durable carrying bag to hold everything. This line is a little lighter than others, as it can support just 250 pounds, rather than 300.

Our final slackline kit is ideal for beginners, thanks to its ebook instruction manual that comes with the set. Not only that, but you get all of the components you could need to master your slacklining techniques.

Elements included in this set are a main line and training line, tree protectors, and two quick-release ratchets. One unique item that you get with this kit is a ratchet protector. This enables you to walk all the way to the end of the line without damaging the ratchet or your feet.

Overall, we like this kit as it is easy to use, durable, and built to last.

Final Verdict 

When picking out the best slackline, it’s imperative to understand your skill level first. For example, if you’ve already mastered balance and precision, then you don’t need a full beginner’s kit.

So, with that in mind, we want to provide you with our top picks for both newbies and veterans of this exciting sport.

For beginners, we highly recommend the Baseline Kit from Slackline Industries. We love that it comes with two training lines and that the material itself is so robust and reliable. Also, the ratchets are heavy duty, and they offer better tightening than most other models.

If you want to up your game, then the Gibbon Surfer Line is the best of the bunch. Even if you’re not ready to do jumps and tricks, the simplicity and durability of this slackline mean that you can use it however you want. Thus, whether you stretch it over 20 feet or the full 90, you can rely on it to work every time.

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