Loonix.technigga.net

A highline is a slackline set up high. You may have guessed that much already. Much rigging knowledge and gear is required to be able to do this relatively safely. The funny thing about the highline is that it is no different than the slackline, except for the gorge beneath your feet. The same basic 10 meter line that you perform impressive tricks on at groundlevel will still be very challenging to simply walk, if it's your first highline.

Picking a spot

Ola hanging on the line

To rig a highline you need to either have much experience with climbing and rigging, or you need an experienced highliner with you to help. Preferably both. First of all: higher is safer! There is nothing more dangerous than a "highline" at 5 meters. That's enough height to break your neck in a fall, but too low for your leash to stop you before hitting the ground.

Secondly, consider the rock at the edges of your gap. If they aren't overhung, they need padding. A leash fall right at the edge can hurt you badly. It will be the same as an uncontrolled 3 meter fall into solid rock. Not pleasant. If you're smart, you'll wear a helmet too.

The final part on picking the right spot for a highline is to consider your choices in anchors. The force generated from a leash fall near the end of a tight line can tear apart regular climbing gear made for traditional climbing. Therefore as a beginner, you should avoid such equipment for highlining. Use solid trees, or bolts in solid rock.

The system

Your system will consist of a main line, and a backup line. As a main line, you could use a regular slackline, just make sure it's in good shape. In my system, I use a regular 25mm tubular line (21kN), threaded with a 15mm tubular line. My backup is a regular untightened dynamic climbing rope, taped to the main line. The main and backup lines must work as two seperate systems! That is, do not connect your backup line to the same anchors as your main line. I use two bolts on each side for each line, that is 8 bolts in total. I also use steel carabiners on the main line. That, combined with my threaded line, means that the chances of ever having to to fall back (no pun intended) on the backup system are delightfully low. Rig your main line like your life depends on it (because it does!), and then add another bomber safetymeasure on top of that.

Some of our system

Now for the leash. Make it long enough to not be of annoyance when walking, but no longer than that either. Personally I use a piece of climbing rope. A sling with a screamer connected works too. Around the line, I use two figure-8s (two, because I prefer not to trust my life to a single piece of lightweight aluminium during a factorfall). Do not use regular carabiners, they treat your line badly during a leash fall, and may also be crossloaded, in which case they may very well break. As for the tightening, I'll leave that as an exercise for the reader. Just make sure you know which part of your system that is the weak link, and how weak that link is. Consider removing the tightening system entirely from your system, or at least hand tighten a piece of line back to your anchor so that the line only goes loose if the tightening system fails. Finally, make sure that no part of your main or backup lines ever touches rock, either during normal use, or in a fall. Very tight nylon breaks easily if rubbed against sharp rock.

As in any activity involving heights and stupid people (yes, you), simplicity is golden. Planned accidents never happen. When shit hits the fan, it is always because of something you had never even considered possible. A simple system is far less prone to unforeseen issues.

When you fall on the highline, grab the line! Leash falls hurt, they put a very high load on the system, they are quite dangerous near the end of the line, and they have been known to hurt backs.

If you want to practice for highlining on a slackline, set up long, loose lines. It is rare to find very short highlinespots, and a loose line is safer than a tight one. Practice starting directly from the anchor. You may also want to try hanging under the line, and mount it from there. Could come in handy ;) When you fall, do it controlled, think "Catch the line!" If you can't do this, keep practicing before trying on a highline!

This is a rough guideline for you to start your research into highlines. Check out the forums on www.slackline.com, there is much good information there. Highlining is not all that dangerous as long as you do everything right! If you happen to be norwegian, try the forums on www.slakkline.no. They may prove to be even more useful than slackline.com. Either way, you'll probably see different ways, and different opinions on how to do this. On this page I've explained my method (but not in full detail, mind you - don't go and kill yourself based on this).

Disclaimer: I expect you to think on your own. Too much to ask? :)

Some pictures