Safety Information

Please read this page carefully. This isn't your usual product disclaimer. It has specific product safety and maintenance information!

Warning: Slacklining is a potentially hazardous sport. Any person using Slackline Express products is responsible for learning the safety techniques, assuming all risks, and accepting full and complete responsibility for their choice to participate in a sport that could involve property damage, and injuries including death. Failure to use proper safety technique can lead to serious injury or death.

Remember, this is a sport of balance and learning to fall is part of the sport so risk is a factor. Due to the known risks of these types of gymnastic and height related sports, the participant must assume all liability for their own actions.

We strongly recommend you start off walking the slackline at low heights of two to four feet off the ground with a soft pad or grass to land on and that you utilize spotters to assist in preventing injury. Never let a child or inexperienced slacker get on a line without spotters. They need the extra help to make sure they don't get hurt. One spotter should be on each side of anyone new to the sport.

Always ensure the line is secured and that you have something to fall on, or you could easily hurt yourself. If you have ANY doubt that the anchors are secure, the tightening system is working correctly, and that the webbing is safe, DO NOT USE IT. If you have any questions as to what is safe, give us a call. Seriously, we don't mind a call or email; it's much better than one of our customers being hurt.

Avoid getting webbing wet. If you do get it wet, make sure to dry it well, or it could rot and weaken the system.

Inspect your webbing and gear before each use. Check your tree slings and main line carefully for abrasion. Never use frayed or otherwise damaged webbing.

Always pad your webbing from abrasive edges or tree bark. These will slowly destroy your webbing and lead to failure. If and when the webbing has become abraded, it should be retired and replaced (we will be happy to replace it for you as cheap as possible). Assessing abrasion is difficult. See our FAQs for more details.

Never overload the line beyond normal use of one or two people walking the line or use the slackline for any other use than for normal slackline walking. You can and probably will get hurt if that line breaks, as they are under large tensile loads. We've tested each of our products extensively. They should perform fine within the parameters we've set forth on the product information page and this safety page. However, when not used as instructed, many things could lessen the strength of the kit including age of the kit. Follow the guidelines; it’s for your safety. 

The intro and deluxe kits are both fine for two people and big jumps, as long as you keep the stress load under 1800 lbs. Jump mounts are fine as long as they are at  reasonable heights. For additional information on calculating safe loads, contact us with your setup information. You can also use our slackline tensile force calculator.

Tensile load increases as:

• the line gets tighter (less sag in the line while on it)
• the line gets longer
• more weight (or force from tricks or jumps) is placed on the line

Never leave your slackline in the sun for long periods; UV rays can weaken most any gear. 

Keep your gear clean. Dirt and grit gets into webbing and can grind away at it just the same as climbing rope.

Over time if the tightening system gets stiff and harder to use, you should oil the gear mechanism and the part that slides into the teeth. Standard household oil will work, but we've found lithium grease in the spray cans works best and is cheap. Just make sure to clean up the excess before letting webbing touch it. This really isn't a safety issue per say but is always a good idea to ensure smooth operation.

Old kits that we've sold with the steel ring style adjustable tree slings should not be used on extremely tight lines. Instead, retie the knot higher up or use additional wraps around the anchor.

Never let the webbing get pulled up the side of one of the ratchets. It will chew it up if you get it in the teeth. Follow the product instructions on keeping it from going up one side.

If you retie any tree sling knots, ensure you use secure knots, such as an overhand on a bight, bowline knot or a figure eight. Instructions are included with the kit for the bowline knot and are available on this Web site. The "tail" should be on the inside of the loop and be at least two inches long. If the tail of the knot has slipped over time, it should be retied to ensure a long enough tail is available to secure the knot. Contact us for other knot suitability.

If you start to fall, try just stepping to one side. You should come down cleanly rather than falling straight down and letting the webbing snap you. If you’re going to fall hard, keep your arms in and fall in a roll. You’re more likely to break a bone if you try and brace yourself. Take precautions to avoid falling on your neck or head. Take necessary precautions, such as lots of padding and spotters, to avoid critically injuring yourself. If you’re doing risky tricks, always have a large, soft crash pad.

You should always use a harness and a fully redundant safety system for any elevation higher than a comfortable fall. Our standard kits are not meant for highline walking (slacklining above safe falling height) and have not been approved for such use. This line is not intended for climbing, use as life line, or any other purpose than slackline walking.  By purchasing a kit from us, you are agreeing to follow these guidelines and accepting that you are responsible for your own actions while using this product. Everything we sell has a proper way of being used but when used improperly or carelessly may lead to personal injury.

By purchasing this kit, you have agreed to participate in a potentially risky activity. You, therefore, are assuming responsibility of your own actions as well as ensuring that you will abide by the guidelines we set forth for checking the safety of the line and using it responsibly. If you do not agree with this safety disclaimer, do not purchase our product. If you have already purchased it, send the kit back immediately for a refund (refunds amounts vary depending on if the line has been used or not).

We (Slackline Express, Joseph Kuster and all Slackline Express LLC Associates, suppliers or other agents working on our behalf) absolve ourselves of any liability resulting in financial loss, injury, or death in relation to our products.

Slack Safe!