Gibbon Slackline Setup: kit with ratchet

Slackline setup quick and easy and how to walk on it. Keep reading and we’ll show how simple it is. Plus anyone with practice can become talented enough to walk on the slackline.

First things first; What is slacklining? Well, it consist on walking while balancing on a piece of webbing or rope. The slackline will be fixed at two points above the ground and sways a fair bit all the while being stretchy.

There are many different types of slacklines and this sport has evolved immensely during the past few years. I remember starting off only a few years back with a piece of webbing and tightening it with a z-traction and carabiners. We had to be many people pulling in unison to tighten it enough. Nowadays, I can do my Gibbon slackline setup by myself with the assistance of a ratchet.

Steps for a worry-free slackline setup

#1 Find 2 trees that cannot bend when you push on them but not too big that your slackline won’t make it around

#2 Make sure that the ground is even and devoid of any sharp objects (rocks, broken glass)

#3 Wrap old clothes or something around the webbing where it will be around trees. This is to protect both your slackline from sap and the trees from too much chafing

#4 Grab the webbing end that has a loop and no ratchet and go around the first tree. Make sure to place the cloth protection around then feed the webbing into the loop. We usually make a fold in the webbing so that it remains flat and doesn’t spin vertically. It makes it easier to walk onto.

#5 Run to the other tree! Don’t walk! 😉

#6 Feed the ratchet into the webbing loop and secure to tree

#7 Open the ratchet then feed the webbing into the metal slot and pull tight.

#8 Open & Close/ engage the ratchet and start tightening the line. Make sure that you don’t pull too much webbing, it shouldn’t go over the little teeth in the ratchet. If it does it might bind up so just take it apart, pull tighter and start again.