Safety notice
Slacklining carries a genuine risk of injury. Please read this before you use anything you find here.
Last updated 23 October 2026.
What this site is
Slacklining.co.uk is a general information website. It explains how slacklining equipment works and what the differences between types of equipment mean in practice.
What this site is not
It is not instruction. It is not coaching. It is not supervision. It is not a safety certification, an inspection standard, or a substitute for the instructions supplied with your own equipment.
Nothing here has been reviewed by a qualified slackline instructor, an engineer, or an arboriculturist. No page on this site should be treated as a competent person's assessment of whether a particular setup is safe.
The main hazards
Falling
You will fall off. That is normal and it is how people learn. It becomes dangerous when the line is set too high, when the ground beneath it is hard or uneven, or when there is something to hit on the way down. Keep beginner lines low — around knee height — and keep the area under and beside the line clear.
Stored energy
A tensioned slackline holds a very large amount of energy. If webbing, a ratchet, a connector or an anchor fails under load, that energy is released instantly and the hardware can travel at speed. Stand clear of the line of pull while tensioning, keep your head away from the ratchet, and never let anyone stand behind an anchor.
Ratchet injuries
Ratchets catch fingers. They can also release suddenly if the handle is not fully closed or if the webbing is incorrectly loaded. Treat a loaded ratchet as a hazard in its own right, keep children away from it, and release tension in a controlled way.
Anchors and trees
An anchor failing is the most serious thing that can happen. Trees that are dead, diseased, hollow, shallow-rooted or too slender can fail under slackline loads, and dead branches overhead can come down when a trunk is loaded and vibrating. Equipment not designed for slacklining — climbing rope, ratchet straps intended for cargo, improvised hardware — should not be used.
Height
Highlining and any line set above a safe falling height is a different activity with different equipment, different redundancy requirements and a different margin for error. Nothing on this site prepares you for it. Seek qualified in-person instruction.
Before you set up
- Read and follow the instructions that came with your own equipment. They take precedence over anything on this site.
- Inspect webbing and hardware for cuts, fraying, corrosion and deformation before every session.
- Check that you are allowed to rig where you are standing, and use tree protection.
- Look up. Check for dead branches above the line and the landing area.
- If you are unsure whether something is safe, do not do it.
Health conditions
Slacklining places demands on balance, joints and the lower back. If you are pregnant, recovering from injury, or have a condition affecting your balance, bones, joints or blood pressure, speak to a medical professional before starting.
Your responsibility
You are responsible for your own safety and for the safety of anyone using a line you have rigged. By using this site you accept that the decisions you make with your own equipment, in your own location, are yours.
See also our terms and conditions.