Slacklining: A Tutorial

Walking around campus these days, you may have come across a particularly odd sight that features ordinary college students trying to balance themselves on a thin rope that resembles an elastic band, resting between two trees.

No, these people are not crazy. This odd sort of balancing act is in fact a new sport that has begun to catch on in the area known as Slacklining. These "slackers" as they like to be called spend time "slacking" in an effort to improve their rock climbing skills, which is not unusual as this is from where the sport was originally derived.

Slacklining is defined as a balance sport which utilizes nylon webbing stretched tight between two points, often trees. Slacklining is distinct from tightrope walking, or other forms of rope walking in that the line is not held rigid; it is instead loose like large rubber band, giving walkers the ability to bounce, walk or for the more adventurous enough slack to do tricks.

The sport is rumoured to have originated in its current form in California in the early 1980's. From there the sport has blossomed and as far as one can tell when looking at the hills and trees of Central and Orchard Hill, the sport is gaining a sizable cult following.

Now you know, and will no longer be troubled with such questions as "why are those people wasting their time walking between trees?" or other such confusing questions when gazing in the direction of these dedicated "slackers."