The Slackline Industries Trick Line is similar to the Gibbon Jibline. It has a single ratchet tension system and bouncy 2-inch webbing with rubber graphics for traction, and is ideal for a trickliner on the go. The single ratchet does limit the amount of tension on the line, which ultimately makes for a good but limited trickline. What differentiates a trickline from a regular slackline, like the Slackline Industries Base Line, is an increased bounciness and strength of recoil in the webbing. As well, these lines have rubbery graphics that create better friction to help your foot land true and stay put with each jump. While we did like this line, if you are serious about throwing down big tricks and practicing on a line similar to what gets used in today's international competitions, check out the Voodoo Fearless instead.
Slackline Industries Trick Line Review
Compare prices at 2 resellers Pros: Bouncy, easy to set-up.
Cons: Limited applications.
Manufacturer: Slackline Industries
The Skinny
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Slackline Industries Trick Line has 50 feet of trampoline-style webbing and one ratchet for tensioning. It also comes with a backup line for extra safety and newer versions also include tree protection.
Performance Comparison
Ease of Set-up
As with other similar 2-inch set-ups, getting this line up and ready for walking is a breeze once you select the appropriate anchors. Wrap the ratchet webbing around a tree or post, do the same with the webbing end, feed it through the ratchet, crank it down and you are ready to go in five minutes. The backup line is easy to install as well. You wrap the extra line around the same tree as the ratchet anchor, thread it through the ratchet handle and loosely secure it by fastening the free end through the double D-ring buckle. This ensures that the ratchet won't come flying at you in the unlikely scenario of the ratchet failing due to the high tension in a trickline.
Versatility
While this line is designated as a trickline, it functions as a decent line to learn to walk on as well. The webbing has a little more kick to its movement but that only slightly increases the challenge of walking. This makes the Slackline Industries Trick Line a good choice if you have both beginner and intermediate slackers to please.
However, because the line comes with a single ratchet and only 50 feet of webbing, it is limited in its depth as a trickline. In order for a line to give you competition worthy air, two ratchets and more webbing are necessary. For a true big air trickline, check out the Voodoo Fearless line instead.
Quality
While the style of this line reminds us of the original Gibbon Jibline, the durability of the webbing is a clear improvement. Because the webbing on this line is a little thinner than a basic 2-inch slackline like Slackers Classic Series Kit, previous tricklines like this suffered from quickly fraying edges. While we did get a little bit of wear when we repeatedly rigged it at the same length, the integrity of the line was maintained.
The ratchet held up nicely under the large forces applied to a trickline. We had no problems with bending handles or with the tension slipping once the line was fully locked. As with other tricklines with highly textured graphics, we did have some melting of the graphics which caused it to catch in the ratchet when we released it after a prolonged session. We experienced the same issue with the VooDoo Fearless.
Disassembly
Disassembling the Slackline Industries Trick Line is marginally trickier than your average ratchet-tensioned slackline. Because the line is coated with sticky graphics to help the slacker's foot stay put in between aerials, the graphics melt to the webbing when rigged under high tension. This causes the webbing to catch on itself and stay in the ratchet even after the ratchet lock has been fully released. It is an easy fix (just pull on the other side of the webbing) and a problem that is universal amongst tricklines.
Features
Marketed as a line for jumps and tricks, the Slackline Industries Trick Line is not your average 2-inch slackline. Super bouncy trampoline-like webbing lets you catch extra air when jumping, provided the tension of the line is high enough. The rubber graphics ensure that your foot stays right where you put it when landing back on the line. The ratchet is no different than those found on other 2-inch Slackline Industries lines, but this kit does come with a back up safety line. While it is rare that a ratchet has failed under the extreme forces of tricklining, this extra feature ensures that if the worst case scenario happens, there won't be a heavy metal ratchet flying at you.
Best Applications
This line is best suited for beginner to intermediate slackers who want to dabble in tricklining as well as those just learning to walk. However, if you are planning to take your tricklining seriously, we advise skipping this line as you'll quickly outgrow it. For a trickline with endless growth potential, check out the Voodoo Fearless.
Value
This is a good budget line for the casual trickliner. It is around the same price as the Gibbon ClassicLine, but it keeps you entertained through more skills progression and with proper care will last years. It is less expensive than the two ratchet Voodoo Fearless.
Conclusion
The Slackline Industries Trick Line is an easily assembled line for those who have beginner and intermediate slackers to please. The durability of the webbing and ratchet plus the moderate price tag make this a great line for your everyday slacker. If you are looking to focus on walking longer and looser lines, check out our Top Pick for Traditional Slacklining, the Balance Community Primitive Line.
— Libby Sauter
