How Long Is A Trickline? (Tips and Hints)

Tricklining involves using a specially designed trickline rather than a regular slackline for the purpose of performing various tricks, jumps and other fun moves that you may not be able to perform on a standard slackline.

A trickline that is 10 m – 15 m or 33′ – 50′ in length will produce a walkable line of about 8 m – 12 m or 26′ – 38′ taking into the line needed to wrap around the anchor points. A longer trickline of up to 25 m or 82′ may be used for more experienced trickliners.

A trickline is made from trampoline-style webbing to offer dynamic bounces and moves that can’t be performed as easily on a regular slackline.

While a slackline is tightened so that it enables you to walk on it with a little bit of give when you stand on it, a trickline is designed and tensioned to act similar to a trampoline so you can jump and bounce on it.

Let’s take a closer look at the make up and design of a trickline and other aspects of tricklining compared to regular slacklining.

How long should a trickline be?

A typical trickline slackline product is sold between 10 m – 15 m (33′ – 50′) in length. You may also opt for a trickline as long as 25 m or 82′. But that’s not the actual walkable length of slackline that you’ll be left with.

When you wrap the slackline around the anchor points – two trees or two poles for example – some of the length is obviously used up so the actual usable length of the slackline is shorter. You will typically end up with an actual walkable slackline of around 8 m – 12 m or 26′ – 38′ in length after setting up a slackline that is 10 m – 15 m (33′ – 50′) long.

This range depends on how much of the slackline you actually use to tension up the line between the two anchor points. The trickline does need to be set up with enough distance between the anchor points to allow the line to bounce and flex properly. Otherwise if the line is set up too short, it won’t flex well and may hurt your back and legs and inhibit your ability to do tricks.

So the final word on how long a trickline should be is this: It depends on the length of the trickline you’re working with and how you set it up. Set it up at a length that allows you and your respective body weight to do the tricks you want to do.

It also depends on what theory you subscribe to: Some people believe that the 10 m/26′ line is the absolute shortest one that should be used for a trickline whereas others suggest that a line of 25 m/82′ is better.

How tight should a trickline be?

A trickline slackline needs to be tight enough that it doesn’t touch the ground when you stand and bounce on it. It also needs to be tight enough that you can perform whatever bounces and tricks you wish to try.

Tension the line between two anchor points so that you have enough flex to do your tricks but not too tight that you can’t bounce properly.

Buying a trickline set with two ratchets is your best bet. By having a ratchet at each anchor point, you can quickly and properly tighten – or loosen if needed – the trickline to achieve the desired level of tension.

Is a trickline the same as a regular slackline?

We already mentioned that a trickline isn’t the same as a regular slackline but what specifically does that mean? In general terms a trickline is shorter in length than a classic slackline, is 50 mm (2″) in width and has stronger and bouncier heavy duty webbing.

A classic slackline can be 25 mm/1″ or 50 mm/2″ in width. But with tricklining, a 50 mm/2″ wide line is desirable because with double the width, it gives you a wider landing spot when you jump. It also means your body has more line to absorb the impact when you jump and bounce.

A trickline slackline is designed with different material and is most likely shorter in length that the longest regular slackline you can find. A trickline is designed to be bouncier than a regular slackline in order for you to perform the tricks.

A trickline usually comes with a rubberized and non-slip surface to account for keeping your balance as you jump and bounce, too.

How much different is a trickline to walk on?

This is a loaded question because it depends on who you ask: Some people don’t notice a difference but some do.

Some slackliners find a trickline harder to walk on than a classic slackline since it is bouncier. You may find that the ends of the trickline are where it’s easier to walk on and the center is more dynamic and thus better for tricks.

Since the goal of a regular slackline is to walk from one end to the other and perhaps do a few tricks involving balance, a longer slackline might be desirable. As you get more skilled you might want to increase the challenge with a longer slackline.

But the purpose of a trickline is to do tricks and jumps on it so a very long length isn’t as desirable. While you need decent length of course as we spoke about above, you also need a line that isn’t too long that will prevent you from getting the tension you require for successful tricklining.

What can you do on a trickline that you can’t do on a regular slackline?

While you can walk on both a trickline and slackline and you can also do basic tricks and jumps on both lines, there are some tricks that are better suited to a trickline only.

Slackline: You can walk on a slackline of course but you can also do basic jumps, some bounces, sit on the slackline, walk sideways, turn around and walk backwards among other “tricks.”

Trickline: You can do the same things mentioned above with a slackline but a trickline also enables you – if desired – to do funkier jumps and tricks.

Common tricks you can do on a trickline include chest bounce, butt bounce, flips, spins and even a 360° if you’re so inclined. The video at the bottom of the page shows some examples live and in color.

Trickline facts and figures

A typical trickline kit will come with the following:

Length: A minimum length of 10 m – 15 m or 33′ – 50′ is what you will normally find in popular trickline kits. Some believe that a trickline of 15 m (50′) is the minimum length necessary and a longer one up to 25 m (82′) is ideal.

Width: Choose a webbing that is 50 mm or 2′ wide to give you a nice wide landing spot and also so that the impact on the body is spread out over a wider area.

Material: Tricklines are commonly made with polyester webbing with elastic reinforcement and a non-slip grip on the outside.

Ratchet: A decent trickline kit will commonly come with 2 ratchets – one for each anchor point – so that you can quickly and properly tension the line.

Tree protection: Is usually included in a quality set so you can protect the trees you’re anchoring to. Tree protection not only protects the trees but your slackline too: Outer bark of a tree can damage slackline webbing rather easily.

Final thoughts

A trickline is a slackline made from bouncier webbing than a classic standard slackline. It acts similar to a trampoline and gives you the ability to bounce and jump more so than with a classic slackline.

When might you choose to buy a trickline and begin tricklining?

If you feel you’ve mastered the classic slackline – or simply want a new challenge – tricklining might be the next logical step in your slacklining experience.