What Is A Primitive Slackline? (vs Ratchet System)

You might come across the term primitive slackline in terms of the set up and wonder what it means.

A primitive slackline set up involves use of metal caribiners, rings and the slackline itself as a tensioning system to fasten a 1″ wide slackline up to 100′ (30m) in length. A slackline set typically comes with 1-2 ratchets to more easily tension a 2″ wide line up to 65′ (20m) in length.

Some experienced slackliners like to set up their own slackline with a primitive set up. It can also be advantageous when traveling and you don’t wish to carry heavy, bulky ratchets with you. Others prefer the ratchet system.

So you can choose whether you use a primitive slackline set up – also called an Ellington after its inventor – or a ratchet for tensioning. But each has its own pros and cons and in some cases you might better off using one over the other.

Below we’ll talk about what you need for a primitive slackline set up, why you might utilize this system and watch a detailed video to visualize how you set it up! We’ll also talk about the length limitations of both options.

Why use a primitive slackline set up rather than a ratchet system?

You can use a primitive slackline set up if you don’t have a ratchet system or if you simply prefer this style of set up over a ratcheted one. If you’re traveling light, you may not want to carry the extra weight of one or two ratchets and thus a primitive set up may be better for you.

You tend to find 1″ wide slacklines are good with a primitive set up whereas 2″ wide slacklines will come with a ratchet to tension the line.

A primitive system tends to allow for longer slackline set ups than a ratchet system. A primitive slackline set up can typically handle slacklines up to 100′ (30m) in length whereas the average basic ratchet will allow for a slackline up to 65′ (20m) in length.

Once you get past 100′ or 30m in length, the strength required to properly ratchet up a slackline becomes very hard and eventually a ratchet system becomes impossible to use. At some point, you’re going to have to use a pulley system which can be more technical and expensive to set up.

So a primitive slackline system is used by people who desire a longer usable slackline than that allowed by a ratchet system and when they simply prefer the use of a manually tightened slackline over a mechanically tensioned one.

What do I need for a primitive slackline?

In order to set up a primitive slackline, you require at a minimum the following:

• Slackline – You will use the slackline as part of the inline pulley system to attach to the trees and tension the line. For a walkable slackline length of 50′ – 65′ (15m – 20m) you’ll need to use a slackline that is 65′ – 100′ (20m – 30m) long.
• Carabiners – A carabiner is an oblong metal hook typically made from steel or aluminum with a spring-loaded clip that has traditionally been used in mountaineering, climbing, sailing and other activities to set up and connect ropes. You will typically use up to 4 carabiners for a primitive set up.
• Metal rings – You will also use metal rings or chain locks. A minimum of 2 metal rings are typically used for a primitive slackline set up.

Primitive slackline set up vs ratchet slackline set up

Here’s a summary of a primitive slackline set up vs ratchet slackline set up and why you might prefer one over the other.

	Primitive slackline set up	Ratchet slackline set up
Description	A simple mechanism that utilizes a ratchet to mechanically tighten the slackline with a limited capacity.	A more detailed tightening option that involves steel or aluminum carabiners, metal loops and the slackline webbing itself to tension the slackline.
Length	Good for basic slacklines up to around 20m long.	Good for slacklines up to around 30m in length.
Weight	Lighter. The carabiners and metal rings are very small, light and transportable.	Heavier. The ratchets can be bulky and heavy to carry if you are tight for space and especially if you require two ratchets.
Ease of use	More set up is involved and you need skill to install it and tension the line properly.	A simpler set up than the primitive system.
Downsides	It’s difficult to reduce tension and requires strength to tighten the line. You also need skill to set it up properly.	It’s difficult to reduce tension and the ratchet has moving parts which will eventually break. The reel on the ratchet has limited capacity which is why some systems come with two ratchets to double the capacity.
Cost	Relatively low price.	Relatively low price.

How do I rig and tension a primitive slackline?

Here is a short video that shows the set up, rigging and tensioning of a primitive slackline between two trees from beginning to end.

It utilizes 4 carabiners, 2 rings and a 1″ tubular slackline webbing for the set up. A tubular webbing of 65′ – 100′ (20m – 30m) in length is required for this set up to produce 50′ – 65′ (15m – 20m) of walkable line.

Summary

Whether you use a primitive slackline set up or ratchet system, always ensure you use tree protection when using them as anchor points. Slacklines can damage trees and while tree protection is the right thing to use, in many public areas it’s also a requirement for slacklining.

Expect that a primitive slackline set up will take you a bit longer than a ratchet system to learn and perfect. Over time and with practice you can become familiar with both depending on what you need i.e. depending on the length of the slackline you’re setting up.

Final comment: While I have seen some slackline ratchet sets with lines up to 100′ (30m) in length, you typically find slackline ratchet sets up to around 80′ (25m) easy to find.