What To Wear When Slacklining (Answered)

Slacklining requires relatively little equipment which we’ve already discussed on this website in another article.

Once you buy the slackline itself along with the ratchet system, tree protection and perhaps a topline if you’re starting out, you’re pretty much set.

But what about the actual clothing you need to wear? Since you want to be both comfortable and safe when taking part in slacklining, we should take a closer look at your wardrobe so to speak.

Loose fitting clothing is ideal for slacklining. Shoes with a thin sole and grip help to protect your feet and toes from getting caught in the webbing. They also keep your feet warm during cold weather and protect them when you fall on the ground.

Once you have the loose fitting and comfortable clothing, the real question is whether to go barefoot or wear slacklining shoes…

Let’s take a closer look at specific clothing choices you can consider on your feet and body for the most comfortable and safest experience.

Slacklining barefoot…What could go wrong?

It isn’t difficult to imagine what might happen if you are standing on a slackline with barefeet and as you lose your balance and fall off the line, a toe(s) gets caught on the webbing.

It happens and can lead to a fractured toe(s) or other injury and in fact, you can find plenty of examples online of slackliners who have suffered this sort of injury.

There is also the possibility that if your bare foot slips as you jump off the slackline, a toe can get caught on the webbing and as the slackline snaps back up, it could cut your toe. Again, there are plenty of stories online about this occurring too.

Slacklines are made of rough and strong material obviously and when they snap up at a high rate, they can cause some damage to bare feet.

Your pinky and big toes are particularly susceptible since they are the extremities.

Slacklining with or without shoes: Which is better?

While slacklining with or without shoes is a personal choice, there are some benefits and downsides to be aware of.

Benefits of Slacklining With Shoes	Downsides of Slacklining With Shoes
Offers extra grip on the slackline to keep your balance.	Some people prefer the feel of their bare feet directly on the slackline.
Protects your toes from getting stuck in the webbing.	Shoes can get wet if you slackline over water and can get uncomfortable and cause blisters if they rub.
Protects your feet when you fall off the slackline in case you land on a stone or glass.	When your feet sweat, the shoes can smell and get full of bacteria especially if you use shoes that don’t have antibacterial properties.
May offer some protection to your ankles from rolling when you fall off the slackline.	Some people find that while a 2″ wide line works well with shoes, a 1″ wide line is better with bare feet.

If you consider wearing slacklining shoes, find a pair that fit right, are thin enough that you can still feel the line below you, have antibacterial properties and have a decent grip on the sole.

While you can choose slackline-specific shoes, you can also try watershoe-style shoes or other thin, lightweight shoes with a grip on the bottom.

Slacklining: What to wear on your body?

Depending on your level of experience and slacklining style, your chosen outfit may differ.

Experienced slackliner: If you’re an experienced slackliner, you might go for basic loose-fitting clothing including short sleeved shirt, shorts and no shoes.

You may also choose to wear slacklining shoes if you like the feel and want to have protection or if it’s a bit chilly out. Your feet can get cold as the temperature drops or if your feet get damp.

Newbie slackliner: If you’re new to the sport, you still want to go for loose-fitting clothing but you also might try something with sleeves. Wearing track pants or other loose-fitting long clothes can help protect your lower body as you’re learning how to fall. The slackline is rough and when it snaps up on your skin, it can hurt and leave a bruise(s). Falling off the line is a skill you will learn and if you’re wearing long pants, it’ll help protect your legs.

Highlining: You’ll often see highliners wearing a loose-fitting long-sleeved shirt and long pants which acts as protection for your body if and when you fall off the line. When you try to climb back up, your body is going to make contact with the line and having long sleeves and pants helps to protect as your body is rubbing against the slackline.

What about slackline gloves and ankle protection?

Some newbies might consider wearing gloves as hand protection. When you fall off the slackline, you’re going to fall onto the ground and when that happens, we tend to instinctively use our hands to protect ourselves. Fingerless gloves such as weightlifting-style gloves can help to protect your hands and wrists.

You may consider actual wrist protectors similar to ones you use for rollerblading with the hard plastic protection covering your palms so that your hands are protected if you land on the ground face first and use your hands to protect yourself.

As an aside, you may also consider wrist bands which are effectively sweat bands if you tend to sweat a lot.

Ankle protection is another question to think about. Is it necessary? If you’re concerned about rolling your ankles, it’s something to consider but the bulkier your shoes, the tougher it’ll be to stay on the slackline. Slackline shoes tend to be thin and light to give you the feeling that you’re barefoot even when you aren’t.

Summary

The thing to remember about what to wear when slacklining is light and loose. Light, loose-fitting clothing and thin shoes (if you choose to wear them) is your best bet. The lighter you are, the better chance you’ll have of remaining on the slackline.

Do remember that you will fall off the slackline and will need to learn how to fall. The sooner, the better. When you fall, try to fall away from the slackline rather than feeling like you need to grab the slackline to maintain your balance. Falling is a natural and expected outcome of slacklining and the sooner you learn the skill, the better.

You’ll see that experienced slackliners tend not to dress specifically for slacklining and other than the shoes vs no shoes debate, tend to wear loose fitting short-sleeved shirts and shorts.