Aloha Tribe,
Loose Rope Walking and Slackling are NOT the same thing. There seems to be confusion out there as more and more people get into Slacklining as they mistakingly call it "loose rope."
With a Loose Rope, the rope is simply tied around two points, such as, trees, rocks, cars, sign posts, or whatevers. And, the rope hangs loosely when it is tied, that is, it is NOT tensioned nor pulled taught in any way, in fact, when strung up, in might rather resemble an elongated letter U. When you walk on it, it looks like a letter V.
A Slackline, on the other hand, is almost always tenstioned until it is semi-taught or fully taught. This can be done in numerous ways, such as my own Ultra-Primitive method of simply using a single rope and knots and nothing else, or, the Primitive Method which uses carrabiners and also sometimes rings, and, the more technological methods which use wenches of various types. In such systems, the Slackline, when it is first hung up, looks like a -. That is, it is parallel to the ground and tight. When you walk on this, it can look like a - if it is very tight, or, more typically, a very lazy extended out U.
Between the two, Loose Rope is astronomically harder to walk on that Slackline. It is also simpler to set up and quicker to set up and only requires just one rope which is what you walk on. This rope, by the way, can be any diameter, and I have them from 11mm all the way to 2 1/2" in diameter and up to several hundred feet long.
I love balance training. And, a great way to increase your surfing balance is by supplemental training, since, any given ride on a wave typically lasts 6 to 20 seconds or so. Thus, using something like a loosely hung rope (manilla is common, hemp less so because it is illegal in the U.S., jute feels great by the way, and even mountain climbing rope works) or a slackline (which is thin nylon webbing), has tremendous advantages, and, it's loads of fun.
All you need is a rope or a long piece of webbing, and two trees or other attachment points such as large boulders, cars, street signs, etc.
If you know how to stake out a line, you can even simply use an A frame type setup with each A staked to the ground to its sides and rear, with the rope or webbing then between the two A's.
Now then, as to rope vs. webbing, personally, I prefer rope for a number of reasons. First, it's more historical in that rope such as hemp rope or the more common manilla rope have been around for ages before nylon webbing was ever developed.
More so, since hemp, jute, or manilla ropes are made of natural materials, as opposed to chemical means like nylon, they have a "life," about them that feels more "alive." Rope moves and feels differently, and, it's so much more eco or green for today's world.
Granted, virtually everybody uses slacklines nowadays simply because they are easy to get and everybody uses them, that is, they are popular because they are popular. Silly, but true.
Sure, webbing is smaller and a bit lighter than rope so it does make slacklines a tiny tiny bit easier to transport, yet, I"ve had no problem with my ropes simply tossed in a canvas backpack.
Now while most today feel that slacklines are the original walking or balancing materials, this is not so. John Gill, the boulder, and a friend of mine, used a chain when he first started, he told me. Chain, while heavy, is easy to get and rather fun to walk on too, though, I must say, it is not like walking on rope, especially the beautiful feel of jute rope, for example.
Now then, on to working the foot. In balancing on a rope or slackline, you are working on your balance, which, as I mentioned, greatly helps your surfing balance. Yet, there is more to it than this. Laird Hamilton, the Big Wave surfer and Waterman's Waterman said in his book that surfing uses specific muscles of the foot and, interestingly enough, I've found that these same muscles can be worked to a truly unlimited degree by walking on rope. And, here is the difference between rope and slacklines. Rope, being round, works the foot more and in greater ways than a flat slackline. Your foot, on a rope, with time and training, wraps around the rope as your muscles become more flexible, and, this very muscle development, which is truly unique to rope walkers and tightwire or tightrope walkers also, leaves, eventually, a permanent "tattoo," as Philippe Petit, the world famous highwire walker said, on the bottom of your foot, the mark, by the way, if the true rope walker and highwire master.
So, if you want to more or less just work on your balance, walk on a slackline. But, if you are truly serious about your surfing, and, if you want to go to places you've never dreamed of in your skill, then, start walking and balancing on rope. If you can get it, the rope walkers dream, of course, is hemp rope. Hard to come by in the U.S. More common over in England. So, you'll probably end up with manilla, which, is perfectly fine. Then, eventually, progress to jute. And, by the way, start with large diameter ropes and work your way down as your feet become more flexible and stronger.
Just like swimmers develop the "swimmer's body," by working out more than they do simply swimming, if you want the surfer's Foot Tattoo of the Rope Walkers art, , then, take up soft rope walking.
Bodaciously Stoked,
Lily of the Valley
Loose Rope Walking and Slackling are NOT the same thing. There seems to be confusion out there as more and more people get into Slacklining as they mistakingly call it "loose rope."
With a Loose Rope, the rope is simply tied around two points, such as, trees, rocks, cars, sign posts, or whatevers. And, the rope hangs loosely when it is tied, that is, it is NOT tensioned nor pulled taught in any way, in fact, when strung up, in might rather resemble an elongated letter U. When you walk on it, it looks like a letter V.
A Slackline, on the other hand, is almost always tenstioned until it is semi-taught or fully taught. This can be done in numerous ways, such as my own Ultra-Primitive method of simply using a single rope and knots and nothing else, or, the Primitive Method which uses carrabiners and also sometimes rings, and, the more technological methods which use wenches of various types. In such systems, the Slackline, when it is first hung up, looks like a -. That is, it is parallel to the ground and tight. When you walk on this, it can look like a - if it is very tight, or, more typically, a very lazy extended out U.
Between the two, Loose Rope is astronomically harder to walk on that Slackline. It is also simpler to set up and quicker to set up and only requires just one rope which is what you walk on. This rope, by the way, can be any diameter, and I have them from 11mm all the way to 2 1/2" in diameter and up to several hundred feet long.
I love balance training. And, a great way to increase your surfing balance is by supplemental training, since, any given ride on a wave typically lasts 6 to 20 seconds or so. Thus, using something like a loosely hung rope (manilla is common, hemp less so because it is illegal in the U.S., jute feels great by the way, and even mountain climbing rope works) or a slackline (which is thin nylon webbing), has tremendous advantages, and, it's loads of fun.
All you need is a rope or a long piece of webbing, and two trees or other attachment points such as large boulders, cars, street signs, etc.
If you know how to stake out a line, you can even simply use an A frame type setup with each A staked to the ground to its sides and rear, with the rope or webbing then between the two A's.
Now then, as to rope vs. webbing, personally, I prefer rope for a number of reasons. First, it's more historical in that rope such as hemp rope or the more common manilla rope have been around for ages before nylon webbing was ever developed.
More so, since hemp, jute, or manilla ropes are made of natural materials, as opposed to chemical means like nylon, they have a "life," about them that feels more "alive." Rope moves and feels differently, and, it's so much more eco or green for today's world.
Granted, virtually everybody uses slacklines nowadays simply because they are easy to get and everybody uses them, that is, they are popular because they are popular. Silly, but true.
Sure, webbing is smaller and a bit lighter than rope so it does make slacklines a tiny tiny bit easier to transport, yet, I"ve had no problem with my ropes simply tossed in a canvas backpack.
Now while most today feel that slacklines are the original walking or balancing materials, this is not so. John Gill, the boulder, and a friend of mine, used a chain when he first started, he told me. Chain, while heavy, is easy to get and rather fun to walk on too, though, I must say, it is not like walking on rope, especially the beautiful feel of jute rope, for example.
Now then, on to working the foot. In balancing on a rope or slackline, you are working on your balance, which, as I mentioned, greatly helps your surfing balance. Yet, there is more to it than this. Laird Hamilton, the Big Wave surfer and Waterman's Waterman said in his book that surfing uses specific muscles of the foot and, interestingly enough, I've found that these same muscles can be worked to a truly unlimited degree by walking on rope. And, here is the difference between rope and slacklines. Rope, being round, works the foot more and in greater ways than a flat slackline. Your foot, on a rope, with time and training, wraps around the rope as your muscles become more flexible, and, this very muscle development, which is truly unique to rope walkers and tightwire or tightrope walkers also, leaves, eventually, a permanent "tattoo," as Philippe Petit, the world famous highwire walker said, on the bottom of your foot, the mark, by the way, if the true rope walker and highwire master.
So, if you want to more or less just work on your balance, walk on a slackline. But, if you are truly serious about your surfing, and, if you want to go to places you've never dreamed of in your skill, then, start walking and balancing on rope. If you can get it, the rope walkers dream, of course, is hemp rope. Hard to come by in the U.S. More common over in England. So, you'll probably end up with manilla, which, is perfectly fine. Then, eventually, progress to jute. And, by the way, start with large diameter ropes and work your way down as your feet become more flexible and stronger.
Just like swimmers develop the "swimmer's body," by working out more than they do simply swimming, if you want the surfer's Foot Tattoo of the Rope Walkers art, , then, take up soft rope walking.
Bodaciously Stoked,
Lily of the Valley
