So in my bid to be COOLEST DAD IN THE NEGHBORHOOD(tm) I purchased and have begun setting up a zipline on our property.

Since I live in WV, there is no level ground, which complicates things. I cannot achieve both the recommended starting and ending heights, as well as the drop between points A&B.

I figured DROP is the most important variable so that the kids aren't careening toward a tree at mach 1.5. So I situated the zipline between two trees, got the drop approximately right, optimized the height of A&B as best I could and locked everything down for a trial run. Hellspawn A, Age 8 and Hellspawn B, Age 7, both declared it an immediate success. Hellspawn C, Age 5 damn near died, had I not been there at the terminal end to catch him. He was literally ass-over-teakettle in mid air and I snatched him to safety.

This has me rethinking my setup as well as my umbrella policy, which is currently only a million dollars.

My problem (I think) is that I don't have an "uphill" portion of the run to decelerate. The kids hit the end of the run at full speed. I need a brake or something. One of the little turds WILL get hurt eventually through sheer negligence despite their protestations last evening.

Thoughts? Pointers?

Add one of these at the end.

https://www.ziplinegear.com/products/bsb?variant=33491419137

Been on a few with something like this as the brake

Need pics of setup

Worthless without pics

HTH

I have a neighbor with a similar set up. It looks like they solved the issue by having some slack in the line, it then has to go up before reaching the connection at the bottom.

EMY92 said:

---

I have a neighbor with a similar set up. It looks like they solved the issue by having some slack in the line, it then has to go up before reaching the connection at the bottom.

---

That was my first plan, and I think that's how they're designed, but I have that slope to contend with.

How long of a run? Did you build a platform on the launch end? I would think on a hillside, start at the bottom of the slope and end uphill so that their feet touch at the end. Otherwise, you almost need another platform or step ladder for the kids to get off of it.

Rusty_Shakleford said:

---

How long of a run? Did you build a platform on the launch end? I would think on a hillside, start at the bottom of the slope and end uphill so that their feet touch at the end. Otherwise, you almost need another platform or step ladder for the kids to get off of it.

---

That would be really high, but is probably the best way to get the drop exactly right without bumping their asses on the knoll midway between.

The run right now is around 50 feet. I'm considering alternate locations and a longer run.

Here is what I built. Platforms at both start and finish. Landing platform 12' deep. The white cord at end is a heavy duty bungee cord tied to a braking system on the line. Then I have a second hard stop on the zip line before they hit the tree. There is also a brake on the seat mechanism. Mine is just over 100'. The bungee cord works great but will then rocket them backward about 1/5 of the way back up and sometime they'll get stuck if they don't have enough weight to trickle back down to the platform.

It's been a huge hit. Neighborhood kids are idiots though and I must be out there to help them. I also put kiddie mulch to soften the blow if they should fall off the platform. Oh, and yes, you need some slack. Over tightening will make it way too fast.

Drillbit4 said:

---

Here is what I built. Platforms at both start and finish. Landing platform 12' deep. The white cord at end is a heavy duty bungee cord tied to a braking system on the line. Then I have a second hard stop on the zip line before they hit the tree. There is also a brake on the seat mechanism. Mine is just over 100'. The bungee cord works great but will then rocket them backward about 1/5 of the way back up and sometime they'll get stuck if they don't have enough weight to trickle back down to the platform.

It's been a huge hit. Neighborhood kids are idiots though and I must be out there to help them. I also put kiddie mulch to soften the blow if they should fall off the platform. Oh, and yes, you need some slack. Over tightening will make it way too fast.

---

You, sir, have overachieved.

I do not love my child this much.

We had one for a while. My dad named it the "death trolley" and took it down after a few days. Three broken arms to show for it. Definitely need some kind of brake and don't make it too tight.

My boy scout troop always set one up at one of our camps. Things I learned:

Put some sort of stop ~10ft short of the tree you're tying it off to. That way if the kid panicks and doesn't let go he hits the stop and ends up on his butt rather than face planting into said tree.

Be mindful of weight. At some point in the future you'll have some hefty WV mountain man have a few drinks and decide to give it a try. I'd advise against it without a waiver. We had a guy that was pushing 300 and once he got up to terminal speed the hardware gave out and he started falling. Ended up with a broken ankle complete with pins/screws/etc.

Y'all are just reinforcing that this is every bit the questionable decision I suspected it to be from the start.

This would be my first thought, let gravity slow them down. I've also seen a spring at the end to keep from hitting the tree, but I think it's more of a last resort type of thing rather than primary stop.

CharlieBrown17 said:

---

https://www.ziplinegear.com/products/bsb?variant=33491419137

Been on a few with something like this as the brake

---

I have one similar to this on mine. Works like a charm. But because of the slope, I would also have some slack for extra protection.

Love that you have a kid laying face down at the bottom

Did you borrow neighbor kids to test your death ride?

trouble said:

---

Did you borrow neighbor kids to test your death ride?

---

Two of them.

AggieChemist said:

---

trouble said:

---

Did you borrow neighbor kids to test your death ride?

---

Two of them.

---

I have a 75 foot zip line in my backyard. I built a platform for the start point that is about 6 ft off the ground.

As several have already said, the best way to slow it down is to add some slack to the line.

I also have a brake on mine. If I didn't, the kids would kill themselves slamming into a tree. I built my own brake, but here is one from Amazon that shows the basic concept.
https://www.amazon.com/Line-Brake-System-Stop-Bungee/dp/B0773B3LHC

Its basically just a block that slides over the cable and is attached to a nearby tree with a bungee cord. When a kid is going down the zip line, the hand trolley hits the block which slides down the cable. The bungee cord adds increasing resistance to the block which eventually stops them. You can adjust the tightness of the bungee cord depending on hos fast you want them to brake. My kids come to a stop after about 8-10 feet after hitting the block.

My dad set up a zip line for us when we were kids. He ran it from the fort in the backyard to a big oak. You had to use your feet against the tree to stop yourself. He didn't put a break on it or any uphill section to slow us down. His reasoning was that you will only forget to put your feet up once. It worked.

We had one about 40-50' long out here in Midland, where there are NO HILLS and few trees.
Wrap the end tree like a goal post and/or make the bottom of the zipline end where their feet touch the ground.

You even have XXs for eyes! I'm crying

The one pro zipline I've been on had had hard rubber bumpers spaced between springs at the very end. I think there was a bungee system too.

A friend had one with no slack. They had mattresses on the ground in front of the terminal end tree. You either bailed onto the mattresses or hit the tree. It worked pretty well. I only broke my arm once.

Yeah, you pretty much only screw up once. I survived much more dangerous things than a zip line.

I think stringing a series of long springs with separator plates like big washers at the end would help buffer the end. Like alternating spring washer spring washer spring washer, with big long garage door springs. The trolley hits the lead washer and pushes it into the successive springs and this slows them if they've got some give.

how about a p r i c k ly shrub like a holly or blackberry at the end, in front of the tree? Painful lesson learned, with no broken bones!

Put a large turnbuckle on tree A and adjust the tension up or down to tune the zip line.

Take them over to the Breaks Interstate park, speak with Austin the Park Super and he can get you set up. Then when your done, let the kids zip line across the gorge.

This thread is a classic.

We have one. Bass Pro sells a set-up for like $100. I think the run I have is like 60 feet. Kids love it.

Why not just reverse it and simply pull them uphill?? Seems like a better plan to me than what you have drawn up