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bigwallfun
Jun 6, 2004, 11:07 PM
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Who is the best slackliner in the world today? Yep a lot of people walking the line today. So many bold young slackers like Braden Mayfield, Mark Weiner, Wes Ellis and many more. my vote would have to go to Dean Potter and Darrin Carter for there leashless walks of the Lost Arrow, but you can forget about Shawn Snyder also.
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corbin
Jun 7, 2004, 1:59 AM
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Are we not forgetting the greatest slacker of all time? How about ole' chongo? He can rip for being how old he is. Man, he taught everyone how to walk, darrin, dean, ric then they picked it up from there. And it slowly has started to spread over the past 30 years or so its been around. Dunno, thats how I see it anyways.
-corbin.
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hollywoodcragmonkey
Jun 7, 2004, 3:41 AM
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I don't want to be dissing anyone's accomplishments, but since this is a climber's sight, does it really matter who is most probably going to get a call from Wringling Brothers in the next few weeks?
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coylec
Jun 7, 2004, 6:06 AM
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*** WARNING: RANT ***
Who the heck cares? Why should anyone care? This is the same bull that starts those stupid discussions of "who's the best climber ... " I mean, seriously, does it really matter? Some unlucky individuals who happen to have the combination of genetic, environmental and mental attributes that propell them to be really good climbers become sponsored and then become media darlings whose every climb and endevear becomes a commercial publicity stunt. I mean, I don't know about anyone else's level of skill, but I'm fairly certain that, regardless of training, I will never climb 5.14d and neither will 99% of this site's users.
Hikers don't argue about who's the "best hiker in the world." Has climbing (and slacklining, as a part of climbing) become nothing more than hypercompetitive "sport", rather than an individual pursuit of the "freedom of the hills." Every forum post about some statistic fluke of the gene pool doing something pisses me off, because it detracts from the thousands of climbers out there every day doing their own thing. It creates an environment where those who happily climb 5.6 must justify their existence. It creates a community which tolerates guidebooks which only include climbs 5.8 and above. It creates a standard where a crag which has 100 <5.6 climbs is less valuable than a crag which has 10 >5.10 climbs. It creates an atmosphere where only the numbers matter, rather than the experience.
I'm a great climber ... not because I can lead 5.10 or climb C2, but because EVERY time I've ever climbed, I've had a wonderful time. My day is a success when I can spend time CLIMBING ... regardless of what grade or what style. Doesn't matter if I'm leading sport with a handful of draws, toproping a 5.2, cleaning a hook traverse or hauling 250lbs of gear ... I always win: I'm climbing.
Why do you care who the best slackliner is? Do you long to be the best slackliner? Will it increase your enjoyment of slacklining? Or it is just another way to attempt to codify participants into a numerially ordered list in order to judge their relative worth?
coylec
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crimpandgo
Jun 7, 2004, 9:21 PM
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"does it really matter who is most probably going to get a call from Wringling Brothers in the next few weeks?"
"Who the heck cares? Why should anyone care? "
***WARNING: REBUTTAL****
If you don't care, why are you reading the post and making disparaging remarks? If you dont like the topic, don't read it. That is why there is a title to each post... so you can IGNORE it if you don't wan't to read it. Maybe other people DO care about such a topic.
*** REBUTTAL ****
As for me, I would have to say Dean Potter. But my answer may come from watching some of his sick climbing as well as his slacklining advantures. The guy is truely rad.
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malabarista
Jun 7, 2004, 10:03 PM
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Sorry, but the best is almost certainly not a climber. Circus acrobats have been doing this stuff for centuries, and they do stuff like backflips, juggling and balancing objects while doing it. Some climbers think slack line walking is something new, but it's been around for centuries.
Would you be impressed by a circus act where the high wire acrobat just walked across it doing nothing else? I think not. While it's certainly impressive to see shots of highlining, the only ground being broken is the height. But like falling from 200 feet or 1000, the result of a fall of that height is the same.
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jookyhead
Jun 7, 2004, 10:08 PM
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In reply to: Sorry, but the best is almost certainly not a climber. Circus acrobats have been doing this stuff for centuries, and they do stuff like backflips, juggling and balancing objects while doing it. Some Climbers think they invented slacklining, but the best at this are certainly not climbers.
Don't get slacklining confused with tight-rope walking. There's quite a difference.
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malabarista
Jun 7, 2004, 10:08 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Sorry, but the best is almost certainly not a climber. Circus acrobats have been doing this stuff for centuries, and they do stuff like backflips, juggling and balancing objects while doing it. Some Climbers think they invented slacklining, but the best at this are certainly not climbers. Don't get slacklining confused with tight-rope walking. There's quite a difference.
I'm not confused. In fact, I can do both. I know several jugglers who can balance on a slackline while doing 5 clubs. It's worlds beyond what I've seen any climber do on one.
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timstich
Jun 7, 2004, 10:10 PM
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In reply to: Don't get slacklining confused with tight-rope walking. There's quite a difference.
And the difference is what? Style? One uses a pole at times and one used to play hackey sack?
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malabarista
Jun 7, 2004, 10:12 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Don't get slacklining confused with tight-rope walking. There's quite a difference. And the difference is what? Style? One uses a pole at times and one used to play hackey sack?
The primary difference is that the tighter the line gets, the more upper body balance is used as opposed to lower body balance. I've seen jugglers on a completely slack rope (no tension) and those working on tight wires (almost zero flex).
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corbin
Jun 8, 2004, 12:01 AM
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TomStitch, Nice picture. Philippe Petit, world trade towers walk, August 7th 1974. You wouldnt belive the extent that Philippe went to rig this thing, next time your at a libary, look up one of his great books- To Reach The Clouds, all about the tale of his riggin and walking of the World trade towers. Amazing accompishments.
When asked why,
"When I see three oranges, I juggle; When i see two towers, I walk!" I think thats great.
Also, Yes. I do agree that there are many circus entertainers out there that are pretty damm badass. But dood, you have to admit that walking something like the spire with 2700 of air below you is pretty dammm sick! Just shows you the barriers that the mind can break. Its something you work up to. Just dont die.
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moabdirtgirl
Jun 8, 2004, 12:29 AM
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Larry, because he always brings the beer. :D
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alpnclmbr1
Jun 8, 2004, 12:30 AM
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One for the list of slacklining tricks.
Jim Hurst can do four (or five?) hula hoops in different directions while walking a line.
He also likes to go for 100 mile jogs.
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daisuke
Jun 8, 2004, 12:40 AM
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I must agree with malabarista, slacklining is done by climbers, rope walking is done by circus performers, either way they latter have been doing it for a much longer time than climbers and without any harness on too, so who is the best in the world now? I'd say dean potter... but there have been greater tight rope walkers than him
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manacubus
Jun 8, 2004, 12:52 AM
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Total n00b question (I know zero about slacklining), but why is Dean so good? Sure, he has a well-known steely nerve (El Cap soloing etc.) and can obviously walk the big gaps, but what else? Is he super technical and can do all the tricks? Does he do backflips?
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crimpandgo
Jun 8, 2004, 4:46 PM
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the original question didn't who was the best tightrope walker, or who did the best tricks.
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slackdaddy
Jun 8, 2004, 4:48 PM
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Corbin, While Chongo holds the record for the oldest guy to walk the L A Spire (he last did it at age 49) he did not start slackline nor did he teach Darrin Carter or Ric to slackline. I don't know about Dean. Chongo is fond of telling people he taught me to slackline, it's not true, (I learned from watching Adam Grosowsky and Jeff Ellington, same place Chongo first saw it) although with out Chongo slackline may have died out.
To malabrista, circus tradition is long with many greats, mostly now dead. I must go to the really lame circuses 'cus I've seen alot of bogus circus highwire tricks and not very many really amazing ones. As far as juggling five clubs, thats a good trick. But that's a juggling trick. Just because you can do it while on a line does not make it a good slackline trick. It is quite possible that somewhere someone performs slackrope up high with no pole, net or leash. I have never heard of such a trick being done in recent times.
I know for a fact that Darrin Carter has walked the Lost Arrow Spire without a net, pole or leash. Shawn Snyder and Dean Potter have also walked without leashes up high although I'm not certain which walks.
Hmmm, juggle five clubs close to the ground or walking nearly 3000' above Yosemite Valley with no pole, leash, crowds or money, which is more rad?
I would never dis Phillipe Petitte, one of my heros, but did you know the Lost Arrow Spire is twice as high as the World Trade Center was?
When malabrista's friends juggle those five clubs at the Spire with no leash, pole or net they will have my vote. Until then I will have to go with Shawn Snyder or Dean Potter.
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slackdaddy
Jun 8, 2004, 7:11 PM
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I also agree with coylec for the most part.
It's all about balance in the moment.
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bigwallfun
Jun 8, 2004, 8:42 PM
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That was a Great post Slackline daddy :D
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wideguy
Jun 8, 2004, 8:54 PM
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Another total noob comment.
The whole slackline vs. tightrope arguement seems valid because from the pics I've seen the really impressive highline stuff I see picks of, those lines are not what you would generally call "slack." So in that light, comparisons between the great highliners of today and circus acrobats are probably legitimate.
That said, I have no idea. I find them all rather amazing
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stevep
Jun 8, 2004, 8:59 PM
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I have to guess the answer to this depends on your definition of best. Is is the ability to perform tricks, or walk long lines in windy conditions, or walk high lines without a tether? I'd vote for tricks, as I'm not sure the high lines take an exceptional amount of skill, but rather good skills and a lot of balls. To take an example of this, I wouldn't say that Dan Osman was anywhere near the best climber of his day, just because he did some moderately hard, high solos.
On a side note, are there any well-known female slack-liners? I've not heard of any, or seen any pics, perhaps making slack-lining even more male dominated than climbing.
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areyoumydude
Jun 9, 2004, 12:45 AM
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In reply to: Larry, because he always brings the beer. :D
Ha ha, thanks moabdirtgirl.
Scott Balcom Is the smoothest slacker I have ever seen. I don't really know what would qualify someone as the best. Metolius Shawn, Bradon Mayfield, and Dean Potter are all really sick.
As for girl slackers Vegen Jen and Lori(T.C.)Butz have both done highlines.
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coylec
Jun 9, 2004, 4:41 AM
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In reply to: ***WARNING: REBUTTAL**** If you don't care, why are you reading the post and making disparaging remarks? If you dont like the topic, don't read it. That is why there is a title to each post... so you can IGNORE it if you don't wan't to read it. Maybe other people DO care about such a topic. *** REBUTTAL ****
I'm reading the post (and responding to it) because I have something I want to say. I have nothing against slacklines, slacklining, or slackliners (though, I personally think it should be in Speciality, rather than Information).
More specifically, my comments were directed to those who do care about the topic. Regardless of the merits of my argument, I think that it is important to realize that the choice to assign numbers and quantify the activity degrades the activity: discursive actions have ideological consequences, yet many (most?) do not think about the systemic values that are perpetuated by their discourse. The entrenchment of a ideological system where value is determined by rank is as easily accomplished through discussion without thought to consequences as it is through explicit statement.
coylec
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bigwallfun
Jun 9, 2004, 8:21 PM
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Coylec, you sounds like you love to hear your self talk. maybe you should put your mouse down and get outside and enjoy life instead of bitching about something you don't even do. there's nothing like friendly competion it makes us work harder to be better.
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