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theclaw
May 25, 2009, 10:43 AM
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Registered: Aug 10, 2008
Posts: 10
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I can't seem to find any recommendations on when I should retire the webbing or biners used for my line. All my gear was bought specifically for slacklining and has never been used for anything else. I think I use a 1:1 tension hitch with two biners to tighten. It might be a 3:1 but it's nowhere close to the 3:1 systems I know for hauling. I don't think it really matters anyways.
Anyways, it's coming on two years that I have been using the same webbing and biners. The webbing is quite clearly worn but is showing no signs of breaking. I figure my webbing will fail before the biners. I have heard that when the webbing fails there is little risk to the slackliner from flying gear. Is this true? Should I walk my line untill failure? Or does anyone have any recommendations on when I should start retiring my set-up?
Fill me in, please.
The Claw
P.S. This is in regards to a low line only. max: 4ft off the deck
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chetroy
May 25, 2009, 12:40 PM
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Registered: Apr 21, 2007
Posts: 26
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The gear will only fly at you if the webbing breaks in a specific spot (gear between you and the break). When you are nervous about gear failure, that is when to replace it (no fun when worried about failure).
pe4ce
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swoopee
May 25, 2009, 6:15 PM
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Registered: Nov 17, 2008
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chetroy wrote: The gear will only fly at you if the webbing breaks in a specific spot (gear between you and the break). When you are nervous about gear failure, that is when to replace it (no fun when worried about failure). pe4ce
Either that or wait til something breaks and hits you in the family jewels. 
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slacklinejoe
May 26, 2009, 12:17 AM
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Registered: Nov 5, 2003
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theclaw wrote: The webbing is quite clearly worn but is showing no signs of breaking.
Take a look at my: Slackline Webbing Wear Chart
The general idea is that there is many ways of damaging a slackline, but from an abrasion standpoint, if you can put your pinky finger in through a hole, retire it. The other lesson is that if it's questionable in your mind, go ahead and retire it. Webbing isn't that expensive and you're likely to get more than your money's worth before it needs to be thrown out. Which leads me to:
theclaw wrote: I have heard that when the webbing fails there is little risk to the slackliner from flying gear.
The reality is this that using an educated guess injuries only occur around 10-20% when a line fails (which really isn't that small of a number), but those injuries usually aren't pretty. If you are lucky, it shoots off without contacting you.
If no hardware hits you, just webbing, it's still a whip across whatever it hits and it can leave huge welts.
If hardware hits you it can do so with enough force to cut you deeply or break bones.
The bigger / tigher the line, the more the force. For example here's a video of a 100 foot line breaking: Destructive testing of a 105 foot slackline
It shoots off like a bullet with enough force to smack the other tree. It had 2oz of metal on the tree sling, but that would have hit an ankle with enough force to break bones.
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