Zip Lines...anyone with 1st hand experience?

[/pine]

I've read a lot and watched a lot of videos on putting up zip lines.
I have a couple of good locations and am interested in possibly installing a couple...

Anyone ever install their own using trees w/landings ?...There are a lot of kits and supplies available of various sizes (and obviously quality)...anyone with hands on experience?

 

[cqaigy2]

The only "non governmental" string lines i've had experience was one a buddy and i built when we were kids. It wasn't thought out real well but it sure was fun. It went from a tree to a telephone pole, about 100' of 1/2" rope and a pulley. It went at a pretty good clip but, at the end of the run, you had to decide whether you wanted to bail out into a field of rocks or attempt to land on the side of the telephone pole. Thru trial and error, it was decided that your chances for bruising went down if you were successful at the bail method, it worked well as long as you were agile enough to land on your feet, if not then the side of the pole it was.

 

[Ridgewalker]

There are short run zip line kits for sale on the internet. Go to you tube and google zip line and you will find some homemade runs. I have 'zipped' a few times, we were always in a body harness
and attached to two lines with 10,000 lbs capacity each. Anchors are key, I saw one home built run with a huge concrete abutment to hold the cable.

I'd love to have one here but it would have to be a half mile long just to be somewhat level going from one side of the valley to the other.

 

[radioman]

I bought a kit from ebay and its the handle type. I find it hard to hold on to and wished I sprung for a harness type. So I strapped a chair to it and the kids had a blast with it. I used my tractor to pull em back up and let em rip on way down.