UKC

'Slackline walker Dean Potter crosses China canyon'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17811115

No safety line....unlike mr grylls

In reply to ChrisJD: Watching that it really looked like he wouldn't make it. I think I would rather solo Indian Face.

In reply to ChrisJD: respect to the guy...

In reply to ChrisJD:
Awesome. He looked pretty edgy at times. Good effort.

In reply to ChrisJD:

Madness.

I wonder what he was listening to?

In reply to Kipper:

I wonder what he was listening to.
Madness?

Fixed that for you

In reply to ChrisJD:
For some reason I always think that Dean Potter looks like he's really forcing it when he does this type of stuff, in contrast to Alex Honnold who looks very calm.

Obviously I'm sure DP is incredibly focused and stuff, it's just he appears like he's only just about hanging in there!

Maybe it's part of the act - don't want to make it look too easy otherwise people won't be impressed...

In reply to ChrisJD:

I am no slack lining expert, but I have watched few vids of these sorts of things. When people fall off (even with a safety line) they seem to be able to fall off without falling - i.e end up grabbing the line. I guess if you have fallen off enough times and know when to give up and grab the line, the 'no safety rope' isn't so dangerous after all. Not that I'd want to do it mind.

For a 'slack line' that line was pretty tight....

In reply to ChrisJD:

got to be listening be Johnny Cash...

In reply to McBendy:

Problem is when you fall off the line you have to re-mount from underneath which is really hard to do.

Once you have the technique dialled you can save yourself from some pretty serious wobbles which means you always look a bit out of control when slack lining. It's also easier to balance with one foot off, the other leg acts as a massive counter balance much more than the raised arms do.

When you're high lining the line is always tighter then a normal slack-line, you would also have a double webbing system (tubular webbing inside another tubular webbing) for extra strength and safety. If you are wearing a harness and safety leash you never really want to fall on the line and would always try to catch the line with your hands and behind one knee. A tighter line is also harder to balance on as the line wobbles much faster, the dynamics of the wobble also change with every step (closer to the anchor is tighter than in the middle).

Massive respect to the guy, would be a huge head game to do thateven with a safety line set up.

In reply to FiendishMcButton:

Fair play - I defer to your expertise.

In reply to McBendy:

That sounds like a challenge! When will we see you???

In reply to ChrisJD: Don't care what anyone says, that is totally badass!

In reply to genericflipper:

What song?

In reply to Dave 88: One step beyond?

In reply to ChrisJD:

didn't know he was sponsored by Adidas.

In reply to JuneBob:

I'm not sure slacklining and climbing are necessarily comparable.

In reply to Dave 88:
"walk the line"?....

In reply to dek:

Yeah, I was trying to be dry but it doesn't come across the Internet very well!

In reply to ChrisJD:
Is it above deep water?

In reply to Dave 88:
Tiger feet ?

In reply to McBendy:

Mind you has wasn't even wearing a helmet, irresponsible or what???

In reply to Kipper:

Sole music.

In reply to ChrisJD: is it just me who can see the top rope above him then?

In reply to efrance24234:
Must be you, I can't see one

In reply to dek:

10CC - Wall Street Shuffle.

In reply to Niall:

Or of course 'Walking on Sunshine'.

In reply to Niall:

It was Johnny Cash and I walk the line

In reply to ChrisJD: I think they typed an l rather than an n in the second word of the title...