Build a Zip Line

Building a zip line is a great summer project. It is both challenging and enjoyable to build, and when done safely provides hours of exciting fun for everyone. There are several ways to approach your project.  You can build it yourself, purchase a kit, or hire a zip line construction professional installer. Get advice from many sources including industry experts if you are at all unsure of what to do. The links and pages contained in this website do not constitute instruction, advice or guidance but are intended for general enjoyment as explained in the disclaimer.

Check your local zoning office and community covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) to decide what approvals may be needed. Zoning applies to the type of use. CC&Rs apply to community standards. Permits apply to construction standards and safety. If any approval is needed prepare and present the zip line plans highlighting how you resolve any construction code or safety concerns. Check permitplace.com to gather facts and educate yourself on requirements in your area, then call your municipal building code authority to talk to an inspector about your plan.

If you are building a zip line yourself, here are some zip line equipment items you may consider.

Add a Comment ... Visitors to this site may benefit from your experiences, what worked, what didn't, lessons learned and tricks and tips you may have to offer.

Question Sent in by: Iredell
Will 5/16 telephone strand work for cable or must it be aircraft cable? [Reply]

Question Sent in by: Brian
I have a possible zip line location stretching 650 feet across a canyon. Is this too far, using 3/8 7x19 GAC? Want to know before I go any farther in this project. any advice appreciated. [Reply]

Reply: Steve
Check with an engineer on this question. The 100 ft kits use 1/4 and 3/8 inch cable, so I wouldn't be comfortable going beyond 100' with that size cable. Professional zip lines use 1/2 in cable or higher; and many of them have a backup cable the same size. This is especially important since you are going over a canyon; presumably a dangerous height. With greater distances the live load increases due to a variety of factors. The live load can spike over the cable limit, so it's not a matter of going by the published cable strength. You can contact one of the many zip line or canopy tour companies and ask for their engineering contact. Also, the professional ropes course association has a developed ANSI standards for zip lines available to the public for a small fee at http://www.prcainfo.org/.

Comment by: Port Dover, Ontario
I built a 300 foot zip line from a tree to another tree across the field at my house. It's attached to a very thick pine tree and the cable passes over the garage roof 20 feet later, that's where you hook onto the line. It goes across the field to another maple tree. I didn't wrap the galvanized steel cable around the tree, I bolted it right through the tree. I used the block brake method because the zip line has a -0.1 slope and hits around 35 mph with an adult. Proper harnesses are used. Starting point is 30 feet above ground, garage roof is 20 (pull cable down with a rope and hook yourself on.). By far the best project I've ever done. Everyone loves it. [Reply]

Question Sent in by: Marc
I am considering a zip line on my property. I am in need of a formula for the elevation change (slope) necessary between two terminals. I would like a formula where I could plug in the beginning elevation, cable size, zip line length, The live load, and percent cable sag to calculate what the ending elevation of the zip line needs to be to achieve a desired ending live load speed. I would appreciate it if someone could direct me to where I can find this or a similar formula. [Reply]

Reply: Zipline Guru
In order to create a formula, you will also need to consider the bearing speed of the trolley and a number of environmental factors. It is best just to call and consult with an expert. Slope, tension, and load are just a few of the factors to consider. You must also include fall protection systems, risk management, platform design, braking, etc.

Reply: Steve
There are engineering books available with formulas, tension, endurance, for example Wire Ropes, and Theory of Wire Rope, however you should contact an engineer who is trained in factoring in all the considerations.

Question Sent in by: Ben
Hi! I was looking at setting up a zip line that crosses over a pond and you release into the pond for a swim. ... My concern is retrieving the handle back to the platform. So I'm looking for ideas and concepts on how I can achieve this. Any insight would be much appreciated. [Reply]

Reply: Kevin
To return the zip line to the start, get a trolley designed for a zip line and have your finishing anchor on the other side of the pond. When you get out, or someone else wants to try it, just take the trolley off the line and reattach it at the starting point. I have built one of these and an option is to get a trolley with a return hook, then you can attach a string or rope to it and you can pull it back to the starting point.

Sent in by: Charleston
Has anyone used rubber or plastic coated cable for their zipline. I failed to find this site before I purchased and strung up 130' feet of it. Why wouldn't this type cable work for a zipline? [Reply]

Reply: George
I think the rubber coating or plastic coating on the cable would be soft and hinder the run of the trolley, and possibly get too hot.

Reply: dcavalie
Do not use coated cable. The reasons are that coatings inherently have a higher coefficient of friction. This will resist the pulley enough to warm up the coating which could result in the thermal breakdown of the coating matrix. At best, your ride would be slow. At worst, the coating would get soft enough to tear or shear and gum-up/clog the space between pulley and cable, or worse yet: heat the cable causing it to strain and lower it's cross sectional area enough that the stresses could cause it to break.

Reply: Zipline Guru
Coated cable should be used only in consultation with an engineer. There are many different type of coatings: some are jackets, others are plastic injected into the cable as it is spun. Coated cables can be very difficult to inspect and the wrong type can rust out and fail.

Reply: [none]
After a week of kids riding, the plastic coating slit and tangled up half way down.

Sent in by: Brendan
I'm looking for information or a website that can assist me in calculating the correct size cable for a 300' zip line run. Any referrals? Thanks, Brendan [Reply]

Reply: Steve
Looks like these sites may have good info on cable size, length and strength; contact an expert in rigging to go over your plans and calculations.
http://www.provincialcrane.com/rigging/unirope/wireropegeneralpurpose/aircraftcable.htm
http://www.rigging.net/wire.html

Reply: Zipline Guru
The diameter of cable required depends on a number of factors including anticipated load from participants, wind shear, ice loading, tension applied to the cable, weight of the cable, and anticipated use.

If you have built a zip line, tell us about your project.