Spring Swings Fun Ride Super Z Zipline Trolley Cable

Our property has plenty of tree options and a great natural drop so location selection was a no brainer. Tree to tree we are 88’ with the actual zip line ride (to the stop block) is about 75’ so this kit was acceptable although we bought another 10’ of cable at the local hardware store to use as our main strap (some people choose to use chain). Keep in mind the 100’ cable in the kit must go around both trees to install so figure that into your distance calculation. Kit arrives with all of the hardware that is required although we did beef up the line end points by adding additional crimpers, strictly for our peace of mind. Parts appear to be good quality and nothing was missing. If you wish to add a seat we can recommend purchasing a model with a hole in the hand tram to clip the seat too however we simply loop the rope around the pegs on this model and we have had no issues. We also used blocks of wood with nails to ensure the line stays set at the correct place as it will slack with use and require retensioning. Highly recommend using a cable puller to properly tighten the line especially if height adjustments are required as were during our particular install. Install took a few hours mostly due to the fact our yard is steep so ride was originally way too fast and adjusted line up a few times. A bungee stop block unit was required due to our line length and those can be purchased separate. We originally looked to purchase the slackers brand but the model sold out so ordered this kit and are not disappointed.

We got the Super Z Funride because I had a similar thing growing up 30+ years ago, only we called it "the monorail." It is every bit as fun as I remembered! It does take some strength to get the cable taut enough (we got the 90' model), but aside from that the installation went according to the directions and without trouble. We used a couple of lengths of slit hose to protect the tree bark from the cable, and screwed in a bolt 1" underneath the back of the cable to ensure that it wouldn't slip down. HOWEVER, the bolt does not seem necessary now that we've been using the Funride for a month. The cable stays put, as it should. We added a very fat, soft knotted rope (impossible to tangle or get caught in) with a big Jolly Ball at the end to sit on, so you don't have to hang like a monkey from the trolley AND it's easier to catch and tow back to the top. ONE IDEA: we found that we were hitting the end pretty forcefully, which could hasten the demise of the plastic trolley, but we didn't want to suck all the fun out if it by slowing the ride down too much. So, we slit and duct-taped a tennis ball around the landing end of the cable and blocked it from slipping with a cable clamp behind it. That does a nice job of softening the landing. Our 7 year old and his friends think it is super, super cool -- they play Indiana Jones and Commando and whoop it up every free second of the afternoon!

The product came in the mail yesterday morning. Late in the afternoon my son-in-law assembled the ride (it took him possibly an hour with a little help from me). I would highly recommend that 2 men assemble the ride as it would be easier for 2 fairly strong people to tighten the line appropriately. My 3 grandsons (ages 11, 8, and 5) had ball riding the 90-ft line between trees in the back yard. My main concern at this point would be the plastic pulleys (there are 4): I am afraid that they will wear soon, but I assume we can replace them with metal pulleys). Something that isn't obvious from the picture is that there is a metal tube that fits inside the handles, which makes them strong enough to hold the weight of a person. I can imagine the neighborhood kids lining up for their turn on the zip ride! I would recommend this item to anyone. This item came by Super Saver Shipping, and it was delivered 2 days before Amazon's estimated delivery date!

Set this up for a Star Wars Ewok birthday party. It was the hit of the party! Only thing I would recommend it checking all the cable fasteners on at least a quarterly basis. I had 3 clamps on the high end of the line and it let loose at the beginning of the second season when a teenage boy weighing about 125 pounds tried to use it. The line is rated for 250 pounds. The boy wasn't hurt but I now check it monthly and do have to tighten up the clamps occasionally. Also, it would help to have maintenance suggestions. I found using some white grease on the line to keep water from corroding it helps keep it shiny (something I started after the above issue when the clamps failed). I also purchased a 4" thick 2.5x6 foot honeycomb pad from a ski manufacturer to put across the tree at the end of the run for additional safety -- the same pad used on ski lifts to guard against unfortunate skiers from slamming into a chair lift pole.

Since I was a kid I loved playing on zip-lines at my local gymnastics academy. After moving, we had a small lake in our back yard with a cliff on one side where we often swung off a rope into the water. I searched for a zip line to string across the lake, fully aware of what a pain it would be to get the trolly back to the high point.It mostly works, though it isnt meant to support the weight of most adults. We did use it for a few months but it just didnt hold up much longer. I can't give good comparison to other brands as I haven't tried many other, but I think when purchasing such a product I'd compare a few before buying. I've also begun to see zip-lines and equipment advertised from online specialty store that seem to recommend products based on where they are intended to be used and by user needs.