One of the most important aspects of the design and construction of zip-lines is the organization of a soft stop of the zip-line visitor at the end of the route.
Braking on «special» zip-lines
On zip lines those are mounted by mountaineers, climbers for individual use, quite simple braking options. The usual options for braking on non-profit zip-lines, which will be used by trained people:
- braking with a hand in a glove or a special pad on the pulley during the descent
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organization zip line with a sag in the cable, on which the one who descends, will stop in the middle of the zipline route, before reaching the bottom of the attachment
Braking on short zip lines
The braking system of commercial zip-lines, which can be used by untrained people, needs a soft stop without visitor’s intrusion into the braking process. On a small slow zip-lines, for example in the adventure parks, visitors’ stop usually provides:
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the correct tension of the zip line rope
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finish netting, mat or platform to which one who descends arrives with a little speed
Brakes for high-speed zip lines
Large high-speed commercial zip-lines require a much more complicated brake on the finish, which would provide a soft stop of the visitor without the intervention of the latter and regardless of its weight and weather conditions.
Stop at great high-speed zip-lines you can arrange in different ways:
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spring
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pulley and an elastomer
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pulley and a counterweight
- a «capture block» pulley and a belay device, which is controlled by the instructor
However, the first three options require precise complex settings and limit the range of the permissible speed of the flight on the zip lines and the fourth – is completely dependent on the human factor.
We offer you the easiest-to-use version of the zip line brake – automatic brake that works on the principle of magnetic braking ZipSTOP by the American company Head Rush Technologies. ZipSTOP is easy to set up, completely eliminates the human factor at the visitor’s stop at the finish and guarantees a soft stop regardless of the circumstances.
