Ziplining has gone from a sport for thrill seekers to a regular tourist attraction in many areas. That is not to say that ziplining is not thrilling, just that it has improved safety features over the years. If you want to go ziplining this summer, you need to find out the age and weight restrictions for the course you are planning to visit, dress for comfort, and block out half of your day for the experience.
#1 Dress for It
You do not want to suit up but you do want to make sure you are wearing appropriate clothing. You are going to have to wear a full body harness. You will step into the harness with your legs and pull it up so that it is snug over your lower body. The harness will be secured over your shoulders. You want to wear clothing that will protect you from the straps rubbing against your body. You should wear longer shorts or capris that are thick and will protect your body as the straps are up against your thighs. You should wear a t-shirt with sleeves to keep the straps from rubbing against your upper body.
You will also be wearing a helmet, so make sure your hair is styled to you can secure a helmet over it. Leave any jewelry at home; you don't want your jewelry to get caught on the harness or any of the equipment.
#2 Check for Weight & Age Limits
Ziplines do have both weight and age restrictions on them. Age restrictions vary by the state or country in which you are doing the ziplining in. Weight restrictions can vary as well, with both a minimum and maximum weight that the line can handle. Call ahead and find out the age and weight restrictions. You don't want anyone in your group being excluded the day of your adventure because of these requirements. Some places will actually weight you before allowing you to zipline, so there is no fudging when it comes to your weight
#3 Block Out a Portion of Your Day
When you go ziplining, generally when you start, you can't stop the process. There may be a point at the beginning, after doing two or three sections, where anyone can leave who doesn't feel they can complete the course, but after that, you are committed to the course. You need time to check in, put on your equipment, a couple of hours to complete the zipline, and then another hour or so for the ride back to the starting point and time to check in your equipment. It can be a good idea to block off at least four hours for the entire experience from start to finish.
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