Polyester vs. Nylon – Which Material for Which Slackline?
Polyester vs. Nylon – Which Material for Which Slackline?
Anyone who takes slacklining seriously eventually asks: why are there different materials? What is the difference between polyester and nylon? And what does that mean for my setup?
Here are the answers – from more than 20 years of experience with slackline equipment.
Polyester (PES) – the all-rounder for longlines and highlines
Polyester is by far the most widely used material in slacklining – and for good reason.
Key properties:
Low stretch – polyester barely stretches under load. That makes it ideal for long lines where every centimetre of sag counts. Our Sigma ReBL and Sigma Impact Low Stretch webbings are woven from high-quality PES.
High UV resistance – after long exposure to sunlight, polyester retains considerably more residual strength than nylon. A decisive advantage for webbing that is used outdoors regularly. (ISA studies on UV exposure will follow shortly)
Insensitive to water – polyester absorbs hardly any water and loses practically no strength when wet. Ideal for waterlining.
Colorfast – our webbings are digitally printed or dyed through – the colour sits deep in the fibre and cannot bleed, not even when waterlining.
Suitable for: longlines, highlines, waterlines, training
Our PES webbings:
- Sigma Impact – 35 kN, soft with good grip
- Sigma Impact Low Stretch – 32 kN, minimal stretch
- Sigma ReBL – 34 kN, light and strong
- AirTrack – 24 kN, ideal as travel webbing
Nylon – the classic for tricklines and dynamics
Nylon was the first material used in slacklining – and it still has its place today.
Key properties:
High stretch – nylon stretches significantly more under load than polyester. This creates the typical bounce and rebound of a trickline. If you want to jump and do tricks, there is hardly a way around nylon.
Soft handling – nylon feels softer and hugs the foot nicely. Barefoot slackliners love the feeling.
Less UV resistant – compared to polyester, nylon loses strength faster under UV exposure. Webbing that is permanently exposed to the sun should be checked regularly.
Sensitive to water – nylon absorbs water and loses some strength in the process. This returns to normal after drying – but it is still not an ideal waterline material.
Suitable for: tricklines, short backyard lines, rodeo lines
Our nylon webbing:
- Y.a.W. 2.0 – 24 kN, 38 g/m, ideal for rodeo, backup and travel
Decision guide
| Polyester | Nylon | |
|---|---|---|
| Stretch | low | high |
| UV resistance | very good | medium |
| Water absorption | minimal | medium |
| Typical use | longline, highline | trickline, rodeo |
| Feel | firm, precise | soft, springy |
What about the Sigma Impact webbing?
The Sigma Impact is a special case: it is woven from polyester but feels like nylon – buttery soft, with more stretch than a classic PES webbing. It combines the best of both worlds, which is why it is so popular.
The ISA study on long-term exposure of slackline materials will be linked here as soon as it is available.