Wallis Thomson, Thomas Flahr and Aidan Middleton spend a lot of their evenings at the park or the beach and they usually draw a crowd. They set up their slacklines and soon tourists are taking pictures and the curious come over to ask questions.

Wallis says she often practises at Klahani Park and children end up hanging out with her.

鈥淭hey come and take over the slackline and that鈥檚 OK,鈥� says Wallis. 鈥淚t鈥檚 funny how fast they pick it up.鈥�

Slacklines are anchored between two trees and have less tension than tightropes, making them stretch and bounce more like a long and narrow trampoline.

鈥淚鈥檝e been doing this since mid-May,鈥� says Wallis. 鈥淭homas introduced me to it. My friend lent me her line and I go out almost every day. As soon as I was able to stand and take a few steps, I couldn鈥檛 stop thinking about it. I had to keep trying.鈥�

She says it鈥檚 addicting and Thomas and Aiden agree, even though they all are sporting bruises on their arms and legs.

鈥淚 was climbing and then I started slacking. I still climb but I slackline more,鈥� says Aidan.

Thomas saw people doing this at the beach last year. Soon after he owned his own line and was practising daily.

There are many different ways to mount and Thomas is practicing a 鈥榮it mount鈥�, sitting on the line with one leg bent and the other straight. After getting his balance, he slowly gets into a stand position.

He has his line about five feet off the ground. Aiden has his about eight-feet high and Wallis鈥� is about three, but they go back and forth on each-other鈥檚 lines depending on what they want to work on. (Aidan practises walking blindfolded on Thomas鈥� line.)

Aidan says one thing he likes about it is that it鈥檚 social and personal at the same time. He explains that everyone goes through the same learning curves 鈥� there are no superstars.

鈥淣o one is naturally good 鈥� everyone sucks so hard at the beginning 鈥� it feels impossible. You can鈥檛 even walk five metres, and then it鈥檚 doable.鈥�

Thomas likes seeing the progression.

鈥淵ou stand and fall off, and then you start seeing results as you put more time into it. I have goals, I鈥檓 building my way to highlining.鈥�

Aidan has done some highlining over 鈥楾he Chief鈥� in Squamish. He was fully equipped with safety gear, but he did cross the 64-metre gap at the north gully of Chief mountain, 290 metres off the ground.

鈥淚t鈥檚 terrifying, but you know you鈥檙e safe in your heart 鈥� it鈥檚 all mental. I sat there for 10-15 minutes鈥� then I walked it and then I got off and was done for the day. I was so amped,鈥� he says in his animated way.

So far, Wallis has no desire to try highlining, but she likes increasing her difficulty and challenging herself.

During the day, Wallis is at the tennis courts 鈥渆ither playing or coaching,鈥� and in the fall she plans to go to UBC in Vancouver to get a Bachelor of Science, majoring in astronomy.

Thomas is going to Acadia University in Nova Scotia in September. He plans to take engineering and start a slackline group.

Aidan will be going back to UBC (where he is president of the university slacklining club) and continue studying biology.

鈥淚 want to end up teaching 鈥� but that鈥檚 all subject to change.鈥�

But one thing he is sure of: 鈥淚 want to walk bigger lines.鈥�

If you see Wallis, Thomas and Aidan with their slacklines set up at Canoe Beach, or any of the parks, they are happy to let people try out the line.