I was a zipline guide for over five years, and I have geared up kids as young as 6 years old and also numerous people in their 80s. Ziplining is not super strenuous, making it the ideal extreme sport for all ages. Where I worked, we geared you up at the shop, drove you up the mountain in a van, and then you zipline from platform to platform. Little activity was required!
Is Ziplining Safe for Seniors?
Yes, ziplining is perfectly safe for healthy seniors looking for some fun. However, it largely depends on their individual health status, mobility, and overall comfort with some physical activity. Certain zipline courses are faster, more hands-on, and may require hiking or climbing.
Age should not be the sole determining factor when considering whether to go ziplining or not. Rather, an individual’s capabilities, fitness levels, and health conditions should be the primary considerations.
You can read our full ziplining safety guide here.
Does Ziplining Have an Age Limit?
No, zipline tour companies do not have an age limit as anyone healthy enough to go ziplining is allowed to go no matter how old they are. Ziplines will have an age requirement however, often you will have to be anywhere from 5-10 years old to be able to go, many places set weight requirements and restrictions as well.
What Seniors Should Not Go Ziplining?
Poor Physical Fitness
Ziplining may require some degree of strength, flexibility, and balance. If a senior is physically active, maintains good balance, and has reasonable upper body strength, they should have no issues handling ziplining.
Seniors with poor physical fitness should not go ziplining as it may be too much exertion on their body.
Health Conditions
Health is the most important thing when it comes to ziplining and seniors. It is possible that a health condition can prevent seniors from going ziplining, but this is for their best interest.
People with high blood pressure and heart conditions may want to avoid ziplining and a doctor’s approval is recommended.
If you have severe respiratory diseases, such as COPD or asthma, it can become difficult fo these people to handle the physical exertion needed when ziplining.
Bone and joint issues are also very important to consider, anyone with severe osteoporosis, previous significant fractures, or serious joint problems (like severe arthritis) could be at a higher injury risk due to the jolts and physical movements of ziplining.
Weight
Weight matters when it comes to ziplining. Often its the weight limit that must be checked, but this is often not the case for seniors.
As a zip guide, and having grandparents, I noticed that seniors may begin to lose weight and become more brittle as a human. This is a cause for concern as many ziplines are fast and during the braking/stopping of a zipline, the harness can jolt your body pretty good.
For thin-boned seniors, this may be a cause for concern as your harness pulls on your collarbone, legs, ribs, and can flick your head around too. You do not want to break any bones during your tour, so ensure your bones are still dense and strong.
Of course, if you are over 250-300lbs, you will not be allowed to zipline as most locations have a weight limit for yours and the tour guide’s safety.
Fear of Heights
If the senior is afraid of heights or prone to vertigo, ziplining may not be the best activity. Heights are thrilling for most of us, but people with extreme fears (acrophobia) may be better of skipping out on ziplining.
Consider the Quality of the Zipline Operator
This is not directed at a senior who should not go ziplining, this is a consideration for anyone looking to go ziplining, so I thought I’d add it here.
I worked at a zipline in Newfoundland, Canada, and safety was our main priority. Regular inspections, triple gear checks, regular training, and much more ensured we kept ourselves safe and, most importantly, our guests.
It’s crucial to ensure that the zipline company is reputable and follows all safety regulations. I know when I was ziplining in other countries I could tell safety was a little less important than my standards. Check reviews and do your own research on the company before going to make sure they are reputable.
They must provide you with high-quality safety equipment like helmets, trolleys, and harnesses, and ensure your harness is in good condition as it is what is holding you up! But do not twist, pull, or disconnect, the harness in any way as you don’t want to unclip something.
Listen to the safety instructions as the more you know, the safer you will be. The more reputable companies also have experienced zipline guides who know everything, and they keep the operation running safely and smoothly.
Does a Senior Need Medical Approval?
While it’s not a requirement for seniors to have medical approval to go ziplining, I personally recommend it if they have any underlying health conditions, are not regularly active, or have any concerns about their ability to zip.
There can always be more to ziplining than just the fun zip across the cable, which I will go over the best types below to explain the differences. On a zipline tour, you may experience a number of extreme activities throughout the duration of the excursion.
You may need to jump on an ATV, UTV, snowmobile, or any similar vehicle to reach the first zip. This ride itself is thrilling and requires good mobility.
Ziplining will also involve stairs and walking on uneven terrain, and in my experience of being a zipline guide the most injuries came from people rolling their ankles on uneven terrain. I have had to carry numerous people down the back trails after they twisted their ankle…
Anyone, especially seniors who have any heart conditions, high blood pressure, severe osteoporosis, balance issues, or any other health concerns should definitely seek medical advice before ziplining. It is better to be sure then to be sorry.
Even seniors in great health might benefit from a quick check-up before booking a zipline tour, especially if they aren’t used to this kind of physical exertion.
Again, while medical approval may not be completely necessary, it is a good idea for seniors to consult with their healthcare provider before ziplining. It’s always better to prioritize health and safety when considering doing such amazing adrenaline-fueled activities.
How a Senior Can Prepare for a Zipline Tour?
If you have a zipline tour booked in the future you can always prepare yourself to be ready for the thrill. Like any sport you can train to ensure the event goes as well as possible. Here are a few recommendations:
Medical Check-up: Get a thorough check-up and discuss your plan to go ziplining with your doctor. They can assess your health status, ensure you are ready to go, and provide advice.
Increase Physical Fitness: Depending on your current fitness level, you might want to consider increasing your physical activities a few weeks or months before the zipline tour. Doing some stretching, yoga, and minor weight exercises can prepare your body for the exertion ziplining requires.
Getting outside for some walking and light hiking trails can help you prepare for the zipline tour as well.
Understand What Ziplining Is: Begin doing research on the tour you are planning to participate in. How many lines are there? How long does it take? What are the requirements and restrictions? How physically demanding is this zipline tour?
This will not only prepare you and help you figure out what you will be doing, it will increase your confidence on the day of the tour. Call ahead if you have any unanswered questions as the tour will be happy to answer all of your concerns.
Wear Appropriate Clothing: Whether you are a senior or not, you need to wear appropriate clothes or you will make yourself uncomfortable. Start by choosing the right shoes, wear closed-toe shoes, and never wear sandals/flipflops. Lightweight hiking shoes are the best option in my opinion, anything too heavy reduces your ability to move.
Wear comfy clothing too, your pants should be lightweight and stretchy, your shirt can be lightweight too. If it is hot outside you can wear a t-shirt, if its cool and even raining, wear a softshell-type jacket as its breathable and weather resistant. Avoid jeans as they are not comfortable when you have a harness on.
Read my related post “What to Wear Ziplining: Tips from an Experienced Guide” here.
Hydration and Nutrition: Stay hydrated and have a nutritious meal a couple of hours before the tour. Just don’t eat a lot of food right before you go as that can be uncomfortable fo you. Also never drink alcohol or be under the influence of anything as it can be dangerous for you and the tour guides.
Familiarize with Safety Equipment: Familiarize yourself with the harness, helmet, gloves, and other safety gear that will be used. The best way to do this is to listen to experienced guides and NEVER touch your gear yourself. If you think something is wrong ask the guides and they will check your concerns.
Listen to Safety Briefings: I found that many people would ask questions that were already answered in our safety speeches. You must pay close attention to all safety instructions provided by the instructors before the tour. Many ziplines are different, but its standard to have landing techniques that need to be followed for your safety.
Respect your Limits: Lastly, it’s essential to respect your own personal limits. If at any time you feel uncomfortable with proceeding with the zipline tour, just tell a guide! There’s no need to continue with something you are not comfortable doing, and that is understandable because some tours in the world may feel sketchy!
Tell a guide, and they will have someone walk back to the gear shop with you.
Read my related post on “10 People Who Should NOT Go Ziplining” here.
What Type of Ziplines are Best for Seniors?
There are different types of ziplines tours, some are easier than others, and some require more work. The best type of zipline for a senior would be a fully automatic zipline system, gravity zipline systems are also good options too.
Let me explain some different types so you can understand and book your tour accordingly.
Gravity Braking Zipline System
This is the type of zipline I worked at for years, the system is pretty simple and makes for a smooth ziplining experience. You do not brake yourself, we the guides are your brake. The zipline cable is installed and it naturally sags, this creates a downward slope during your take-off, then toward the end the cable rises helping you to slow down.
The guides are connected at the landing deck to help catch you if you come in too fast or backward. It is possible that the wind speeds you up or slows you down, so it can be a good jolt during landing if the wind helps increase your speed. Typically heavier people would be the ones gathering high speeds.
Fully Automatic Zipline System
Similar to a gravity-braking system zipline, the fully automatic ziplines are super cool and have become much more popular in recent years. In my opinion, these are the safest for seniors as they do not have to do any work, and nobody has to catch them. Note, they can be super fast though!
The cables are installed with natural sag, so you pick up speed on the downslope and slow down during the rise. Nobody is catching you though; there are often spings at the end, bringing you to a comfortable stop. Where I worked, our last and final zipline had this type of system. The zipline at Grouse Mountain BC is a famous fully automatic zipline you can see here.
Most dual ziplines (side-by-side) are fully automatic systems, great for everyone!
Active Braking Ziplines
A very common type is the active braking zipline system, this is where you the zipliner are your own brakes. You are either using a glove or a brake pad of some sort. The participant must press their glove into the zipline cable to help them slow down.
Realistically, this type of braking system is much more dangerous for everyone, especially seniors. You need to be strong and capable of holding your hand high up on the cable and squeezing to slow yourself down. This can get tiring pretty quickly for some people!
Aerial/Ropes Course Ziplines
Although this isn’t a type of zipline in the sense of a zipline system, but it is a popular place you will go ziplining for your first time. Ropes courses offer many obstacles, most offer ziplines as an obtacle throughout their courses.
These courses are often broken up into sections, easy, medium, and hard difficulty. The levels are often split into various heights too; harder is often higher up off the ground.
These courses are not recommended for seniors, they require extreme physical exertion and a high level of agility and strength. These activities can put a significant strain on the body, including the cardiovascular system, joints, and muscles. Regular zipline tours are better options for seniors looking for more of a visual and less physically demanding experience.
If you want to book your next adventure, feel free to see our ziplining articles here, or you can read our post about how much ziplining costs here.
Jamie is the founder of Action Sporter. He is the chief zipline writer and the lead editor. He has 5 years of zipline experience being a tour guide in Newfoundland. Most of the time you can find Jamie adventure traveling, hiking, skiing, skateboarding, or anything action related!