Zip Line Brakes: A Buyer’s Guide to Active, Passive and Emergency Braking

The brake decides three things on a commercial zipline: how safely every rider stops, how many riders you get through per hour, and how much you spend on wear parts. This guide compares the main options (active braking, gravity, spring and magnetic brakes, plus emergency arrest devices) so you can choose the right system for your line.

Active or passive braking?

With active braking the rider does the work, usually with a leather glove or a brake pad pressed onto the cable. It is cheap to start with, but it depends on every rider braking at the right moment. Riders who are nervous, distracted or simply too young brake too late, too early or not at all. Hands come close to the cable and trolley, and the friction wears out gloves, pads and the cable itself.

With passive braking the system stops the rider without any action from the rider or a staff member. That removes the most variable link in the braking chain, human reaction, and staff no longer need to manage the stop at the landing zone. For commercial lines, passive braking is the standard.

The passive options compared

Gravity braking

A gravity brake is really the absence of a brake. The cable is set with enough sag that its last section runs uphill, and the rider slows, rolls back and settles at the low point. It only works on shallow, slower lines, it wastes the end of your cable and terrain, and riders who swing back and forth add waiting time without adding experience. Stopping at a raised platform is hard, because every rider arrives at a different point.

Spring brakes

A spring brake is a stack of stainless steel springs with nylon spacers on the cable. The springs compress and absorb the rider’s speed. Because the pack is modular, you set its length and force for your arrival speed and your rider weight range. Rider weight, wind and a wet or dry cable still change the stopping distance and the rebound, so the configuration has to be calculated properly. Our Zipline Spring Brake works as a primary brake or as an emergency arrest device; the spring brake guide shows a worked sizing example.

Magnetic brakes: the zipSTOP family

The zipSTOP uses eddy current magnetic braking, so there are no friction pads or wearing parts in the braking core. The braking force self-regulates to each rider’s arrival speed, so a child and an adult feel the same smooth stop. The brake resets automatically after every ride, and its brake trolley can be fitted with a catch mechanism that works with the Impact Trolley, which makes retrieving the rider faster. Three models cover different speeds:

• zipSTOP Zip Line Brake for standard commercial lines, from €5.334 ex VAT.
• zipSTOP IR with internal reduction for high-speed arrival, from €5.742 ex VAT.
• zipSTOP SPEED for the fastest lines, rated for arrival speeds up to 72 km/h, from €6.198 ex VAT.

See the full range in zipline braking systems. For the physics, read the science of eddy current magnetic braking.

Emergency arrest devices

An emergency arrest device (EAD) is a second, independent brake that stops the rider if the primary brake fails. It is not optional: EN 13796 and standard commercial practice require a secondary arrest system on participant-carrying ziplines, and ACCT guidance requires one on lines faster than about 10 km/h. An EAD that never activates in normal operation is doing its job.

• Spring pack as EAD: a shorter spring pack behind the primary brake. At 25 km/h, for example, the calculation gives 15 springs and a pack of about 4,8 m.
• Zipline Airbag EAD: a high-visibility, cushioned last stop at the end of the line, €2.500 ex VAT.

Size the EAD for the maximum arrival speed, test primary brake and EAD with unoccupied loads before opening, and document the results in the commissioning record.

How to choose the right brake

• Arrival speed: the faster riders arrive, the stronger the case for a magnetic brake (zipSTOP IR or SPEED on fast lines).
• Rider weight range: if children and adults share the line, a self-regulating magnetic brake gives the most consistent stop.
• Throughput target: automatic reset and a trolley catch save seconds on every rider, which adds up on busy days.
• Staffing: passive braking removes the need for a person braking riders at the landing.
• Budget and line profile: on a moderate-speed line, a correctly sized spring brake is a reliable, low-cost primary brake.
• Always: a separate emergency arrest device behind the primary brake.

Not sure? Send us your line length, height difference, expected arrival speed and rider weight range, and we will recommend and size a braking system.

Choosing a brake for your line? The zipSTOP brake guide compares zipSTOP, zipSTOP IR and zipSTOP SPEED by arrival speed and price.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best brake for a commercial zip line?

For high-throughput or fast lines, a passive magnetic brake such as the zipSTOP gives the most consistent stop and resets automatically. On moderate-speed lines, a correctly configured spring brake is a reliable and cheaper primary brake. Every line also needs an emergency arrest device.

Is a gravity brake safe enough?

It can work on short, slow lines, but it gives inconsistent stops across rider weights, wastes cable and terrain, and slows throughput. For commercial lines, a passive brake plus an emergency arrest device is the better choice.

Can a spring brake be the primary brake?

Yes, when the spring pack is calculated for your arrival speed and your lightest and heaviest rider. Expect some rebound and check the configuration under wet and windy conditions.

Do zip lines need an emergency arrest device?

Yes. EN 13796 and standard commercial practice require a secondary arrest system on participant-carrying ziplines, independent of the primary brake.

How much does a zip line brake cost?

Spring brake sections start at €90 ex VAT each, and a complete pack depends on its length. The zipSTOP starts at €5.334, the zipSTOP IR at €5.742 and the zipSTOP SPEED at €6.198 ex VAT. The Zipline Airbag EAD is €2.500 ex VAT.