Matthias
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Posts: 1418
Gatineau/Ottawa QC, Canada
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That sling is 39" (1m) loop to tail. It is a bit short by most of of our preference's for a multio purpose sling, but is certainly not too short. My first slings were in this neighbourhood, and you can still develop significant power at this length. The design is adaptable to any length you want, of course - I usually cut extra twine so that I can be sure to not run out, but 1.5 times the length that you are looking for should be pretty safe. Keep in mind that for designs that are folded you'll need extra - in this case 280 cm for 100cm of finished sling.
Short slings are great for the faster styles, but I can't work things like the fig-8 etc with them. By the same token the ultra-longs are mostly single-purpose slings as well. Search for a couple of Jurek's (Yurek) or Tint's videos for poetry in motion...
For a beginner, general purpose sling, I'd say to aim for 28-34 inches. Long enough to react "slowly" but short enough to clear the ground. In fact, just make sure it clears the ground and you'll be set (hanging straight down). The deliberate motions associated with longer slings are a good teaching tool, but the acrobatics needed to control something that can ground out might as well be avoided! Come to think of it, I'm a bit tall... my favourite slings currently are pretty close to my inseam...
Matthias
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