Rocks Edge Hand Brake Straps: Help Your Zip Line Gloves Last Longer

Rocks Edge Hand Brake Straps add a leather wear layer over your zip line gloves. For canopy tours with repeated hand braking, they can help reduce heat reaching the hand and extend glove life. In our experience, gloves can last twice as long, sometimes three times or more. The strap also works on either hand.

That’s the short version. The story starts in a bar.

A zip line glove idea, drawn on a napkin

CDI founder Jim Wall met someone in the glove business who handled all the glove orders for that orange big box hardware store . Jim had been looking for better gloves for zip line guides and participants, without much luck.

Back then, courses often used gloves from big box stores. The fit left plenty to be desired. “One size fits nobody” pretty well sums it up.

So the two started sketching ideas on a napkin.

What would make a good zip line glove? And could a separate leather strap take the wear from braking, help manage heat, and keep the glove underneath in service longer?

Those conversations led to creating the Rocks Edge gloves brand and the Hand Brake Strap.

When your gloves take the wear every day

If you run a busy canopy tour, you know the cycle. Gear goes out, comes back, gets checked, then goes out again. Gloves see a lot of use.

On a hand-braking tour, they also take repeated friction against the cable. Before we introduced the strap, we saw that heat travel through gloves and make riders’ hands uncomfortable.

The first courses using the straps noticed a difference. The extra leather helped reduce that discomfort while providing friction for controlled slowing.

The strap fits over the glove and takes much of that abrasion. You still need a suitable glove underneath, along with the normal training and procedures required for your course.

Where the strap earns its keep

We recommend these primarily for larger canopy tours where guides and guests hand brake through one zip line after another.

If your course uses a braking system that removes the need for hand braking, you may have no use for them. That includes some setups using zipSTOP, ZipKEA, or other braking systems.

And for a short, slow zip line on an aerial adventure park or a challenge course exit, we often wouldn’t recommend the extra purchase.

It comes down to how your course operates.

Why use a strap instead of a thicker glove?

A thicker glove is a valid option. Some of our clients use Rocks Edge Pro guide gloves for both staff and guests.

But shared guest gloves have another challenge: sweat and dirt inside.

A guide has their own pair. Guests put their hands into gloves worn by other people, and the condition of those gloves shapes their experience.

A separate strap gives you more flexibility. You can replace guest gloves when their condition calls for it while continuing to use a serviceable strap. The strap sits over the glove, away from the skin, so a used appearance tends to bother guests less.

We’ve seen straps double or triple glove life, sometimes more. That’s our field experience, rather than a promised lifespan for every course.

You can also turn the strap over to use the other side. When repeated heat and friction leave one surface glazed, that’s a cue to inspect it and consider turning it over. Damage calls for a replacement decision, not simply hiding the worn side.

Buying for a hand-braking canopy tour? Start with the Rocks Edge Hand Brake Strap and suitable gloves, then check the combination against your course’s requirements.

Frequently asked questions

Can left-handed riders use it?

Yes. Turn the strap over before fitting it for left-handed use. You don’t need a separate left-handed model.

Does it replace a glove?

No. It’s an added leather layer worn over a suitable glove.

Does it stop all heat from reaching your hand?

We’ve found it helps reduce heat discomfort during repeated hand braking. We wouldn’t promise that it blocks all heat under every condition.

How long does a strap last?

There’s no single lifespan we can promise. Inspect it regularly for wear, glazing, and damage, following the product instructions and your course procedures. But we have clients that use them for many years.

Do you have to flip it over?

No. It’s an option that can extend its usable life when its condition allows.