History Main / ImprovisedZipline

* ''SPYxFAMILY'': In Episode 5 where they family reenact Anya's favorite TV show, one of stunts Loid aka Twilight (as Loidman) pulled off as he was pursing Anya and Franky is riding on across the cable line over multiple explosions using his belt. Judging from his unamused reaction in ziplining across a rope with Yor and Anya in an obstacle course during their cruise vacation, this is pretty much the norm for WISE's top spy.

* One Website/DarwinAwards winner decided to use a karabiner clip to slide down the cable of a disused chairlift. Too late he discovered that he had no way to arrest his acceleration and no to disengage himself from the karabiner. He collided fatally with a pylon. Prefaced by the last words "Hey, watch this!"

* In the climax of ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' in 1955, [[MadScientist Doc Brown]] uses the wire to slide down from Hill Valley's Clock Tower, rushing to connect a loose cable in time for the lightning strike to send Marty back to 1985.

Real ziplines require specific, strong materials for both the line and the thing being held, so that neither one breaks, and so that the friction doesn't stop the slider halfway down the rope.

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/improvised_zipline.jpg]]]]

* Jack from ''VideoGame/MadWorld'' can do this with certain steel wires, but only because [[ArtificialLimbs it's a steel hand]] [[ChainsawGood with a Chainsaw in it]].

* In ''VideoGame/SyphonFilterDarkMirror'', Logan uses a modified GrapplingHookPistol called the RTL to latch onto and zip along wires.

* ''Literature/StickCat'': In ''Cats in the City'', Edith inadvertently comes up with this idea. Her plan was to use small cloth napkins to parachute across to Hazel's apartment so they can help her out of her giant mixing tub. She jumps off the fire escape, and unintentionally catches a black television cable that she starts sliding down. This gives Stick Cat the idea to zipline over to Hazel's apartment.

* ''Film/HomeAlone'' has Kevin using a sawn-off bike handlebar to slide from his window to his treehouse.

* ''Film/TheReturnOfThePinkPanther''. The thief escapes from the museum with the diamond by firing a zip line from a crossbow to an adjacent building, then sliding down the line into an apartment in the other building.

** ''Film/NeverSayNeverAgain''. While infiltrating a terrorist hideout at the beginning of the movie, Bond climbs up a pole and slides down a telephone (?) wire onto the roof.

** A deleted scene in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'' had Bond improvise a 'flying carpet' by throwing a carpet over some telephone wires and sliding down them to escape the police in Tangier. Stills of this scene were seen in a lot of publicity material for the film, but it was ultinately decided that this silly scene did not sit well with Timothy Dalton's DarkerAndGrittier Bond.

* In ''Film/BackToTheFuture'', the MadScientist Doc Brown uses the wire to slide down from a clock tower, rushing to connect a loose cable in time for the lightning strike.

* In the early ''VideoGames/SplinterCell'' games, Sam Fisher can do it just with his gloved hands with seemingly no friction issue.

* In the early ''VideoGames/SplinterCell'' games, Sam Fisher can do it just with his gloved hands.

* Two men once created a zipline with a crossbow and abseiled over the Berlin Wall.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfTintin'', the eponymous character is seen using the handlebars of a motorbike to slide down a cable during his pursuit of a falcon in Bagghar.

* In an ''{{Franchise/Anpanman}}'' theatrical short, Uncle Negi, having left his basket full of green onions (which also contains his Naganegiman costume and sword) at the bottom of Princess Doremi's castle grounds, uses his scarf as a zipline...and promptly crashes face first into a tree at the bottom.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretSaturdays'': In "Curse of the Stolen Tiger", the entire family (plus Wadi) use their belts to slide down a hoist rope from the warlord's mountain fortress.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', "For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils": The Cutie Mark Crusaders use a clothesline as a zipline to get into Sapphire Shores' studio so Sweetie Belle can confess to sabotaging her big sister Rarity's latest project before it's too late.
* ''WesternAnimation/FinalSpace'': In episode 5, when the elevator is destroyed while the protagonists are only halfway between the Infinity Guard base and the planet’s surface, Gary uses his robot arm to let himself and Quinn glide down the elevator cable. Unfortunately for Gary, the hand is capable of feeling pain and he screams in agony the entire way. Also ,the cable doesn’t extend all the way to the surface, so the two end up plummeting to the ground one they reach the end of the cable.

[[folder:Anime And Manga]]

* In an ''{{Franchise/Anpanman}}'' theatrical short, Uncle Negi, having left his basket full of green onions (which also contains his Naganegiman costume and sword) at the bottom of Princess Doremi's castle grounds, uses his scarf as a zipline...and promptly crashes face first into a tree at the bottom.

* Disney likes this one a lot in their [[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon Animated Fare]] or otherwise:
** In ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'', the heroine uses a string of lanterns to zip down from the roof.
** In ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove'', Kuzco and Pacha, who are trying to beat Yzma and Kronk to the palace, cross a ravine by firing an arrow with a rope attached into a tree on the other side, tying the rope to the tree on their side, and then zipping down on it.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek 2}}'', Prince Charming shoots an arrow with a rope tied to it and then uses his bow to zip across the fiery moat of lava.
** And later in the film, Shrek does this with a bridge chain while StormingTheCastle.

* ''Film/TangoAndCash''. While escaping prison, Stallone and Russell's characters use their belts and the prison's electric lines in this manner to get over the brick wall surrounding the prison.

** This same variation happens in ''Film/{{Sleepover}}'', but with a wire hanger.
* In ''Film/BackToTheFuture'', the MadScientist Doc Brown uses the wire to slide down from a clock tower, rushing to connect a loose cable in time for the lightning strike.
* ''Film/RushHour2'' to escape an explosion.
* Captain Jack Sparrow in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'' did this with the chain on his handcuffs. It is worth noting that it is topologically impossible to hook handcuffs secured between your hands over a wire attached at both ends and then jump off again at the bottom. Close observation reveals that Jack actually forms a short noose from the chain and throws ''that'' over the wire, which makes the feat possible - and even cooler.
* In ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'', Pip the Chipmunk did it on a wire with a clothes hanger.
* Chris pulls one off in ''Film/EightLeggedFreaks''. The GiantSpider that tries to follow falls off.
* Film/JamesBond

* ''Film/TheSocialNetwork''. Mark and friends make a zipline from the roof (tied to the chimney) to the pool. After just two jumps the chimney breaks and the zipline falls.

* ''Film/BatmanTheMovie'' (1966). During the battle on the submarine, the Penguin uses his umbrella to slide down a wire and knock down Batman with a kick.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfTintin'', The eponymous character is seen using the handle of a motorbike to slide down a cable during his pursuit of a falcon in Bagghar.
* ''Film/HudsonHawk''. While robbing the Vatican, Eddie throws a rope (with a grappling hook on the end) from the top of a building across a street. He then slides down the rope to escape.
* Spoofed in ''Film/{{Water 1985}}''. A communist rebel played by Creator/BillyConnolly is attacking the local radio station by sliding down a telephone cable (even though he could have walked up to the door, as it's totally undefended). He misjudges his distance and [[FailedAttemptAtDrama goes crashing through the roof instead]].
* Chazz Michael Michaels performs one of these with his jock strap in ''Film/BladesOfGlory''.
* ''Film/InLikeFlint''. While on a mission in Moscow, Flint is pursued by Soviet agents. He jumps onto the top of a tower and fires a line to the top of another building using his multi-function lighter. He then slides down the line to the top of the building and safety.
* ''Film/RobinHood2018'': At the mines, Robin jumps off an elevated walkway and hooks his bow over a conveniently placed rope; sliding down it to land in the back of John's wagon.
* ''Film/Slipstream1989''. A wind-worshipping cult has tied Byron to a kite flying the eponymous slipstream. [[AcePilot Owens]] clips himself to the kite's anchor rope and pulls the cord on his parachute, which opens immediately in the storm and pulls him up the rope to the kite, so he can cut Byron loose. Getting down however is the difficult part.
* ''Film/{{Kaleidoscope}}'': Barney breaks in to the Kaleidoscope factory by attaching a grooved wheel to the end of his cane, and then using an electric power line as a zip line to zip across the street to the Kaleidoscope roof.

* In ''[[Literature/LabyrinthOfReflections False Mirrors]]'', the heroes use their uniform belts to slide down ''vertical'' kilometer-long high-tension cables. They, however, are in ''VideoGame/{{Unreal}}''-based VirtualReality game, so it's justified. And still, Gengis's belt snaps at the last second, and he barely survives a 20-story drop with a measly couple of HP.
* "Spy Trap", an ''Literature/AlexRider'' short story, sees the protagonist use a clothes hanger, a security drone and fishing wire to bypass an electric fence.

* Speaking of Busters, on episode of ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' has Buster attempt this and fail miserably.

* 1960's ''Series/Batman1966'' series
** Episode "The Penguin's A Jinx". The Penguin and his henchmen fire a rope line from the top of one building to another and slide across using umbrellas with special devices attached to the end.
** Episode "Batman Sets The Pace". Batman and Robin crawl up the inside of a chimney to escape the Joker's poison gas trap. After they exit the top of the building, they use their gloved hands to slide down a wire to the ground.
* In an early episode of ''Series/TheCityHunter'', Yun Sung uses his backpack to slide down a line.
* On ''Series/AgentsOfShield'', when Agents Coulson and May need to escape after stealing an entire filing cabinet of physical (paper) files, May uses a handle of a equipment cart while Coulson uses his belt to follow the cabinet out the window they tossed it through.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWho20thASTheFiveDoctors The Five Doctors]]", the Third Doctor and Sarah Jane use a cable stolen from the Raston Warrior Robot to zipline on to the roof of the Tower of Rassilon.
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS25E1RemembranceOfTheDaleks Remembrance Of The Daleks]]", the [[TheNthDoctor Seventh Doctor]] uses his umbrella and a rope to reach the top of a landed Dalek spacecraft from an upper-floor window.
* ''Series/TheMagician'': In "Illusion of Black Gold", Tony uses a pair of handcuffs he had earlier taken from the prisoner he was rescuing to slide down a guywire to the ground, carrying the prisoner on his back.
* ''Series/MacGyver1985'':
** In "The Prodigal", Mac and another guy have barricaded themselves in an attic by piling up furniture against the door as bad guys with guns try to catch them. [[MacGyvering Using cleaning fluid, a telescope, moth balls, rope, some handle bars and a pulley]] that all happen to be lying around the attic, Mac creates a spear gun that fires a rope to a tree outside. Then he and his sidekick zipline over vicious dogs and a tall fence to safety.
** In "Back from the Dead", Mac escapes from two mafia hit men using a fire hose to slide down a metal wire. First cut off with his Swiss army knife of course.
** In "Children of Light", [=MacGyver=] creates a zip line to escape from the roof of a building using a steel shaft from a large TV antenna and a large rope. He ties one end of the rope to the building and throws the other end to Pete Thornton who ties it to the bumper of his van. Pete then gets the driver to move the van forward in order to tighten the line. Meanwhile Mac bends the shaft of the TV antenna into the shape of a hook and uses his jacket to protect his hand from the friction, and proceeds to slide down the line with another person (whom he was trying to free from the building).

* ''VideoGame/{{Uncharted}}'': Drake uses several wires and his pistol to zipline down quickly.

* ''VideoGame/AlphaProtocol'' features this a lot.
* ''VideoGame/MirrorsEdge'' features Faith doing this WITH HER HANDS. Careful observation will note that her gloved hand always is in direct contact with the wire, thereby Handwaving the damage one would normally receive from such a stunt, but it far from excuses it.
* Jack from ''VideoGame/MadWorld'' can do this with certain steel wires, but only because [[ArtificialLimbs it's a steel hand]] [[ChainsawGood with a Chainsaw in it]].
* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations'' gives its characters a "hookblade," which will allow them to use wires as ziplines.
* In ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar3'', Cole's squad uses what look to be meat hooks to slide down a cable car line. One-handed.
* In ''VideoGame/SyphonFilterDarkMirror'', Logan uses a modified GrapplingHookPistol called the RTL to latch onto and zip along wires.

* One Website/DarwinAwards winner decided to use a karabiner clip to slide down the cable of a disused chairlift. Too late he discovered that he had no way to arrest his acceleration and no to disengage himself from the karabiner. He collided fatally with a pylon. Prefaced by the FamousLastWords "Hey, watch this!"

[[caption-width-right:350:Whee!]]