So… now you know your all-up weight and you’ve got an idea about whether to go for an EN-A or low to mid EN-B glider. It’s time to choose a wing! There are SO many to choose from. Here are MY personal favourites in 2022

GIN Bolero 6 (EN-A)

Sizes and Weight Ranges (kg)
XXS	55-80
XS	65-90
S	75-100
M	85-110
L	95-120
XL	105-135

I’m so amazed by this wing. It’s easy-peazy. It’s easy to launch and despite being an EN-A glider it’s very easy to turn. It’s light on speed bar and has a beautiful landing flare. If you’re looking for a well rounded EN-A glider that’s fun and easy with all the passive safety inherent in an EN-A wing this wing is hard to beat. More details about Bolero 6 on GIN website

Aspect Ratio: 4.8

BGD Magic (EN-A)

Sizes and Weight Ranges (kg)
XS	50-70
S	60-80
M	75-95
ML	88-108
L	100-125

The latest EN-A wing from BGD is beautifully balanced and a big improvement on previous models. With great roll stability its the perfect wing with which to get climbing on your first thermals. It’s easy to launch with the just the right amount of pitch stability . The long brake travel means it’s hard to stall or spin and if you like the jazzy colour schemes this could be the perfect wing for you. More details about BGD Magic on BGD wesbite

Aspect Ratio: 4.7

niviuk Koyot 4 (EN-A)

Sizes and Weight Ranges (kg)
22	45-70
24	60-80
26	75-95
28	90-115
31	110-135

A docile yet progressively responsive wing. This is an easy wing with intuitive handling. It’s stable and easy to fly. It’s quality build and attention to detail make this another great EN-A wing to add to your short list. More details about the Koyot 4 on the niviuk website

Aspect Ratio: 4.75

Ozone Buzz Z6 (low EN-B)

Sizes and Weight Ranges (kg)
XS	55-70
S	65-85
MS	75-95
ML	85-105
L	95-115
XL	110-130

The Buzz Z6 is how low EN-B gliders should be. This wing is beautifully balanced. Yes it’s a little sportier than an EN-A wing but it’s easy to understand and the perfect wing for an ambitious beginner. Assuming you fit the sizes you can’t go wrong with this wing. Z6 pilots should be flying at least 30 hours per year. More details on Buzz Z6 on the Ozone website

Aspect Ratio: 5.16

GIN Atlas 2 (low EN-B)

Sizes and Weight Ranges (kg)
XXS	55-75
XS	65-85
S	75-95
M	85-105
L	95-116
XL	105-125

Another great wing from GIN! Whilst the passive safety features are almost as good as an EN-A glider, this wing wants to fly. It’s much easier to launch than its predecessor, and sniffs for thermals. It glides beautifully and new pilots will probably find it easier to stay afloat than with the Bolero. It’s an ideal first XC wing and will keep talented beginners smiling for many happy hours. More details about Atlas 2 on the GIN website

Aspect Ratio: 5.21

niviuk Hook 5 (mid EN-B)

Sizes and Weight Ranges (kg)
20	55 – 70
22	60 – 80
24	70 – 92
26	82 – 105
28	95 – 120
31	110 – 135

The niviuk Hook 5 would make a great first or second wing. It’s very stable, flies fast and inflates easily. It’s more of a mid B so probably only for talented beginners or very ambitious pilots. More details about Hook5 on the niviuk website

Aspect Ratio: 5.3

Basic functions of a harness

Choosing your first harness can seem even more daunting and complicated than choosing a wing. Let’s dig into the functions that a harness needs to perform.

At the simplest level a harness provides a means of safely holding a pilot and connecting him or her to the wing. Most modern harnesses will also serve the following additional functions:

A certain level of comfort and support (important particularly if you plan to stay in the air for a long time)
A means of channelling a speed bar system (the speed bar usually comes WITH the harness)
A means to attach a reserve parachute (a reserve bridle which is usually included and even integral to the harness)
A well designed geometry to make piloting the wing safe and easy providing the right amount of stability
Protection against crash landings (usually in the form of an under-seat airbags or foam)
Storage space both for the rucksack and often also for things like cameras and flight instruments.

There are so many different types of harness to choose from. Let’s consider some of the factors that will help you decide on the best harness for you.

Harness Weight

The lightest paragliding harness in the world weighs a mere 100g and the heaviest more than 10kg!

With more weight we generally get the following:

more comfort and support (seat and back)
a more durable and robust harness
more protection.

Some pilots like to keep their total kit weight down to a minimum particularly if their local sites involve a walk up to launch or if they have back issues.

Be careful about going too light because you might start to venture into the world of delicate specialist harnesses with little to no support which can make long flights uncomfortable; harnesses made from material that can tear more easily; and uncertified harnesses with little to no lower back protection.

In 2022 here’s an idea of what it’s all going to cost:

A new beginner wing in 2022 is likely to set you back about £2500 or so (3000€).
A new harness will cost about £700 (600€)
A good reserve parachute will cost about £500
A helmet around £100.

Comfort: Seat plates & Back support

Most pilots choose to fly harnesses WITH a seat plate. You almost certainly learnt with this type of harness.

Hammock-style harnesses lack a seat plate. Some pilots find this type of harness more comfortable and you might also save very slightly on weight. However, there is downside. Without a seat plate (sometimes called seat board) you will have less authority over the roll axis which can make piloting less precise and collapse recovery more difficult. For this reason, I would suggest that, for your first harness at least, you choose one with a seat plate.

The main bonus you get by not going too light is better back support – particularly on modern harnesses. Light weight harnesses tend to have more limited back support which can make them less comfortable particularly if you like spending more time in the air.

Style: Standard harness vs Pod harness

The harness you learnt to fly with was almost certainly a standard harness where you fly seated. Increasingly popular are pod harnesses where the pilot flies in a more prone position. Let’s have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of these two harness types:

Advantages of pod harnesses:

a slight glide performance advantage
warmer legs.

Disadvantages of pods:

More faff: more straps to do up on take off and undo on landing.
Slightly higher risk of twists
Harder to control after a big collapse
Usually considerably more expensive.

Pod harnesses are great for long XC flights. Probably the best time to think about buying your first pod harness is one you’ve accomplished a few cross country flights.

As a first harness I’d definitely recommend going for a standard seated harness.

Protection: Foam vs Airbag

These days under-seat airbags pre-inflate at launch. With a high impact landing they might even explode. That’s their job! They save a bit of weight and definitely pack down smaller than the foam harnesses.

Foam harnesses might be slightly harder wearing but then they’re also heavier and bulkier.

These two styles of harness are about equally popular. The choice is yours.

Second Chance: Where’s the Reserve Parachute mounted?

Needing to throw a reserve parachute is very rare, but definitely have one (More of which in Chapter 7)!!

These days most standard harnesses are designed to have the reserve mounted under-seat- usually on the the right-hand side.

The other common position is a front mounted reserve, popular with light weight harnesses. Some pilots like the idea of having the reserve in a visible location where it can be reached with either hand. It is important to clip in correctly on launch with this type of setup.

Most pilots choose the standard under-seat reserve mount.

Bonus Hint: “Beginner” harness vs “XC” harness

This is a slightly artificial distinction. A few manufacturers sell “school” or “beginner” harnesses. They tend to have fewer adjustments, which can shave a bit off the price, but it that can also make them less comfortable. For this reason over simplistic “school” harnesses are probably best avoided.

In SUMMARY…

As a first harness go for a standard (non pod) harness, a harness with a seat plate and a harness with enough back support to be comfortable on longer flights.

Skip the simple beginner harnesses because they lack adjustments so they can make finding a comfortable position very difficult. To save a little bit of weight and bulk go for an airbag harness.

Buy a decent harness and there’s no reason it won’t last for years and give you hundreds of happy flying hours.

There are so many harnesses to choose from. Here are 3 of best harnesses for beginner pilots in 2022. Note: they’re not “basic” harnesses. All 3 have plenty of great features and adjustments to keep you comfortable on longer flights and should last you for hundreds of happy flying hours.

Skywalk Cult

Neatly designed and well thought out harness with good support throughout.

Features:

Variable Back Length Adjustment
Load Distribution Frame
Adjustable Damping (unusual but effective feature to regulate stability)
Safety Slider
Recco Reflector

Good foam protection (and some side protection). Available in three different colours. Medium weighs 4.2kg

Find out more from the Skywalk website

GIN Gingo 4

All-round harness for leisure, sport and XC Pilots

Features:

Clean aerodynamic 3D shaping
Lots of pockets
Adjustable for all pilot shapes and sizes
Good back support

Light and ultra modern. Medium weighs 3.2kg

Find out more from the GIN website

GIN Airlite 4

Stable Light Compact

Despite being light weight this harness doesn’t compromise on features. (Check out the video!!) Whilst light the materials are still abrasion resistant. There are plenty of pockets and very good support for such a light harness.

Air bag with new pre-launch inflation. Medium weighs 2.9kg

Find out more from the GIN website

Don’t be tempted to scrimp on looking after your nut! Helmets are tested for flying. Buy one that’s certified for paragliding (EN-966 ) and wear it every time you fly. It might save your life!

Broadly speaking there are two types of flying helmet:

Full Face helmets. Full face helmets have chin guards and will also help protect your face.
Open Face helmets. Most pilots prefer open face helmets as they allow you to hear better.

Helmets come in different sizes. Some are also adjustable for size. All of them have an adjustment strap under the chin.

Here are my favourites:

Neo Helmets

Plusmax Helmets

Great for rounder shaped heads (eg Asian)
Full face version also available
Available in huge variety of colour options (most have a rubbery coating)
Face visor version also available

Is a reserve parachute necessary?

When training for your paragliding qualifications your training kit might not have included a reserve parachute. This could be for a number of reasons:

You weren’t high enough to use it (reserve parachutes take about 50 metres of height loss to open)
You were hopefully training in calm and generally smooth conditions.
You shouldn’t be flying with a reserve unless you know how to use one.

Personally, when teaching, I will usually introduce new pilots to reserve parachutes after their first few big flights on about day 4 or 5. I think the use of reserve parachutes should be included in beginner training because once you’ve qualified, you’ll be expected to fly with one all the time.

I have thousands of hours of airtime and whilst I’ve never used a reserve parachute and I hope I never need to, who knows? One day it might save my life. A reserve parachute should definitely be on your “essentials list”!

Main parameters

Reserve parachutes should be judged mainly according to the following 3 parameters:

How quickly they open: The faster the better
How stable they are. Some are more prone to oscillations than others. You want a stable one to minimise chances of injury
Descent rate. EN-certified (EN12491) reserves should not descend faster than 5.5m/s!

Three main types of reserve

Round

These are sometimes called “pull down apex” These are the simplest reserves and have a long history of successful deployment.

Square

These have been around for a few years now and have a growing following.

Steerable

These are great when thrown high. They are however slightly more likely to interfere with the main paraglider. In order to use them as a steerable reserve you’ll also need to disable your main canopy (the wing). They cost about twice the price and take a lot longer to repack! A few pilots (mainly acro and competition pilots) choose to carry two reserves. A steerable reserve might make a lot of sense as a second reserve.

Reserve Repacking

With the simple passage of time the parachute cloth starts to stick together. Reserve parachutes should therefore be repacked every year!

Whilst they are usually good for ten years, over time the material degrades (even if never used). The manufacturers therefore usually state that they are good for ten years. Who knows? Perhaps they’ll last a bit longer. Personally I’d buy a new one. After all, It’s not much fun flying around with a nagging doubt in the back of your mind wondering ” Is it too old? Will it still work?”

It could be argued that Radios and Flight Instruments are not actually essential. Whilst they aren’t essential, it won’t be too long before you want these toys. They can add a lot to your experience particularly once you start staying up for longer, soaring and certainly once you start going XC. Before that let’s look at a couple of inexpensive items that are essential….

Compass

Some pilots are surprised to see this in the essentials list. What most new pilots don’t realise is just how disorienting flying in cloud can be. At some point it’s highly likely that you’ll inadvertently enter “the white room”. When flying in cloud you’ll usually start turning without realising it. If the cloud is in touch with terrain (such as orographic cloud that can form very quickly and unexpectedly) you could inadvertently fly downwind into terrain. That’s usually fatal. Fly with a ball compass like the one pictured (not one a flat one)!

Gloves

It’s best to wear gloves when flying. Yes, they can keep your hands warm, but more importantly if you need to grab some lines (the rear risers on a windy day for example), you’ll be glad to be wearing them: paracord can be like cheese wire.

Leather is usually harder wearing. The picture shows my favourite. They’re fit nice and tightly and the main part is made of leather so they’re very hard wearing. They’re also wind stoppers, so despite being quite thin, they’re also reasonably toasty (Hands held up in the air-stream can get chilly)

By the way, you don’t need branded gloves. I’ve got friends who swear by £5 gardening gloves!

Radio

During your training, your instructor probably used radios to communicate with you. After qualifying it won’t be long before you’ll realise just how useful these toys are. They’re the best way to stay in touch with friends or receive useful guiding from a guide whilst on holiday for example.

The best hand held radios from established brands like Yaesu can cost over £300! These days a radio from a cheaper Chinese brand such as Baeofeng are almost as good. You can get a new one of these for as little as £20!

My current radio of choice is an “upmarket” Baofeng UV-82. It’s twice the price of the basic Baofeng but it’s much more hard-wearing and in independent tests performs just as well as those expensive brands, yet it’s almost 10 (!!!) times cheaper.

You don’t need to buy these from your school. A quick search on line should net you a great radio for the price of a few bags of chips.

Flight Instruments

Flight instruments (or flight computers) have two main functions:

Variometer Information: Measures the rate of altitude change and let’s you know how quickly you’re climbing (or sinking!). The most efficient way to use these us audibly: Variometers emit “beeps” which increase in intensity the faster you climb.
GPS Information: Useful for understanding wind direction and glide angles which in turn can be very useful for XC decision making.

There are a bewildering variety of flight Instruments on the market. Let’s look at three examples:

Micro Vario

Syride Sys’One V3
The length of a little finger and weighing less than 20 grams! You can even strap this to your wrist. No screen, but it beeps when you’re going up

Integrated Vario GPS

Flymaster GPS SD
This unit has a great screen, long battery life and is the ideal instrument for flying non-competition XC flights. It has built in airspace avoidance and many other functions for optimising a great XC flight.

Full Fat Competition GPS

Naviter Oudie 4
This fully featured instrument is designed for competition pilots. It’s heavier than the Flymaster and costs about twice the price!

For a more detailed and advanced discussion on using your flight computer for XC decision making visit this page

Flight Deck (Cockpit)

A fighter deck sits somewhere between the risers and should provide the perfect place to mount an instrument. It’s also a bag in which you can store other clobber (gloves, phone, water, snacks etc).

Alternatively, you could also attach a flight instrument to a leg mount or a chest mount. Lots of pilots complain that the leg-mount option tends to slip during flight. I’d go for either a flight deck or a chest strap mount.

Flight Deck

Leg Mount

Harness Mount

Buying second-hand is a great way to save some of your hard earned cash. However, it’s not without risk.

Beware of Second-hand

The truth is there’s a lot of total crap out there. It’s a bit like buying a second-hand car. If you’re new to the game it can be difficult to impossible to make an informed decision and with some unscrupulous sellers preying on the unwary beginner you’re at a disadvantage.

You can buy harnesses, reserves, wings, instruments the lot. Probably the most common piece of equipment to buy second-hand is the wing itself.

Second-hand Top Tips

If you do decide to go second-hand, here are my top tips:

Avoid E-bay (You can find cheap stuff, but it’s usually old, untested and might even be dangerous)
Probably the best site to go with is SkyAds. There you will also find some professional sellers – buying from whom should be less risky
Insist on detailed photos (wing tips, leading edge, brake line attachment point – these are the places that tend to give a better idea of how “tired” the wing might be)
If the wing is more than a year old or has more than 50 hours of airtime, you could ask to see a recent Test Report. (There are a handful of trustworthy and very reliable outfits that test wings for things like line strength and material porosity.)
Avoid wings that are really old even if they haven’t been flown much. Paraglider design has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. (Paragliders depreciate not just with airtime but over time even without use). It’s certainly recommended you avoid anything that’s over ten years old.
Do some due diligence on the seller. Look them up. Speak to them. Why are they selling?
Use an escrow system of payment or understand the risks before you send them your money.

Second hand equipment with Passion

We don’t sell much second-hand equipment, but what we do sell is thoroughly tested and very fairly priced. and we won’t risk our 20-year reputation by selling you anything which is unsuitable for you. Find our current list here.

Buying a whole set of kit all at once is usually a way to make a significant saving.

Buy Everything deal

At Passion Paragliding we offer significant savings to pilots who choose to buy a full set of kit with us. Please ask for our new 2022 deals.

Buying Your First Paraglider

Time to get kitted out! ….but how to choose the right equipment?

The DEFINITIVE guide to buying your first paraglider

CHAPTER 1: What do I need and how much will it cost?

What’s Essential (and what can I do without)?

So what’s it all going to cost?

Second-hand?

Discounted Equipment

Get FREE Training

CHAPTER 2: How to choose my first paraglider

Which Class?

Weight Range

Know your body weight in kilograms

Add weight of ALL your kit to get your “All-up” Weight

But…where’s the BEST place to be weight range?

Other considerations

Which brand is best?

CHAPTER 3: THE BEST beginner wings in 2022