Paraglider Review Overview

More than any other purchase, you should consult with a qualified instructor about a wing. It is probably your most important decision, right behind picking a good instructor. Also, there is a very good reason for choosing a beginner glider, it’s safer! The...

2016 Paramania GTS 19 Review

Paramania came out with the GTS in 2015 and I test flew it at Beach Blast. But the tips fluttered during certain phases of flight, namely power off, so I didn’t review it. A fix was devised and has been applied, at least to the models imported to the U.S. and...

2016 Gin Falcon 24

Reviewed 2016-03-19, Written 2016-04-24 Gin is one of the more mature paraglider makers with much experience in reflex gliders since they used to make wings for Paramania. I’m 147 pounds and flew a 24 during mellow conditions on an overcast FL morning with a...

2016 Ozone Viper4 18

Flown 2016-03-18, reviewed 2016-04-19 I had owned and competed with an Ozone Viper 1 for at least 4 years before doing this review. I bought the Viper 1 even though a later model was out because Mathieu Rouanet had been competing on it successfully, without...

2016 AirDesign UFO 16

Air Design is a long time maker of paragliders, mostly for free flying (like most). The UFO is their first foray into hike-and-fly single surface gliders and they have done a nice job but I got to try it out on a motor thanks to Marco Bowles. It’s a well-behaved...

2016 Sun Gliders Razor 2 18

Sun Gliders is a South Korean wing maker that has been imported in the US for the past several years by David Batton of Florida. This is a competition type reflex wing that carries all the caveats that entails. It provides very good performance for less money. I flew...

2016 AirDesign RAMA Flex 20

This is an updated design on a wing that that’s been around for many years. I flew this on a mellow morning in FL, about 80 degrees, on a Miniplane Top 80 for a clip in weight of about 205. This is about the right size for me and my flying style although I...

2016 Sun Gliders Razor 2 18m

Sun Gliders is a South Korean wing maker that has been imported in the US for the past several years by David Batton of Florida. This is a competition type reflex wing that carries all the caveats that entails. It provides very good performance for less money. I flew...

2015 Doberman 19 (XC Magazine)

From the July 2015 issue of Cross Country Magazine, updated May 2019 Efficiency is what sets this wing apart. For any pilot, whether competing or cruising, that’s like getting free horsepower. Spend it how you like—on distance, speed, climb rate, or maybe...

2013 Dudek Snake 16

Dudek has been producing top competition wings for a number of years. The Snake is aimed squarely at the Slalom set which may seem like a tiny group, but the performance will appeal to skilled pilots of many stripes. I’m interested in this class of wings for...

2013 AirDesign Rama Flex 24

AirDesign is a somewhat new company owned by Stephan Stieglair, a former world champion and former designer for Pro Design, UP and Airwave. The Rama Flex is their first entry into paramotoring. I’m told that it has been certified by DHV to the EN 926 standard...

2013 Axis Stardust 24

I don’t normally review school wings but I’m making an exception. More on why below. There are, no doubt, a number of good choices out there in this category but this is the one I tested. Also, I have to point out one to avoid: the “Power...

2012 Gin Vantage 24

Gin has been a long time respected maker of wings and has even made models for other companies. The Vantage is a beginner/intermediate paramotor wing with modern features to improve inflation and efficiency. I flew it in August, 2012 at about 10:30 am. They call it...

2012 Paramania GTR 18

Video with Eric Dufour flying the 18. He was about 30 pounds heavier than I 2012 Sept 09 During Indy Air Hogs’ fly-in I got to try out the GTR 18 again with the intent to sample a different brake configuration and, more importantly see what the speed range is...

2012 Ozone Speedster 19

Stalwart Paraglider Maker Ozone has added another glider to its quiver of competitors. The Speedster is a “semi-reflex” model that I flew at Glamis, CA and the Salton Sea. Thanks to Mathieu Roaunet for letting me give it a try. My flying was all within 300...

2011 Ozone Viper 1 – 18

Ozone is a long-time paraglider maker that is pressing harder into paramotoring with several models targeted at powered flight. The Viper 1 – 18m is a special wing made for their sponsored pilots to compete with and I was lucky enough to get my hands on Emilia...

2012 Velocity Recon 20

Paratoys has been selling paragliders for probably 10 years,  starting with the eponymous Paratoys wing, a beginner model based on the MacPara Muse. Their latest offering, under the brand name Velocity, is the Recon–a reflex model intended for experienced pilots...

2011 MacPara Chronos 19

MacPara has a solid reputation for building easy inflating wings with good handling and the tradition continues. Like many manufacturers they haven’t made really small sizes for general sales but the Chronos changes that. An number of pilots like to fly more...

2011 Dudek Hadron 20

Dudek has come up with another innovative Reflex wing, the Hadron, to entice competition pilots and anyone wanting speed with good handling. I’ve heard several pilots say it wasn’t intended to be fast but, as you’ll see from the results, it’s...

2011 Paramania GTR 20

Paramania has tweaked its popular Action series to come up with the Action GTR, a speedy reflex wing optimized for competition. It has some really cool innovations in the riser system that will appeal to competition pilots and others that will be appreciated by...

2011 Dudek Hadron 20

Dudek has come up with another innovative Reflex wing, the Hadron, to entice competition pilots and anyone wanting speed with good handling. I’ve heard several pilots say it wasn’t intended to be fast but, as you’ll see from the results, it’s...

2010 Pegas Power X 20

The Power X is Pegas’ targeted entry into motoring wings, specifically the realm of small, fun wings. Like many in this class, they’re intended for experienced pilots. At 19.5 m² flat (16.9 m² projected) it’s a hotrod even for my 150 pounds. I flew...

2010 MacPara Velvet 23

I’ve flown the Velvet before but never this size and boy what a difference size makes. in this case, great things come in small packages, I loved the handling. For anyone that likes carving about in 3-D, the Velvet is a good choice. Conditions were: Miniplane...

2010 Gin Airflex 27

The Gin Airflex is Gin’s entry into the Reflex realm, with full trimmers and an effective speed system. I’ve flown the wing twice, once at Glamis Dunes and again at Beach Blast but only one time with a Speedbar and I didn’t get to make GPS speed...

2010 Apco Force Small (25.5 Flat)

The Force is Apco’s entry into the high-end Reflex category and they’ve done a good job. I’ll admit to having found previous Apco wings a bit more difficult to inflate and not terribly sporty handling, so I didn’t have high expectations. The...

2010 MacPara Mac Jet 26

MacPara has a reputation for making gliders for motoring so it’s fitting that jumped into a more standard Reflex model with the MacJet. Unfortunately I didn’t have a GPS so I couldn’t do speed tests. I’ve ordered a Garmin Foretrex 401 that...

2010 Nirvana Katana 16

At the time I flew this wing, first in Feb of this year then again in May at Beach Blast, I said it would be my next purchase if I bought another wing on those days. My only trepidation was how easily I could get myself in trouble with it, given the incredibly dynamic...

2010 Power Pluto II 18

I tried this glider in Florida and loved it. I liked it as much as the Katana but have a lot of experience on small Pluto’s larger sibling, the Pluto XS (20 m flat, 16.8 m projected), which is what I competed with at the 2009 World Air Games. It treated me...

2009 Pegas Aile 24

Just a quick note about a solid Beginner wing that I tried last  month. Jaro Krupa brought a Pegas Aile 24 for demo at our local haunt and I took it up for a few flights. There are sooo many choices of good wings now that it’s frequently hard to differentiate...

2009 Dudek Nucleon 27

The Nucleon 27 (flat size) is an intermediate level reflex glider that is good for tooling around and maneuvering. It’s certainly less perky in handling than the smaller racing wings (plasma, viper or fusion) but will have better endurance owing to the larger...

2009 Ozone Viper Custom 20

See the newer Viper 2 Review The Ozone Viper is among a new breed in high performance reflex technology. Like the Dudek Plasma and Paramania Fusion, it mates an efficient, high aspect ratio wing with a reflexed profile for speed. The Viper is not quite as reflexed as...

2009 Ozone Viper 2

See the earlier Viper Custom review. 2002-Dec-2 Added Performance & Speed Numbers The Ozone Viper 2 is an update of their original Viper 1. My original plan was to simply update the review but, when I got the Viper 2, I realized that several significant changes...

2009 Dudek Plasma 22

The Plasma 22 (flat size) is among a new breed in high performance reflex technology. It mates an efficient, high aspect ratio wing with a full reflex profile. Similar wings in this class are the Paramania Fusion and Ozone Viper  although the Viper has less reflex but...

2009 Axis Venus 23

The Axis Venus is a high performance glider intended for those wanting maximum efficiency. It delivered nicely in that category. My time with this glider was only one day, with only had a few flights in November, 2009. It was the small size, 23 sq meters and I flew it...

2006 MacPara Muse 28

The Muse is a very popular beginner wing for good reason. It is easy to inflate and has very good handling, a marked improvement over earlier beginner wings that students quickly tired of. The model I flew was probably an original Muse and they’ve come out with...

2006 MacPara Eden III 28

The Eden is a beginner/intermediate glider that I consider appropriate for a raw beginner wing. Plus, great handling and high efficiency make it one that a pilot can fly until it wears out. I’ve flown this wing using a number of machines but this test was on...

2006 MacPara Eden III 28

The Eden is a beginner/intermediate glider that I consider appropriate for a raw beginner wing. Plus, great handling and high efficiency make it one that a pilot can fly until it wears out. I’ve flown this wing using a number of machines but this test was on...

2005 MacPara Spice 22

Click here to see the Spice 22 go through a maneuvers clinic. This is the most fun glider I’ve ever flown. The reason is a combination of super nice handling and high efficiency. After playing with Alex Varv’s loaner in 2004, I was hooked and, in spite of...

2003 Fresh Breeze Silex 25

2003 Fresh Breeze Silex 25 This is a great overall wing for intermediate pilots. It was my favorite for several years, a wonderful compromise of safety and great handling. I bought this wing in about 2002 after a test flight when I fell in love with its handling. I...

1999 Swing Arcus Medium 29

A medium (29.5 sq m flat, 85-105 kg) Swing Arcus was my second wing, purchased for soaring and . Handling was better than the Santana as was the glide. It was slower than the Santana and noticeably easier to launch. I put about 50 hours on this wing, about 30 of which...

1997 Apco Santana 28

This was my first wing. It was intended for soaring and, as such, served yeoman duty. The fact that it was difficult to inflate in no wind only meant something when I had to demonstrate forward launches for my USHPA P2 rating and then when I added a motor. I had an...

1997 DK/Hathor Symphony

The symphony was a common beginner wing that was sold with the early DK motors. I only flew it about 10 times and don’t remember the sizes.  Handling (2): This is a beginner wing in handling and, as such, is very forgiving. It takes a lot of brake pull to turn....