wing

The best glider in the world is no use to you if it isn't the right size for you. We explain how to navigate the different manufacturers' weight divisions.

Paragliding review of the Advance IOTA 2 high B paraglider by Flybubble's Nancy Elliott, with additional 'bonus' input from Flybubble's Carlo Borsattino. Nancy and Carlo both know the original IOTA, and many other high B wings, very well, and between them flew the IOTA 2 for over 40 hours in varied conditions in the UK and Colombia before writing this review.

The Advance EPSILON 8 is a recreational 'mid' EN B wing, intended for pilots with a year or more of flying experience but who still want security and simplicity in their flying. It comes in above the entry-level Alpha 6 and below the high-performance Iota. Greg Hamerton tested the wing in varied conditions, including a 100 km XC flight. 

The Sprint 3 is Gin's new EN B paraglider, with an aspect ratio of 5.7, sitting between the Atlas and Carrera+ in their paragliding wing range. Flybubble's Carlo Borsattino flew the size M in punchy conditions. "It feels very solid and more like a higher aspect Atlas, than a lower aspect Carerra. It moves in a unified block. Easy launching, firm controls, moderate top speed but lots of accessible performance." Flybubble team pilot John Turczak flew the size L on the same day. "Entering thermals, once you bank the wing it moves very easily into them. The wing feels like it wants to be in the thermal." Read Carlo and John's reviews of the Gin Sprint 3 paraglider.

Free-flyers are exposed to many risks. By identifying the greatest danger, you can make an effort to increase your safety margins in other areas. By examining each element of risk in turn—Weather, Wing, Gear, Sites, Ability, Knowledge—in a series of articles, we hope to provide some insight into reducing your risk.