Choosing the best paragliders that would fit you is challenging, but it could be easy depending on your skillset.
When you want to try paragliding, the first question is where to buy a paraglider and consider when to purchase your equipment. Types of equipment one can buy are:
Wing Class
Choose the wings that fit your level of skills and expertise in flying. Paragliding is not a race of who gets to upgrade their wings to an advanced level. The goal in paragliding is to enjoy and get to the air safely. It is, therefore, vital to choose a branch that is appropriate for your skills.
Paragliders are classified according to these: First Paragliders, Progression Paragliders, XC Paragliders, Sports Paragliders, Performance Paragliders, and Competition Paragliders. With this, you can now choose what type of wings to use.
First Paragliders and First Wings
These wings are designed for first time pilots. However, these wings are forgiving enough for students in training.
Progression Paragliders
These wings are designed for the first upgrade from the First Paragliders. It is not so different from the first wings, but it is a step up from the first and still guarantees safety for the pilot.
XC Paragliders
These wings focus mainly on handling security and still guarantee enjoyment. This upgrade from the first two wings requires active piloting to keep control. Therefore, it should never be the first wing to consider for first-time pilots.
Sports Paragliders
This wing gives you freedom of movement and is for experienced pilots as this also requires piloting. It is also good when used in extreme winds because it is resilient in bad turbulence.
Performance Paragliders
It is a type of wing for XC racing and only for advanced pilots. This wing type demands constant attention and must be flown actively and intelligently by the pilot.
Competition Paragliders
It is the type of wing to buy when you are an experienced pilot, and your goal is to get into international competitions.
Safety
The most significant element when you buy a paraglider is safe piloting. There are many aspects to consider safety when flying paragliders. Different types of wings have other issues to deal with. For example, collapse resistant wings are complex and challenging to deal with when they finally collapse. It is vital to always talk to an expert before buying a paraglider. In addition, it would help if you took note of the site and dangerous areas to avoid.
Weight Range
Wings are sold in different sizes to accommodate different weight ranges. As a result, some wings are heavier than others. A light wing will feel easier to launch and pilot, but be very careful with delicate wings as the durability might be compromised.
Performance
You need to consider two critical aspects in the wing’s performance: speed and glide. Momentum quickly gets you to places, and gliding helps you get to higher positions. Performance is different in different types of wings; however, these differences are minimal and not very apparent. Wing performance still depends on the pilot controlling the branches. It still depends on the technique used by the pilot and how seasoned the pilot is in maneuvering the wings.
Nothing makes your paragliding experience safer and fun when you know you got the right equipment fitted to your experience. As experts suggest, choose the wings that do not scare you to maximise the fun factor of paragliding.
