AirDesign’s Hike is a superlight, small-packing 35m2 tandem wing, that weighs just 5.3kg. It’s certified EN B for solo or tandem use with a 110-180kg weight range. The company say the simple 38-cell construction ensures the Hike packs down small, and it’s built from light and durable materials: Dominico D30 on the leading edge and double-coated Porcher Skytex 27 classic II elsewhere. […] …read more
Nova Somnium cross-country harness
The Somnium (Latin for ‘dream’) is Nova’s new cross-country harness. A seatboardless, aerodynamic pod design with hybrid back protector, the S size weighs in at just 3.7kg. The hybrid back protector has foam under the seat for immediate protection, and an aerodynamically shaped airbag for full protection without adding too much weight. The split-leg, seatboardless design tends […] …read more
XC Tracer time lag-free vario
Swiss engineer Koni Schafroth has been developing the XC Tracer, a small lightweight variometer with real-time response, and has set up an Indiegogo campaign to crowdfund its production. The tiny unit weighs just 55g and is a variometer and data-logger, which connects via Bluetooth to an iOS or Android tablet or smartphone. Koni, who currently works […] …read more
Skywalk – Salewa Alpine Speed Clothing Range
Skywalk have partnered with mountain clothing and equipment brand Salewa to release a range of specialised lightweight alpine clothing. Skywalk say the new clothing range, a special version of Salewa’s ‘Alpine Speed’ collection, will complement their lightweight alpine paragliding range and be ideal for serious mountain hike-and-flyers. Their X-Alps athletes will be sporting the range in the 2015 […] …read more
Paramotoring Svalbard: 78 Degrees North
In Cross Country issue 158 (April 2015) tandem paramotor pilot Christophe Blanc-Gras heads to Svalbard to help shoot snowboarders, avoid polar bears and fly the man from the BBC. Base camp has been dismantled and the last bags are ready to go. Surrounded by thick fog, we’re waiting for Wes to come and pick us […] …read more
Learning to fly pylons: Curved Ball
In Cross Country 158 (April 2015) we talk to some of the sport’s top pilots about the art of learning – and getting good at – flying pylons. Pylon flying has taken the paramotoring world by storm in the last five years, pushing the sport out of the windy, remote airfield and bringing it to […] …read more
Flying with Dustin: On tour in Brazil
What could be better than going on a guided tour of Brazil? Doing it with hang gliding world record holder Dustin Martin, that’s what. In issue 158 of Cross Country magazine Stein Gjosund goes all-in Seeing the world, and flying it. That is what I want. And that is why I left the narrow path […] …read more
Cross Country 158: What’s in the latest issue…
“From Colombia to Svalbard, we’re all addicted to base”, reads the coverline on the latest issue of Cross Country magazine, issue 158. Hitting doormats around the world since 1 March it will be available digitally on 9 March. At 132 pages it is again packed with the latest and best from the free-flying world, including […] …read more
Freeze Frame: Paragliding Worlds 2015
What do you get when you mix 150 racing paraglider pilots and Colombia’s world class Roldanillo flying site in the middle of January? One great South American cocktail – the best Paragliding World Championships in years. In January we headed south to photograph and report on Roldanillo 2015 – and we haven’t stopped talking about […] …read more
Off the Wall: X-Alps 2015 Wildcard Dave Turner
In issue 158 (April 2015) of Cross Country magazine, Red Bull X-Alps 2015 Wildcard Dave Turner tells us how he came down off the cliffs of Yosemite and fell head over heels in love with flying… “Keep an eye on this guy,” a pilot told me in 2010, “In a few years he’s either going […] …read more