The key to life is not accumulation. It's contribution. Hands that serve help more than the lips that pray.

Friday, January 10, 2025

FLOW Vissta XC size M


FLOW Vissta XC  (harness) Size M. 

This harness has been in development for 3 years, with Felipe Resende and Bach le (architect and designer) with lots of ideas and development. The Vissta XC has a long fairing for aerodynamic purposes. The interesting part is that the shape of the pod, and the shape of the rear fairing are narrow. In designing that harness, Flow said: We aimed for a fully featured conventional competition harness that offers the best low drag coefficient in the market with around 5 kilos and especially for packing it small to fit in a large bag. 

The Vissta XC shape was created after working on CFD (computational fluid dynamics), to find the most optimized low-drag shape which is implanted on that harness. 
FLOW installed clips on the shoulders (see pic) and those are for future low-drag speed arm connections!  

Two rescue systems on each side, with a steerable reserve, are possible. There’s also a nice feature covering the pins of the pod to prevent them from tangling with the lines when pulling the pod. 
Two zippers for the drag chute are also reachable on each side, Two little openings for the pee system also on each side, and two lower zipper pockets (13cm width) under the seat on the rear side that can be used for the hose of the water ballast and to control damping the water in competitions, or even if you want to put inside some gloves, chocolate or else… 
The Vissta XC holds also one removable radio pocket inside and in another side a detachable pocket to insert any items of your choosing ( see pics) 
The cockpit is wide and the angle is perfect. Attached to the cockpit, is a thin but long compartment with a zipper to fit a battery pack, your cellular, Chocolate bars..etc… Easily reachable in the air! 
Perhaps FLOW will introduce a detachable cockpit with possibly a below storage? that opens from above? I wish... let's wait and see what the future brings...

As I always mention before writing a test flight of a harness, every harness is very difficult to describe just because each pilot has different body shapes and geometry. 

The FLOW Vissta XC M size fits perfectly my height of 1.81, and 75 kg weight. 
The Vissta XC pod features a split line adjustment option on each side that could make your adjustments infinite for the incline foot pad, or high lengths of the pod. This feature with those lines makes it more appropriate to adjust for many individuals. 
The Vissta XC has a seat plate but with very easy access on the seat plate to fit narrower ones if the pilot wishes to!   The seat position has also an angle front adjustment on each side that you can lower or raise the seat position. 
The back seat position has three adjustments! easily reachable in the air. Those adjustments make the back and the sitting position very comfortable and also very precise to adjust!  
The video I’m attaching also will cover all those features and will let you see that for better understanding. 
The ballast pocket under the seat holds around 4 kg of water. You can also install ballast in the back compartment. I found also that it would be possible to add a 2, or 3 L liter of ballast water ballast under the cockpit as FLOW installed two side pillars for support without letting it rest on your lap. It hangs on those points. 
The back storage bag under the fairing is bigger than the Impress 4, and a bit less than the Arrow. 
Inside the bag storage, there’s a pocket for installing the water camel for drinking during the flight.

The pod closure has two magnetic pieces to close tightly. In the air, no wind comes in. 
Getting inside the pod requires placing the already installed strap on the edge of the pod and also it has a red ball to insert it into your shoe laces. That is the most efficient way to get inside the pod, otherwise, without that strap, it would be difficult to enter after take-off.  
When setting the shoelace strap, make sure also that your main chest strap connections to the seat plate ( also adjustable red, and green stripes going to the seat plate ) are not too loose to prevent you from slipping forward too much when you take off, because it will require more knee bent to catch the pod if you are too way forward. (I’ll explain it in the video) 

My usual harnesses are the Impress 4 L size pod M and the Arrow L size. I found that the Vissta XC M size fits me like a glove after my adjustments. 
The comfort for the back is quite high resembles the Impress 4 for that matter, knowing that the Impress 4 offers one of the most comfortable rides.  I found myself inside the Vissta XC sitting in my preferred chair! The legs are naturally supported, and there’s no pressure on the body whatsoever! FLOW installed a 35 X 15 cushion on the lower back which provides good back support. It can be moved by a few centimeters to your taste. 

The weight shift capabilities are slightly above the Impress 4 and close to the Arrow with slightly more weight shift capabilities! For an XC/Comp harness, it has an excellent balance. 
The roll movements can be described as balanced.  More stable than the X-rated 6/ WV GTO 2. Close to the Impress 4 and Arrow in that matter. 
The chest strap has an adjustment, is flat on the upper side for sure, and is reachable easily in the air. ( Resembles the Genie race 4 chest adjustments)  
The shape of the harness and pod stays streamlined with the air with difficulty in getting the pod lower down or higher up unless it has been badly adjusted. So the pod stays streamlined. The rear fairing is big, and the take-off reminded me of when I test-flew the Submarine. I had to put the rear fairing on windy days under my arm to keep my vision clear.  The rear fairing stays well inflated in the air and doesn’t move if you have secured both zippers at their max edge. That way the rear fairing is pressurized. 


Conclusion:
The Vissta XC checked all the boxes for me. The very high comfort for long flights, the excellent weight shift capabilities, the aerodynamic shape, two side rescues,! All that with slightly less weight than my Impress 4 L.  
The construction is very neat and it seems to resemble the Niviuk Arrow construction details.  
It can be folded like the Impress 4 to fit in a large bag, which is difficult to find these days… 
I had some nice and comfortable flights with the Vissta XC. landed with a good feel, and relaxed body. 
I think from the conventional harnesses in the market (except Submarine types) The FLOW Vissta XC could be one of the most interesting harnesses as it joins the Useful and pleasant in a foldable harness. Business and pleasure at the same time :-)
An interesting tool for test flying if you aim for that type of XC/comp harnesses.





  

Thursday, November 21, 2024

NEO Suspender 2 L size




NEO Suspender 2  L size


 The NEO brand is a workshop that designs and manufactures top-of-the-range textile products for paragliding and outdoor activities. Neo is a French company located In Doussard near Lac Annecy (France).
 All the products are designed and manufactured in France!   https://www.neo-paragliders.fr/en_GB/ 

My test today is the Neo harness for XC the Suspender 2.0. (https://fly.neoatelier.fr/en_GB/shop/suspender-2-0-6833?category=4) 
With 1.81 cm and 74 kg, the L size fits me quite well. 
The manufacturing process is elegant yet quite simple. At first glance, the harness gives an authentic impression of the sport but contains useful details. 
There’s no back fairing but a rigid back compartment with a large back pocket.  Camelback ready.

The sitting position is a bucket seat design. There’s no seat board, but the feel is as rigid as one. The feel between a seat board and a bucket seat harness is nearly the same. 


As you probably know,  harnesses are the most difficult material to test because of our different body structures and shapes.
The Suspender 2, as a bucket seat harness, offers good body comfort. the ABS delivers a very nice turn into thermals but also with high dampening in turbulence.  I find that balance to be unique. I can consider that the Suspender 2.0 could be among the most stable ones regarding pod harnesses. 
Moving from a simple harness with a seated position to the Suspender 2 is ideal as it's configured with that slight pressure system on the lower thighs. 

There’s a very interesting innovation for the rescue system: the Stand-up rescue system. The system reroutes the rescue briddles to attach to the main carabiners. That way, when your rescue is open, you're still hanging from the main carabiners and not from your upper shoulder hanging points. 

When pushing the speed bar, NEO installed big autoRatchet pulleys, they deliver a softer pressure and foot pressure when I'm on the speed bar!  
Hook Knife included. The front cockpit opens with a magnet and can be secured by a strap. It has a moderate space between a Forza 2 and an Arrow. Helico kit, Booomtag, (Near Field Communication chip)!  (Please see the video)
The straps on the left and right are easily adjustable. The seating position can be straight up. 
The back protection is  the NEO Koroyd 3.0:  https://fly.neoatelier.fr/en_GB/shop/koroyd-3-0-protection-1731

Conclusion:
The NEO Suspender 2.0 is a complete harness without the makeup. A truly genuine article for the purist! 
A stable, easy-to-fly, XC-oriented harness for all levels, the Suspender2.0 is a very nice product. 
As harnesses are very personal products, each interested individual should demo one and see if it meets their body geometry.  

Saturday, November 2, 2024

Mistake...-----NOW UPDATED and the test is ready for 22 and 24 . !!

Hi,
I have made a mistake—in fact, a huge mistake… In 30 years, it has never happened to me…
The details:
I was waiting for both the Sigma DLS 22 Petrol and 24 Spectra to arrive. My friend called me saying that the 24 Spectra color has arrived and I should pick it up.
With everything going on in my country and all the problems my head can carry…I swiftly pick up the bag with the Spectra color on it and head on to the takeoff. With my Impress 4 at 92 all up, I took off and later flew next to my friends. After two hours, I landed and wrote my impressions.

The weird thing is that, after 15 days, as I was re-arranging my gliders, I saw the outside bag of the supposed Sigma DLS 24 (Spectra) and saw the number (22)! I froze for like an hour…My eyes pooped out!
Seeing the spectra color with the size 22 ( 68-87) with an ideal range between (72-84) I opened the glider to see that the label on the Sigma DLS I had tested was indeed the size 22!

I flew that size at 92, which was 8 kilos from the ideal weight range! This largely explains the difficult climb rate in weak air!
I am so sorry for that…I don’t know how this happened…Surely, I’m getting old... Rolling Eyes
Now I have the size 24 (Solid statement after wearing my glasses )!
I will re-test the Sigma DLS next week when the weather improves, especially for the climb rate in weak and the overall behavior!



Sigma DLS size 22 (Petrol)
Yesterday, I flew the Sigma DLS size 22 with my Lightness 4 harness at 83, all up in moderate air.
The handling and turning abilities at 83, in combination with the Lightness 4, deliver a very agile and playful glider. I could easily core any thermal in super tight turns. The climb rate is now more than acceptable at that load!
More to come soon for both sizes.
Again, my apologies for that terrible and awkward mistake!
Ziad




Tuesday, October 22, 2024

DAVINCI Mambo 2 liner EN-C S size



DAVINCI Mambo EN-C 2 liner size S (70-95)


The Mambo is the first EN-C with a two-line design from DAVINCI.
On the ground: The look of the aggressive and big shark nose with the SN+ feature looks like nothing else in the market. Laying down close a Photon, they both seem from different worlds in shape, size, line attachment points…To delete the rumors that presume a copy from any other two-liner. It is not, at least from what I see in front of me.

Construction: The Mambo construction looks very neat, from the risers to the sewing of the glider. Nitinol rods are used in that glider. A new feature inside that glider with four double smart snake systems inserted in the profile ( see pic) Jihun Lee says that it resits collapse and should make a faster recovery. I didn’t have any collapse during my tests, and I cannot comment on the recovery. But I can confirm a very different feel under it ( more info down)

I have flown the Mambo from 90, 93, to 95. It's best to fly it in strong air at 94…95.



Launching:
Pulling on the A’s in nil wind requires a steady pull, and the mambo rises slowly and evenly, keeping your pressure on the A’s. It feels slightly heavier to launch than a Photon, for example. But still, the inflation in nil wind is easy. Just slightly slower. In 10-15 to 25 km/h, the pull on the A’s also needs a steady pull, but overall it is an easy-to-launch EN-C glider.

In the air:
The Mambo has moderate to short brake travel with very nice agility. The authority on the brakes is good for the pilot. Every pull I got is a linear feel and in reaction from the glider. The agility is similar to a GIN Camino 2 and slightly less than a Volt 5. It's on the moderate side but still quite direct and very satisfying!


Climb rate:
One day, I flew the Mambo with my Impress 4 harness at 93 all up, next to a Photon M size (90-105) at 105 all up.
In weak thermals, less than 0.5 m/s, both gliders float nicely. When there’s a slight increase in climb, I felt on many occasions that the Mambo had the upper hand in float ability! … Actually, we were both surprised, and later, we tried again and again with the same results. The Mambo has a nice climb rate, and I enjoyed teasing my friend with his head right and left Smile
In strong surges, the Mambo doesn’t have a neutral pitch and climbs very quickly upward. It felt like it slowed down inside the lift, and with the direct brakes, any small radius is doable.


Gliding:
Of course, we also made many glides despite the Photon being a larger size.
At trim speed at 93 on the Mambo, I was around +1 km/h slower than my friend on his Photon M size at 105. To compensate for this, I pushed the speed bar to keep it side by side. After some kilometers, We both didn’t see any difference in glide with a 5 km/h headwind. We also tried again and again with the same results at that speed.
At half bar, the result is also the same next to the Photon! There’s no doubt about the glide efficiency of that machine.


Comfort and pilot control:
In moderate air, the Mambo is a comfortable glider to fly with smooth roll and pitch movements.
In strong air, things get more interesting… As the glider holds many stiff parts, high energy stored inside is feelable when hitting turbulence. There are some yaw movements translated to the harness that push you slightly sideways. Of course, the brakes give you a large authority and will help control that glider in heavy turbulence. A narrow chest strap will also help, but it is a thing that you don’t feel under any 2-liner C, and most probably, you will get used to it…
The B controls, while stepping on the bar, have moderate to hard pressure. Control by the B’s in turbulence is efficient in keeping the glider overhead in mild turbulence.
The top speed is around 16 km/h over trim.

Conclusion:
I never thought The Mambo would climb and glide that way! If heavily loaded, this glider has lots of potential in XC and competitions. I’m curious about pilot feedback after test-flying it.
With good handling and good brake authority, the Mambo is a special glider for good C pilots in the 2-liner C category.