Greetings All

spenkyg · Post by **spenkyg** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 7:23 pm

Hello there fellow paragliders (to be)

I'm Spencer and I am hopeing to complete my CP in the next couple of months (going to Morrocco in Nov!)

As I am based in gateshead I will be wanting to join up to NHPC after I 'graduate' so thought i'd say hi now as I will likley be harassing all of you for knowledge very soon.......

In fact.....Starting as I mean to go on....

I am looking at a u-turn infinity as my first glider, can anyone here give me their experiences of this glider?

Ta!

AlastairW · Post by **AlastairW** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 8:18 pm

Hi Spencer, and welcome to the club.... get yourself along to our next meeting and meet some of the members, it will be the first Wednesday in November.

As for the U turn, I know some memmbers have flown these, and am certain they will chip in....

Post by **gary stenhouse** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 9:10 pm

hi spencer i used to have an infinity to start with and my mate had one as well. a fantastic glider but you will need to be in the top 2 thirds of the weight range to benifit its performance. and remember to work out what 2 thirds is, you need all up weight including the weight f the harness glider reserve clothing boots . other than that you will not go wrong.

cheers gary

spenkyg · Post by **spenkyg** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:00 pm

Hi Guys,

I will definatly be along to the next club meet.........any excuse to get out and have a beer!

It sounds like the infinity is a good choice then, it is a wing that my tutor has recommended but I was concerned about it only being a 1-2 when accelerated.........fairly typical optimisim with over confidence of a rookie i'm sure! Though I am in the upper third of the weight range (just), so that sounds almost perfect.

Also I am going into the lakes tommorrow looking for a harness. there is a second hand sup air vamp in my size that im very tempted by. I know that this is a high spec harness, but it is at a good price and looks in good nick.....
Is there any actual reason why this would be a bad harness for me?

Misk · Post by **Misk** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:12 pm

Lots of reasons. It is a race harness with low hang points that will make it and you feel very over sensitive. There is also the theory that it is more prone to twisting of the risers (a bad thing). It has and enclosed bag for your legs - something you will not enjoy; as a beginner you will want your legs free to work when you need them! I think you would probably be the first beginner to start with a Vamp

Ask your instructor for advice but if I were in your position I'd be looking for a harness with foam back protection rather than an air bag type. They are heavier but will give you protection at all times whereas the airbag type offer little to encorage you as you get dragged across a windy hill (been there done that). If your in the lakes anyway then drop in to see Steve at the Sick and the Wrong - advice is free and there is a good selection have a sit in.................

Don't discount second hand as your first set of kit might get a bit of a hammering and you make your way up the learning curve.

mossy · Post by **mossy** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:24 pm

Hi spencer i am in morocco 1st week nov, with the sunsoar crew?? may see you there, i've been before awsome placees to fly for every level of pilot.
cheers Bill

Davehorne · Post by **Davehorne** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 10:47 pm

Hi Spencer,

Just read your post as I've been out in Spain for last 4 weeks enjoying real thermals, I have had a U-Turn Infinity since CP 3 years ago and still very happy with it. I seem to stay up when others do (tho some might disagree

), and the wing has never given me a seriously heart-stopping moment in 100 hours or so. Performance wise it's a good low end 1-2 and for the moment I don't feel the need to upgrade

Kitt Rudd · Post by **Kitt Rudd** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:28 am

I agree with Ian The Vamp is not an ideal harness for someone getting into the sport.
There are many good products out there, From the range I sell I would highly recommend looking at the Gradient Comet, and Ava Sport Tangra.

However I take it you have bought this harness as I cannot believe there are two vamps being sold in the lakes today. (A friend of mine is selling his to someone he is meeting in the lakes - Why not out of interest ask to have a look at the X-lite as he is dropping it off with me later.

Kitt

milleboy · Post by **milleboy** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:48 am

Don't buy a Vamp!!!!

There are loads of good secondhand harnesses around, buy one that's right for you!

Steve

Pete Batey · Post by **Pete Batey** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 12:30 pm

I've got a Gin Genie if you're interested. PM me.
Pete

ron freeman · Post by **ron freeman** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 12:51 pm

I'm amazed someone is prepaired to sell a beginer a vamp harness ?

Talk to your instructor and they should keep you right.

spenkyg · Post by **spenkyg** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 12:25 pm

Hi Guys.

Well thanks for all the input………….though I have now got the above mentioned harness (Kitt was correct I went to get it yesterday).

I did talk with my instructor about it before hand though and he said that it should be okay so….

I think that it is probably worth pointing out that it is not a full leg harness, hopefully this is the main concern given my less than rookie status….

Weather permitting I should be testing out the harness in anger this coming weekend and I will let you all know how I get on, and hopefully able to report that its all okay. However if things don’t work out I will confess all.

Wish me luck!

Post by **colin keightley** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 12:34 pm

Hey im supposed to be the contraversial pilot on this forum.

But on a serious note having read some of the info on this harness even I wouldnt give it a try.

Davehorne · Post by **Davehorne** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 1:00 pm

Hey don't get so upset Colin

Just toss another match on the blue touch paper somewhere else

Spencer - what colour's your Infinity? I shall be very upset if it's red and blue as there hasn't been another one that colour around

Misk · Post by **Misk** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 3:26 pm

good luck with it Spencer............

milleboy · Post by **milleboy** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 4:13 pm

No leg cover or not, it not a beginners harness.

Take care

brian day · Post by **brian day** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:08 pm

Spencer - what colour's your Infinity? I shall be very upset if it's red and blue as there hasn't been another one that colour around

If it is though Dave, you could always say that the person getting dragged around the hill while ground handling possibly wasn't you!

And Spencer, read the above posts carefully, these are people with years of experience, who know what they are talking about, not someone trying to sell you something. It may be an idea to get the Genie, (which isn't a beginners harness either, although very good) or something similar and keep the Vamp for days on the coast to start with.
You may get through the winter, but come the spring, from what is being said, you will give yourself a fright, at best, which may put you off completely. Paragliding is a sport that takes a long time to learn, take your time.
PS. You haven't got ginger hair have you, there may be a link?

Post by **gary stenhouse** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:20 pm

i am not sure what the old vamp was like but i remember when steve got the infinity he managed to get the supair xc2 which he was told would be a bit lively. yet steve was totaly happy with it on the infinity so you never know maybe with the infinity being a 1 then it may be ok. after all feed back is a good thing not a bad thing and if you can get used to it then you will be fine, just dont move up to a 2-3 for a few weeks. that way you will be safe but you may be scared.

on the same note neil bought one of these and scared him self and neil aint no girly. though he does look a bit like one from the back.

spenkyg · Post by **spenkyg** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:53 pm

I'm certainly not disregaurding all the comments (though really, I guess I kind of am) but I will give it a try.... That is of course once my instructor has seen, inspected and helped me set up the harness. But I will be thinking about all that has been said and I think it will be a very little hop first! Also if I det it up so that I am more upright that should make it slightly more stable yes?

But I do really appreciate that you are still being supportive rather than turning your backs on me for making what is best, a contriversial (sorry Colin!) desicion, worst, something much much worse!

I hope that garys example of a previous infinity flier holds true and that I wont be the infinity (Blue and yellow Dave

) being dragged across the hill with a the top of the range race harness hanging off my arse! How does that saying go 'all the gear and something something....'!

Post by **colin keightley** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:56 pm

Look forward to seeing yopu on the hill sometime soon spencer

John Wallis · Post by **John Wallis** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 6:59 pm

I'm certainly not disregaurding all the comments (though really, I guess I kind of am)

So all these pilots who have flown for years are saying it's not a good idea and you are still going to use it

ron freeman · Post by **ron freeman** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 7:12 pm

Hi Spencer, before you fly with this harness on your wing... please check that it does not effect the stability & recovery qualities of your wing !

Most manufactuers recommend a certain harness type for your wing, send them an e-mail or better still give them a call because onc'e your feet leave the ground its then all up to you...

Happy flips

Davehorne · Post by **Davehorne** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 7:56 pm

brian day wrote: If it is though Dave, you could always say that the person getting dragged around the hill while ground handling possibly wasn't you!

Brian you bugger you sure know how to kick a guy where it hurts

Well just so as you know, I enjoyed watching Germans, French and Spanish getting dragged around on launch and trimming the prickly pears out in Algo while I got bored and just launched over their heads - ask Baz Rhodes if you don't believe me

Anyway looks like you'll still be able to see it's me getting a good dragging and not Spencer.

Hope we'll see you on the hill soon Spencer - just take note of what Ron Freeman says about suitability of harness with the wing, I started with a suoer-safe SupAir harness with loads of protection and I was grateful for it after all I'm not called tha drag king for nothing

Davehorne · Post by **Davehorne** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 8:03 pm

spenkyg wrote:But I will be thinking about all that has been said and I think it will be a very little hop first! '!

Spencer, never forget that it's the ground that hurts, not the air

I managed to bruise my leg very early on (pre-CP) by messing around in a sloping landing field as the sea breeze came through and changed the wind direction 180 deg - the resulting downwind landing sure hurt even though I never got more than my own height above the ground

Post by **colin keightley** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 8:05 pm

Here is a snippet from the Infinity II manual regarding suitable harneses

All officially approved harnessystems with mounting about the
breast height are suitable for the INFINITY II (they have to be
DHV rated GH). The lower the mounting, the better is the the
steering by shifting of the bodyweight.
The positioning of the mounting also changes the relative brakedistance.
If you have any questions about the usage of your harness
with the INFINITY II, ask your U-TURN dealer or directly contact
U-TURN. We assist you in any possible way.

Post by **colin keightley** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 8:24 pm

And to save anyone searching, according to the DHV database the Vamp isnt DHV rated.

Post by **gary stenhouse** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:22 pm

i have flown and owned 5 harneses and the harness can be the backbone of your glider, you can fly a glider and not like it in one harness and then fly it again with another harness and like it. my advise is if you start flying the new wing and it doesn;t feel right then try another harness. but if it feels comfy and you feel safe then go with it. flying is about being happy and if your happy nothing else matters. a harness can save you in a small knock but dont go relying on it.

good luck make sure you get it properly hung up in the garage first and have it set up nice and upright to start. but you may find this a bit more tricky on the vamp. i dont mind giving it a go sometime if you like.

the other thing that i may be able to offer you is a supair airbag harness that i know is good for a begginer as i owned and mad dog bought it. it now is not being used as mad dog had pinched my light weight one so he may well sell it.

cheers gary

Post by **gary stenhouse** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:50 pm

http://shop.flybubble.co.uk/product_rev ... views_id=2

interesting as seems to give it good wright up if this is the same harness

Mikey Harper · Post by **Mikey Harper** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 10:11 pm

There's not much detail in that review. He is the CFI of FlyBubble so will know what he is talking about but it doesn't make any reference to the level of pilot it is aimed at. All it says is that it is comfy and has lots of adjustments. 'Not overly unstable or twitchy' suggests that it may be slightly unstable.

Buy MadDog's third hand harness and use that for a year while you learn how to fly post school, then pull the Vamp out from storage if you're comfortable and feel you want to move on.

lanceg · Post by **lanceg** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 10:23 pm

Bet you are wondering if there is no end to this thread Spencer!

Beware the 'dodgy' Sup'Air buckles.

Although my Sup'Air Altix is not one of the batches listed as fitted with faulty buckles I have to double check all clips before take-off.
Frequently, at least one has not worked correctly!

[b]In my humble opinion the quality of the Sup'Air "Ultralight Auto-Buckles and Lightweight Safe-T-Bar" is extremely poor [/b]

ALL models should ALLWAYS be carefully checked before take-off.

NHPC Private and Public Forum

Greetings All

Greetings All

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Harnesses

Amazed

.

Spencer