Sharing my passion for aviation. Started flying ultralights in the 80's, general aviation aircraft in the 90's and now paramotors and paragliders. My videos are about the stories both before and after a launch and each flight is unique. I also love to share my thoughts and reviews on the equipment I use.
@@christianstorm339 I haven’t flown the Epic 2 and for paramotoring I eventually went with the Epsilon with hybrid risers. BGD wings are very popular and there are probably quite a few reviews out there. Thanks for watching.
Hi Lou, I fly at Torrey and I'm looking for a new harness. Do you still have the Advance Progress 3? If so do you want to sell it? Great videos! Thanks
I no longer have the Progress 3. I now fly with the Lightness 3 pod and the Boundless harness. The Progress 3 has been out for a while so you should be able to pick up a used one. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for this in dept review. I am about to finish my paragliding course, and everything is going very well. I am able to fully control the wing while ground handling and so far I landed all my flights softly on my legs. I was thinking to get an EN-B glider as my first wing and the Advance EPSILON DLS (Size 24) is one of the ones on my wish list. It was great to see that it fits easily in the backpack. I love that it is possible to disattach the backpack in case it is damaged or dirty.
Hi, may I please ask the difference between the Progress 2 and Easiness 3? Does it feel like it has similar protection, stability and comfort? Would you recommend a Progress 2 as a nice dune harness alternative to the Easiness? Thanks!!
@@kanaha324 The Progress 2 was an earlier version that has been replaced by the Progress 3 which added a compressible seat protector (which is removable). Maybe there is a good used one out there, but I think the Easiness 3 would be more compact and nimble for use as a dune harness. You can also fly the Easiness 3 without the inflatable seat protector/integrated reserve making it even better for a low flying dune harness where a reserve isn’t necessary. The Easiness 3 would also be lighter but packing a standard wing for hike and fly would be tight. It’s great, however, for a lightweight or mini wing. Hope this helps and thanks for watching.
@@loums52 thank you so much for your reply! I have the Easiness 3 (LOVE it) and formerly had a Progress 3, but the zippers had issues. I wanted to get another Progress 2 just for the dunes so I don’t have to worry about wear/tear and excessive aging on the Easiness.
@@kanaha324 The Progress 2 does have air scoop pockets for seat bag inflation so not sure how the sand might infiltrate this area with any "butt" landings or slides. But if its a used one just for this purpose then not out much if it is thrown around a bit. Still think the Easiness 3 without the air bag protection would be a very nimble unit and maybe buy a used on just for the dunes??? Best wishes!
@@loums52 many thanks for your thoughtful reply!! your advice is very much appreciated here. I still want some protection so will try out the 2, but be on the hunt for a cheap used E3 as my backup 😅 thanks for making these videos! And for replying and following up!!
I have long enjoyed your videos on the latest Advance products. As a budget-constrained fan of Advance harnesses, I am grateful for that. Hope you don't mind an innocent question : where do you throw your trash?🙂 As for the bungees, I would have thought that it is better not to have them in flight, as it justs makes it easier to get off the harness in an emergency like water landing. That was a concern for me with the Easiness 3, btw. Those buckles were impossible to open under tension.
I own an easiness3 and have always had trouble packing it back flat into its rucksack. Do you have any advice on how to get the harness to fold in without bending the rigid form bars?
I just gently folded them in one over the other without bending them. This seemed to work but hard to describe. Perhaps just experimenting a bit. Wish I could be more helpful. Thanks for watching! 🪂
very good explanation and better last name! I am looking for a new harness to retire my exense after 5 years and there are all doubts. progress 3? boundless, wani3????
The company says that the epsilon 9 will fly you better in turbulence if you put your hands up then you can pilot although they recommend active flying. I could be wrong as I'm doing ground handling and calculations from engineering to understand the flying. It would be my understanding that the wide open trim with your hands completely out would be the most stable. I read that the minimum sink on the modern gliders like the epsilon 9 was very close to trim speed. When they make the statement we recommend active flying they mean you should have your hands in the brakes and ready to catch it in case it shoots and most of the time your hand should be up close to having very little break on just enough to stiffen the wing.
Thanks…I’m actually flying the DLS which is for all intent and purposes the “10”. And it well also depend on whether you are in sink or lift. Basically, hands up to get out of sink and some brake to stay in lift (or turn into the thermal). In active air, you definitely have to “feel” what’s going on but don’t over control. In smooth air, just let her go! Thanks for watching.
Great review, Lou. I really like the colour scheme. I've had 5 gliders in five years and have really enjoyed the steps up. I'm currently on an AD Soar (very light, High B). Whenever I kite or raise it on a reverse launch, I always say, 'Hello, Beautiful'. Keep putting up the videos. Love 'em!
Hey Lou, thanks to your review, I bought the Progress 3 harness and am absolutely loving it. I've got 30 hours and am looking to upgrade from an A wing to either the Epsilon or the Iota and it doesn't look like that much of a leap in terms of difficulty. Any thoughts on that? I also noticed in this video you're using the windshield on the pod. Does it make a big difference? I'm going to buy the Lightness 4 as soon as it comes out. Anyways, keep up the amazing videos.
I think the Epsilon low to mid B wing is a great way to transition from the A class. It is super reliable with good performance while being safe. The Iota may be more “frisky” than you would want coming directly from an A wing but the best thing is to talk to your past instructor and even try to demo each wing. What you get depends on your progression, how often you fly and what type of flying you plan to do most often. The Iota is definitely a great wing to use with the Lightness pod…but if you haven’t flown a pod, first get used to it and then upgrade the wing…or get a new wing and get used to that and then go with a pod…try only one new thing at a time…just echoing what my instructor would tell me. I am looking forward to seeing what the new Lightness 4 will offer. Best wishes and thanks for watching!🪂
@@nestedacademy I forgot to mention that the windshield actually does work well. I was flying one evening with lighter gloves and it was really cold, and by periodically placing my hands on the flight deck behind the windshield I was able to get them out of the cold air for a bit…I now use it all the time. 🪂
Thanks for your excellent posts. I just flew my Boundless blue harness for the first time yesterday at Andy Jackson Airpark in San Bernadino. The first launch I lifted my knees and slid into the harness effortlessly like when I hang tested it. However on the second launch I had more trouble and needed to use a hand. I’ve looked at the leg strap adjustment mechanism but it’s difficult to get to it under the seat board. The board is not removable I think. Nor does the manual elaborate on the functionality of the adjustment mechanism itself. The rear seat board hardly lifts up at all and I can’t figure out how to adjust the straps because I can’t see what’s going on under the seat board. At the moment they are at factory settings. Moreover, I’m not sure if I would want to lengthen or shorten them to help facilitate an easy entry. Exit and hanging upright for landing is not a problem and it’s comfortable enough for kiting, it’s just that I would like it to be a little easier to get into it. Should I lengthen or shorten them is the question, and how is it done hmm…
The adjustment straps for the legs are at the very back of the seat board. Pull up the back area and you'll see the straps for adjustment. I usually keep my pretty snug but not enough to hinder movement. When I am hanging from the harness after taking off I want to make sure I am not hanging so low that I can't get in the seat. You just have to experiment a bit but do the initial adjustments with the hang test. Best wishes and I hope that helps. 🪂
@@loums52 thank you Lou. I need to dig deeper under the seat board. I wish the manual had a depiction of the adjust mechanism. I suppose the end of the straps are permanently fixed somewhere down there so that they don’t have a chance of coming loose if I make a faulty adjustment. Sorry if I sound like a novice because that’s exactly what I am. Imagine that - a 63 year old novice haha. I did get a P2 in Torrey in 2001 but never flew since - well not exactly I flew airplanes for a living at the time. So now that I haven’t flown at all for awhile, I thought I’d give the P2 training a repeat. And I bought equipment this time so it’s a commitment! And the Boundless is my only my second harness. I had bought a used Gin Bobcat from Chris at SuperFly some years ago - strictly for use with the BDG Seed groundhandling trainer. If I ever go back to Torrey maybe I could look you up? I don’t know if URL links work in RU-vid but here is my first landing at AJX with a wing I picked up in Munich 10 days ago. instagram.com/reel/C6DP1loOudC/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
@@larssorenson9916 Yes, the video did come through and nice landing! I have flown Andy Jackson once and Jordan was one of my instructors at Torrey years ago. You are right that the manual does not really illustrate where the adjustment straps are…maybe I could do a video on this! Please let me know if you are ever back at Torrey and happy flights in the meantime. 🪂
@@loums52 Yes, Jordan mentioned he worked at Torrey. Maybe before he went to Soboba. I like his video course content. Pretty thorough and unique. No in person classroom which is OK with me. He doesn’t come out to AJX until late afternoon when conditions are de-escalating so at the most it’s two flights before sunset by the time you get up to the launches. Hence progress is slow going. Wish we could get a flight or two in early mornings but that’s not what he does. I’m staying here 90 days dedicating 100% of the time to the curriculum. But the P2 remains on my USHPA license so I need to find out where I actually stand. Proficiency and safety of course trumps any paperwork. But likely I already have a valid P2. It took me exactly four days to get the P2 at Torrey in August 2001. However, I did have some training hill flights at Ed Levin in the Bay Area as well as some Monterey dune launches before arriving at Torrey. But imagine four days and here at AJX I may not be done after 90 days! I’m thinking of ordering an Epsilon DLS - it should be a good match for the Boundless harness. I’m still getting used to it. I find it very lively compared to the Gin Bobcat without seat board. And I did shorten the straps a bit - quite easy really. And I do think the seat board can be pulled out also but no need of course. It worked well for getting seated now… I signed up for 7 SIV days with Marlin Lobb at Flyeo in Annecy in October. I hope to spend the winter at Falcoparapente flying school in Colombia. But before all that I would actually like to return to Torrey. I probably have to hire an instructor. I’ll call them and find out.
@@larssorenson9916 Sounds like you are quite active in your flight instruction and the time in Colombia and Annecy sounds wonderful. The seat board does make for a more active flying experience and I do like the added weight shifting authority. The Epsilon is a great wing and if you decide to go with it I think you'll love it. Take care and safe flying!
After flying the Epsilon again (have been flying the Iota pretty non-stop for 2 months), I have to say that when I flew the Iota again, it does feel more "light" and nimble. The Epsilon is very rock solid while the Iota is more playful and fun without being twitchy or temperamental. The turning response is wonderful as well as the glide. When I get back to Paramotors (any day now I keep saying), it will definitely be the Epsilon though. If the weather is bit more tricky then the Epsilon is more rock solid on takeoff, but I really don't take off in anything that is not comfortable. I just flew the Iota again on a day that had pretty moderate winds (Torrey) and I must say I really enjoyed the overall performance (was flying the pod). So all in all, I love having the Epsilon but I can see me flying the Iota most of the time. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the reply, and thank you for all the work you do on this excellent channel. I bought an Advance harness based on your positive comments and I’m very happy with it. All the best from Ian in England.
Thanks for posting this. I'm also an Old Guy. Who gave up (retired) from a career of flying helicopters, but to keep myself in the air I took up paragliding around the beginning of the Pandemic and really love it. I too have been in the Advance camp from the start. Now on my Epsilon 9 and Success 5 But now after starting XC last October with a guided trip in Bir Billing, India, I feel it is time to get into a pod harness. I tried one for an afternoon last summer and really enjoyed it so recently I started looking at the same ones you mentioned. The Weightless and the Lightness. For the same reason, I'm thinking the Weightness, as nice as it is, might be a mistake so I am also considering the Lightness 4 which is due out next month. I've a couple of friends flying the Weightless and they both love it. And for one of them, it stood up quite well on a tree landing without any damage so it might be tougher than you think. I'm just thinking the Lightness will have a bit more safety padding for that 1 kg of extra weight it's sporting. Your video is making me think the Lightness 4 will be the correct decision. Thanks
I’m wondering how the Lightness 4 will be different. Perhaps the weightless would have been fine but I really have been enjoying the Lightness 3. I know you won’t be disappointed either way. Thanks for your comments and watching! 🪂
Thanks so much! One of the reasons I did the review is that I also couldn’t find one…happy flying and I’m actually taking this harness and the Epsilon DLS flying at Torrey today 😎🪂
@@loums52 Happy flying! I'm a beginner pilot and I am looking to pick up my first harness and wing, I think your review helped me out a lot. My only concern about the harness was comfort with the leg straps while ground handling so thank you for addressing that.
@@IsaacTea I was just out flying the Boundless yesterday and before flying did some ground handling. I used the leg straps and what a difference it does make. I pretty much use them all the time now because it does feel more comfortable…and there are pretty easy to attach and release. Take care!
Thanks for watching...I have no plans to sell the Epsilon right now but in the future, who knows! 🙂 It is a great wing and unless one really wants a reflex wing for PPG, I think it works great...and as a great PG wing. The Iota does give me, I feel, a bit more thermalling performance and it does glide very nicely. Cheers and glad the Parajet is doing well! 🪂
A few people I fly with switched to the Iota and love it. I’m a happy low b pilot and love the Epsilon series for pg/ppg. Are you still flying the eclipse with the atom 80?
@@briant5992 Yes, they are both very nice but will definitely use the Epsilon for PPG. I actually don’t have a PPG right now. Right after COVID, I wasn’t flying it much and found someone to buy it. BUT…I am really missing the paramotoring so am looking for another one. I am actually been thinking about (for a long time now), an electric PPG. The drawback is the time of flight and the weight to get around 45-50 minutes of flight so still don’t know (Open PPG). I also know of someone building one for around 60 minutes of flight for a lot less weight so still waiting until I make a decision on this. In the meantime, still flying PG as much as possible. Cheers!
Thanks for watching…I think the holding of the brakes is a very personal thing. I definitely do not like taking a wrap (hands too high for me) or having my hands through the loops as many people do. I actually have my index fingers touching the magnets on the handles and I really like the feel of this….sort of the same as having them on the knots…just something I slowly incorporated over time…best wishes and happy flying.🪂
man i would do everything to fly paragliding but i cant find any harness that fits me. i am not only fat but also tall and after buying 3 new harness in vain i gave up. using my paramotor to launch ever since. your channel rocks! subbed
Thanks so much! As much as I love paragliding, I do miss just getting up around the clouds without worrying about lift...Best wishes and I will look forward to YOUR next videos!
@@loums52 yeah the ONLY reason i learned to fly was to walk on clouds. biggest dream since i was a kid. still didnt had the chance yet. but i hope this summer i can get it done!
I had an advance sail esilon 6 but I had a small accident it's already very old 🥹 and I like to fly but I don't have enough money to buy an advance sail 🥹🙌🏻
Best option is to ask a local instructor if they have a used one for you to use or demo and then try to get a good price. There are lots of used ones out there but have to be cautious that they are still safe to fly. Good luck.
Greets from oversees, Germany :-) Last week I get my Boundles and I'm happy with it. Thanks for your Video. It was one of the points that I want the Boundles. Happy flying for you all the time! Wish we could fly together once 🙂
According to Advance the DLS will be just as durable as they are lighter but not a true lightweight wing. So far I think this is true. It Is lighter but handles like a standard wing. I have flown Ozone wings and they are also great. Nova, Phi, Niviuk (and others) are all well regarded. There are certainly others and if you can try to demo what looks interesting and fits well for your weight range. As you can probably tell, I’m partial to Advance wings. 😎 Thanks for watching!
I have but not lately. I flew Horse a lot way back when traffic wasn’t so blasted heavy…same for Blossom. These days I’m lazier and fly Little Black and Torrey a lot. Palomar is a bit more traffic friendly. Thanks for watching! 🪂
Hi there, Have you considered motoring with this wing? I think it would be good for motor thermal flying. They do optional paramotor risers. I’m thinking an open PPG SP140 V2 electric paramotor and this glider would be a perfect combo. Thanks for the interesting content 😀👍
Absolutely! I used my Epsilon 8 with the hybrid risers and now have the hybrid risers for the DLS. Works great and never had problems launching even in the lightest wind. I am more concerned with efficiency and glide than speed so a reflex wing is not something I really want, though I have flown the Spider, Roadster & Niviuk Kougar 2 PPG wings. Here's a link to one of my videos where I talk about using the hybrid risers (This is part 2). ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eO6JLCjaMi0.htmlsi=-AdejxpLWxcETT0a Thanks for watching!
PS. I am ALSO thinking about the SP140 for the type of flying I do. I'm very tired of 2 stroke smell and reliability (though the Atom 80 is the best of the lot).
Thank you! I was looking for a nice review of this. It would be interesting to see a comparison to the Nova Cito, if you're able to find one to look at, especially since you have some experience and know what to look for
Thanks so much...I do like the seat board for better weight shifting. Would love to meet both of you personally if you do visit. Perhaps I'll even make it to your area one day. Best wishes!
I was really surprised on how much I enjoyed flying this harness from the moment I launched. I still have my Easiness 3 and Boundless (and will keep both) but for now I can’t wait to fly the pod. I also love the new DLS series from Advance. Best wishes and thanks for watching!🪂
The fact that Little Black even exists in SoCal is amazing in itself. Must have been both early in the day and a huge temp dew point spread? Not a cloud in the sky...
Yes, it was about noon time. It’s typically blue sky thermalling around here with some cloudy days after some storms go through. I wish we could really groom the launch area better but not allowed to do so is my understanding. All in all a great spot that can be very challenging. Thanks for watching!
There were a couple of students with Max Marren who teaches locally and also does SIV courses and was my P3 instructor way back when…but they were doing quick flights to landing. So was on my own. Nice to have a friend or two as a way to better find the best lift area…if you see someone circling and going up, you try to join them! Thanks for watching! 🪂
The lightness 3 seems better at weight shifting for me. Being a pod harness, it seems to carve through the turns better and I have more feel for it. In thermal conditions I also feel more comfortable in bumpy conditions. I thought the pod would take longer to get used to but I really liked it right off the bat. The Advance Boundless that I have also weight shifts very well with its seat board. It really depends what you’re looking for as both the Progress and Boundless are traditional reversible upright harnesses and the Lightness 3 is a hammock style pod. Thanks for watching!
😮 is that La Jolla? i'd recognize that shoreline anywhere! i'm out by the cove. had no idea there was paragliding out of what looks like Torrey Pines? thanks for sharing! subscribed 😊 P.S. oh haha you did mention where you were flying out of, just got to the point where you captioned "Torrey Pines Gliderport" 😅. how cool. definitely have to check that out soon.
Yes…Torrey Pines Gliderport. There used to be even sailplanes years ago and one could soar the ridge all the way to Del Mar and even north of there depending on the winds. The powers that be don’t allow that anymore. It’s quite the “flying circus” when the tandem pilots are giving rides during the weekends. Thanks for watching!
It is noisy but still a wonderful way to get some altitude and then shut off the engine and just soar and glide down to a quiet landing. Best to fly where there is plenty of open space and not annoy anyone. Thanks for watching.
Great review. I have literally upgraded from my Progress 3 and Alpha 6 to an Epsilon DLS and Lightness 3. I am interested in seeing where you connected the shock cord to assist with getting in your harness.
It’s interesting that the Lightweight speed bag already has a cord attached but it’s optional for the standard speed bag. I attached it to the left front part of the footboard and the end of the strap attached to the outside left portion of my shoe (this seems to be how the manual illustrates it). There is no separate attachment strap but I used the strap where another line was attached. There are separate attachment straps in the back part of the footboard but attaching it here did not work for me and I’m not sure why there are separate straps at these locations? Perhaps you have insights for this. So far I love the harness but unfortunately our area has had rain over the last 2 weeks! Can’t wait to get out again. Thanks for watching.
@loums52 Thanks Lou. Yup, rained out here in the UK too. I was supposed to be in Colombia but had to cancel due to issues at home. Still, I am off to Algeria in April and Annecy in May. Also planning to Fly in South Africa in early November.
Be careful on landing - the foam protector on this harness (and many other lightweight pod harnesses) is not very effective (gets a pretty bad 45G on certification), and this is compounded by having the rescue in the back, forming an ideal hard point to shatter a vertebra. I unfortunately know from experience with this harness, landing in rotor at the end of an XC flight (my fault), and having a not-so-hard impact yet burst vertebra requiring surgery and bolts and rods. Impact point was on the rescue in the back. Be extra careful with your landings!
Hey Lou, nice review. I recently added a pod to my gear stack too, but wow is my "kit", as the Britts say, heavy. It's taken me right to 100% loading on 30m wings that I own. Anyhow after a recent trip to S.A. it took a few days to make peace with adjustments beyond simulator hanging. Getting in without standing on bar and learning the more subtle nuances of how the pod flys vs. my open harness was a pretty steep learning curve. It all paid off on the final day with a crush of previous personal bests... altitude gained, distance flown and time aloft. I see that my MacPara Haven (also a carbon plate seat pod) weight is almost 2kg more!!!! Pluss side? it's like sitting in the cross between an F1 McLaren and an oversize Lazyboy lounge chair.
I do love the reclined feeling and felt very comfortable right away but the true test will be on more thermal days with some turbulence. Glad your harness came through for you and as soon as it stops raining here (a week of rain!), I’ll be out and hoping for my own personal bests! If I had one wish, it would be to test all the great products out there…Thanks for watching and the feedback…🪂
