North Side 1-13-2013 - HD 720p Winter Paragliding, Utah from Flying Drifter on Vimeo.
Winter paragliding can be just as rewarding as flying in the summer! Your flying season can be year round with the right gear and mindset. The snow can be quite spectacular visually and give your old flying site a completely new look.
Clothing:
Number 1 - GLOVES!!!
It is very easy to protect most of your body but your hands are very exposed to wind chill as they are out holding your break handles. Fleece gloves or summer gloves are a no go. Gloves must have a wind break material like leather or wind stoping nylon surface. It can be quite painful if your fingers freeze. You will also need to have solid kiting experience with heavy gloves which are much more difficult to grab lines with.
Number 2 - Boots and wool socks.
Number 3 - thermal underwear and many layers. I wear 2 shirts, 2 sweaters, scarf that can be pulled over my face, ski goggles, beanie under my helmet, "ski pants" that have a great wind break material, and a heavy "snowboarding" jacket.
Optional - Hand warmers, make sure to activate about 20 mins before flight. They don't go down the fingers so have marginal help but useful in a pinch.
Weather considerations:
Obvious considerations are of course concerning the WEATHER. Know the predictions for the day and always keep an eye on any fronts coming your way with a plan to land asap if anything heavy approaches within a few miles. The winds right after a snow storm can be quite nice and smooth.
Never fly alone! If you have an issue you will freeze to death if you are immobile.
On launch be aware that the surface you stand on can be slippery and if you are caught off balance you can fall and get pulled across the ground by your wing. In this case be ready to quickly start pulling in any line you can grab to disable the wing. This is another reason to wear boots with heavy traction on the bottoms.
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