Your wing gets all the attention, but the harness, reserve and helmet are what protect you when something goes wrong. A good wing in a badly chosen harness, with a reserve that is too small or will not come out, is not a safe set of kit.
This lesson is about choosing them. The harness, The reserve parachute and Personal kit explain how each one works; read those first.
Buy a system, not parts
Harness and reserve are checked as one system. The harness maker states how big a reserve its container takes, and the reserve maker states how big the packed reserve is. A reserve that is too bulky can be hard or impossible to pull out1. So choose them together, and ask your instructor or a dealer before you buy either one.
The harness also changes how your wing flies. Its type and chest-strap setting affect handling and feedback, and can change how the wing behaves after a disturbance2.
The harness
| Kind | What it is | For a first harness? |
|---|---|---|
| School or seat harness | A robust harness with a seat plate, built for training3 | Yes |
| Turns inside out to become the rucksack3 | Possible; ask your instructor | |
| Has a leg cover; you fly reclined | Not yet: pods can hinder launch and raise the risk of riser twists4 |
German rules require a
- Airbag: fills with air in flight and empties through a valve on impact. Makers add wire, foam or springs so it is partly full during launch; check that the air intake is open and clear before you fly6.
- Hard foam: crushes in a controlled way, and protects from the moment you put it on.
- Foam in a closed bag: vents through the fabric on impact.
Look for an
Instructor's note A protector is not a landing technique
Students sometimes pick the harness with the biggest airbag and feel safe. A certified protector only reduces spinal compression injury in a bad landing. Landing seated or on your back is dangerous even with one; standing up before landing is the main protection9.
The reserve
Figure: The three kinds of reserve. A new pilot’s first reserve is usually a round or a square, which cannot be steered.
| Kind | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Round ( |
Cheaper, simple to pack, drifts little10 | Heavier and bulkier; opens more slowly, swings more, often sinks faster10 |
| Square (cross) | Opens faster, swings less, lighter and smaller packed11 | Cannot be steered; some drift, and light ones can glide forward, which can lead to a down-plane if the wing still flies11 |
| Opens fast, hardly swings, sinks least12 | Glides, so the wing must be fully disabled; harder to pack; needs an active, trained pilot12 |
For a first reserve, choose a non-steerable round or square. A steerable reserve is for pilots trained to fly it12.
Size it with a margin. Your weight must sit inside the reserve’s certified load range, never outside it. For non-steerable reserves, sources advise staying well below the maximum: about 20 % below it, or about 80 % of the EN maximum for rounds. A lighter loading means a slower descent13. The BHPA counts everything under the reserve, including your wing; EN test reports leave the wing out. Counting it is the cautious choice14.
Look for a certified reserve.
A used reserve needs its repack log and its age. Most makers set a service life of about 10 years even if the reserve was never used17, and repack intervals of 6 to 12 months, depending on the maker18. Follow your reserve’s manual.
The helmet
Choose a helmet certified to EN 966, the European standard for paragliding, hang gliding and microlight helmets. Its drop test is from a higher drop than the common ski-helmet standard19. Some competitions also accept a few other standards20, but EN 966 is the one made for this sport.
- Fit matters more than features. A helmet protects only if it fits closely and the chin strap stays fastened and tight19.
- Open or full face. EN 966 does not require a chin guard19. A full-face helmet protects your jaw; an open one lets you hear and see more. Try both, and ask your instructor.
- Your hearing. You need to hear the wind and your radio, so try the helmet with your radio before you buy.
Add gloves, boots and eye protection: makers tell pilots always to fly with them21.
Examples on the market
These are current models, with published numbers for size M or a mid size. They are examples to help you recognise what you see, not recommendations, and makers update them every few years. The list was checked in November 2026; ask your instructor which suits you.
School and first seat harnesses, all certified to EN 1651 and LTF22:
| Model (size M) | Protector | Harness weight, without reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Supair Access 3 | Airbag | 3.29 kg7.3 lb |
| Advance Axess 5 | Air-foam hybrid plus foam | 4.2 kg9.3 lb |
| Gin Gingo Airlite 5 | Airbag | 2.8 kg6.2 lb |
| Gin Gingo 4 | Foam or airbag | 3.27 kg7.2 lb |
A step up from these, the Advance Success 5 (4.6 kg10 lb) is a more comfort- and cross-country-oriented seat harness22.
Reversible harnesses and harness-rucksack systems include the Gin Verso 4 (3.1 kg6.8 lb with its rucksack), the Advance Easiness 4 (2.15 kg4.7 lb) and the Advance Progress 4 (3.45 kg7.6 lb). Minimal hike-and-fly harnesses such as the Gin Yeti Convertible 2 weigh about 1.4 kg3.1 lb, with the airbag and reserve container optional, so as sold it may have no back protector at all23; it is not a first harness.
Reserves, non-steerable, mid size24:
| Model | Type | Maximum load | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supair Start M | Round | 100 kg220 lb | 1.75 kg3.9 lb |
| Gin Yeti Rescue 35 | Round | 100 kg220 lb | 1.5 kg3.3 lb |
| Companion SQR Classic 120 | Square-round | 120 kg265 lb | 1.5 kg3.3 lb |
| Supair Fluid M | Square | 100 kg220 lb | 1.66 kg3.7 lb |
Light versions such as the Supair Fluid Light Evo and Companion SQR Light 2 weigh about 0.9–1.2 kg2–2.6 lb24. With the margin above, a reserve certified to 100 kg220 lb suits an all-up weight of about 80 kg176 lb, and some also have a minimum load: the SQR Classic 120 starts at 80 kg176 lb1324.
Helmets certified to EN 966 include the Supair Pilot (an in-mould helmet that one review calls open-face, 380 g), the Charly Loop (also certified for skiing, with an optional visor, 480 g) and the Charly Insider (full face, 650 g)25.
Setting it all up
Set up a new harness and reserve, with a qualified person
Have the reserve fitted to the harness by a qualified person.
Why Every new harness and reserve combination must be checked1.
Hang in a simulator in full flying kit and adjust the leg and shoulder straps.
Cue You can slide into the seat without using your hands, and nothing is over-tight.
Why That is how you will sit after launch26.
Set the chest strap to the width your wing’s maker recommends.
Why The width changes how the wing behaves272.
Pull the reserve handle while hanging, without throwing.
Cue The pins release and the inner container comes out cleanly, with no more than about 7 kg15 lb of pull.
Why It confirms the pins release and the container comes out as it must in flight28. The reserve parachute explains this hang test.
Have the qualified person reinstall the reserve, close the container and check the pins and handle again.
Why Every installation and every repack ends with a check1.
Set the speed-bar length while hanging, starting long.
Why A released bar must not pull the front risers29.
Common mistake Sizing the reserve at the top of its range
- Symptom
- Your total weight is just under the reserve’s maximum certified load.
- Cause
- Choosing the smaller, lighter size.
- Fix
- Choose the size that puts you well below the maximum; a lighter loading descends more slowly13.
Common mistake A pod as your first harness
- Symptom
- Launches feel awkward and you struggle to get into the seat; the harness feels less stable.
- Cause
- Choosing a pod because experienced pilots fly them.
- Fix
- Fly a seat harness until your instructor says otherwise4.
Questions students ask
Can I use my ski or bike helmet?
Choose an EN 966 helmet. Its test is made for air sports and is harder than the ski-helmet test, and a maker of air-sports helmets argues they protect significantly better1920.
Is a second-hand reserve a good way to save money?
Only with its repack log, its age within the maker’s service life, and a repack and check by a qualified packer before you fit it. The DHV found some never-used reserves over 10 years old had about half their original strength1730.
Does a harness need servicing too?
Yes. Harnesses need professional inspection about every two years and after any crash or hard landing, and carabiners have their own life limits3132.
Key points
- Choose harness and reserve together: the reserve must fit the harness container and pass a hang test.
- A first harness is a seat or school harness with a certified back protector and an anti-fall-out system; pods come later. Still check your leg straps before every launch.
- A first reserve is a non-steerable round or square, sized well below its maximum load.
- A helmet must be EN 966 certified, fit closely and keep its chin strap fastened.
- A protector does not make a seated landing safe; standing up before landing is the main protection.