Ground Handling With Your Paraglider On Skis!
It’s the last few days of ski-season – the hills are a little less busy in mountain towns and the weather is a little warmer. What does that mean? It sounds like the perfect time to try something new if you like paragliding and skiing and haven’t tried them together yet!
Paragliding on skis is an exhilarating way to experience the thrill of speed and practice precision and control all while enjoying the beauty of the snowy mountains. But before you can take off down that hill and launch yourself into the skies with your skis, you need to master the art of ground handling with your paraglider on skis.
In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the steps of ground handling with your paraglider on skis, and provide tips and tricks for a successful takeoff!
Step 1: Set Up Your Gear
Before you start ground handling, make sure you have all the necessary gear. This includes your skis, poles (to warm up!), harness, helmet, and of course, your paraglider. Once you’ve assembled everything, find a safe and open area to practice.
Step 2: Practice Ground Handling
The key to successful ground handling is practice, practice, practice. First – get comfortable o on your skis! Do a warmup run first, and then you can prepare with your paraglider.
Start by laying out your paraglider on the snow and securing it with your skis. Next, put on your harness and attach the rest of your paragliding equipment. Practice with your wing without your skis on. Hold on to and practice manipulating your wing, inflating and deflating it with air while walking forward and backward.
Step 3: Skiing With Your Paraglider
Once you’ve mastered the basics of ground handling, it’s time to take it to the next level. Put on your skis and attach your paraglider to your harness. Looking for the best harness for the job? Check out our selection of top harnesses here! Start skiing slowly and try to lift the wing into the air.
Use your brakes to control the wing and adjust your speed as needed. Want to take it to the next level? Practice your reverse takeoff technique to best take yourself from ground handling on the slopes to the skies!
Additional Tips for Success
- Keep your weight forward and centered on your skis.
- Use your poles for balance and support at the beginning of your warm-up if you want to start slow on a smaller hill (warming up on your skis to get comfortable and confident before strapping into your paragliding wing is a great idea!)
- Have a plan to come to a safe stop at all times.
- Stay alert and aware of your surroundings.
- Dress for the weather – stay warm with proper clothing by dressing in layers and temperature-appropriate jackets (we recommend something packable like this Champion Paragliding Jacket!). Keep your face and hands warm with mittens and a balaclava to stay comfortable and avoid frostbite!
The takeaway? If you love winter sports like skiing as well as paragliding – then ground handling with your paraglider on skis is something any true winter sports enthusiast has to try! With practice and patience, you can master the art of ground handling and take to the slopes with confidence. So, grab your gear, find a safe area, and start practicing today!
Looking for the best place to grab some new paragliding gear? We have a HUGE selection of top paragliding products – visit our online shop and browse by category for specific gear – or view our latest deals by visiting our sale section!
