French Alps-based harness manufacturer Kortel have broken into the paraglider market with a new high performance lightweight vol-bivouac competition wing called the Kross.
It was designed for vol-bivouac and hike-and-fly competitions, with “solidity and simplicity” as the design keywords, a not-outrageous aspect ratio of 6.4 and CCC or EN C certification, depending on size.
“It’s the ideal compromise between high performance and accessibility in rough conditions”, Kortel explain. “This balance is necessary during such flights, when tiredness makes necessary to have full confidence in your glider”.
The Kross is available in three sizes (21.9m², 23.7m² and 26.3m²) and Kortel say it feels compact and easy to handle in the air and has good manoeuvrability, which makes it easy to climb even in the most disorganised of thermals.
The smallest, XS, size (for 70-90kg all-up) has been especially developped for racing. It’s fast, and is EN CCC certified whereas the two larger sizes (80-95kg and 90-110kg all-up) are EN/LTF C.
It’s made from Skytex 27 cloth, with Skytex 32 providing solidity at the leading edge. There are no fragile supports, so it can be folded quickly and easily, and the risers are 12mm webbing which Kortel say are easier to handle than skinny Dyneema which can tangle easily.
The wing itself weighs between 3.4 and 3.85kg. Kortel suggest teaming it with the Kolibri harness (2kg) and Kolibri backpack (800g) for “the unbeatable performance/weight ratio”.
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