Hike-and-fly is hot and with it comes our urge to slim down our equipment. A lighter wing, harness and reserve and yes, also a lighter helmet. Recently we have seen the number of pilots choosing a climbing helmet for hike-and- fly rise significantly, in competitions and recreational flights alike.
It makes sense at first glance: the popular Petzl Sirocco (170g pictured below) climbing helmet is 200g lighter than one of the lightest free flight helmets, the Supair Pilot (380g). But climbing helmets are fully unsuitable for paragliding.
Petzl Sirocco climbing helmet (200g)
The two most important properties for a helmet are the shock absorption (you fall head first onto something) and penetration...
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