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 Before
purchasing equipment take a few lessons and develop a relationship
with your instructor. Most instructors rely on repeat business
and referrals so they are very determined to help you make the
right decisions.
Although shopping
for the best price seems prudent, don't forget the value of maintaining
the local instructor who helps safeguard the local sites and continuously
upgrades techniques and knowledge. A temporary price savings for
you may ultimately take away from your future in the sport. The
paragliding industry is fragile due to land owner concerns over
liability and the lack of funds to support growth. You can help
strengthen this infrastructure through your local professional
instructor. This is one sport where you don't want to grow into
your equipment. Sportier paragliders have marginally better performance
and much less security. It will be at least 100 high flights before
you will have the skill to draw out all the performance that a
modern entry level glider is capable of producing. Used paragliders
can be great and they can be a nightmare.
 There are many things about a paraglider that require testing
in order to determine their true air worthiness. Paragliders may
be useable for as little as 300 UV exposed hours. At some point
every paraglider is best retired. Some gliders come with lines
which can shrink, stretch, or have broken cores. It can be difficult
to tell if a paraglider has developed a porosity problem, fading
isn't necessary for a glider to fail a porosity check. New gliders
are wonderful. If you make the right choices they can be easy
to trust, resell, repair, and enjoy. The number one consideration
is the reputation of the manufacturer. Avoid buying from a knock-off
company that only steals existing designs and doesn't contribute
any R&D for the sport -- you may save a little money now, but
you're really hurting the sport. Avoid buying from a poorly established
importer -- you'll have trouble with repairs, parts, information,
and resale. When budgeting for your glider be sure and consider
a harness that you can keep for a long time. It's better to purchase
a great harness at the beginning, even if you purchase an older
used glider. You will need a reserve parachute to perform any
high flights. A helmet designed for an open field of vision and
good hearing is needed. Ankle protective boots are priority. Check
with your instructor for his recommendations.
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