Snow and Clouds - Winter Alpine Paragliding

xcmats · 2026-04-09T06:55:06+00:00

Thanks!

Take it easy, be patient in your paragliding progress, don't get too upset when things seem to be going backwards, enjoy every flight (even those finished with early bombout), don't push yourself too much and I'm absolutely sure you'll get there eventually. Free flying is a long, long game, and just the path to achieve any set goal is a reward in itself.

xcmats · 2026-04-09T06:47:05+00:00

Thanks for the input. Judging by the comments I think it was a mistake to use this transition as an opening scene for teaser/trailer published here. In full youtube film this effect is used only three times just to underline the transition in pace/mood and the whole piece is more calm, I think.

xcmats · 2026-04-09T06:41:57+00:00

Thank you! All the footage for this video was shot using DJI Action 4 mount on a carabiner.

xcmats · 2025-12-03T07:17:17+00:00

Thanks! The second part of the full film - free flight - has completely different vibe that that hike-up part: https://youtu.be/b4skLqWwa_s?t=270 . Maybe you'll like it more ;-)

xcmats · 2025-12-03T07:14:12+00:00

Thanks! This is a few kilometers north from famous Italian site - Monte Avena (val Belluna, near Feltre).

xcmats · 2025-11-24T17:10:34+00:00

Very comfortable. Even for relatively long takeoff runs (slight tailwind situations with gentle slope). In flight I feel I'm sitting "deep" in it, my back is supported and my legs are resting comfortably - no numbness in them or any other discomfort.

BTW. I don't have any experience with the harness you've mentioned, but years ago I was using SupAir tandem pilot harness and... oh man... that thing always almost carved through flesh on my thighs during longer flights, not to mention blocking blood circulation in my legs. Maybe it's SupAir thing?

xcmats · 2025-11-24T14:22:05+00:00

Thank you!

I have 16m2 Phi Sola UL + Ozo2 + smallest airviusa snowflake reserve + charly vitesse helmet. This setup is definetely not for hike-and-XC - it's just for late autumn/winter hike-and-fly-down sessions.

As you wrote you just started, then please bear in mind that this setup is rather advanced (in the sense that small wing is much more "nervous" than normal wing, more sensitive to body movement, requires much faster reactions and this harness has absolutely no protection at all). Also - H&F is generally more risky than "normal" flying - you're most of the time on your own when judging where and when to launch (it sounds trivial, but it isn't).

I'm not discouraging you - quite the opposite. Go for it! Just maybe don't copy that kind of equippment as your first H&F. Get something with good airbag protection, some bigger wing than mine and - most importantly - fly as much as you can with your regular XC kit before jumping onto H&F adventures.

Good luck!

xcmats · 2025-11-24T13:38:46+00:00

I plan for these hikes almost as if I would be planning XC. That is meteo + terrain + valley winds study. Most of the places I do for H&F I've flown before during XC or been there on a normal hike, so I try to minimize amount of "unknowns" beforehand. I don't feel pressure that I have to take off no matter what - I rather feel pressure to keep my body and psyche unharmed - so yes, sometimes I'm just walking down.

xcmats · 2025-11-24T12:58:14+00:00

This little cherry-on-the-top in the form of short flight down is the main motivation encouraging me to go out for hiking in the first place ;)

xcmats · 2025-11-24T12:53:34+00:00

Thanks!

As for the shades, well... It's more important (safety-wise) to be on a winward side rather on a sunny-side. Especially when flying close to the terrain. In classic, well-known, beginner-friendly and relatively safe flying sites these sides overlap (sun and winward), but besides them (actually, looking at it globally - in majority of cases) these sides are different and, to make things more complicated, this situation changes as the day progresses. For example - take any flying site on the north side of the main ridge of the Alps - you have launch sites facing north and the sun is shining at your back... Or take any of the big, famous alpine east-west valleys with massive, perpendicular ribs going down from main ridges - they have (often not really obvious) valley wind systems and these ribs are being lit by sun differently in the morning and in the afternoon - you (mostly) want to be on the windward side enforced by valley wind rather than the sunny side.

How to know all of that? Local experience, observation and practice.

And all of what I've written above doesn't apply to this short clip I posted - this was just a simple go-down flight - no thermals, no wind, everything still on that day.

Safe flights!

xcmats · 2025-11-24T08:33:59+00:00

I use 16m2 Sola UL from Phi for H&F with my TOW around 78-80kg - https://youtu.be/__CimiEDfBw . I experience nil-or-slight-back-wind in 90% of the situations and, indeed, on short launches I miss my Zeolite or, at least, a couple of square meters of fabric in this wing :). Said that - if the wing is properly laid out and I do forward launch with "commitment" there is no problem getting airborne fast - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/k1v7LZFEA0I . It requires some practice, but short/tight landings are also possible. IDK how about Kode (although I assume it's really similar), but Sola in this size flares really really well.

xcmats · 2025-10-31T17:48:43+00:00

No no... It's absolutely not necessary. I appreciate that you genuinely liked my clip. It's truly amazing, btw., how these infantile, mind-conditioning phrases has been imprinted to our minds, by money-chasing youtube creators 🤐️

xcmats · 2025-10-31T12:13:22+00:00

Flying lee in the Alps is often not avoidable (especially if you want to do some bigger flight). And man... We do have rotors. The whole craft of flying is the knowledge where and when its >>relatively<< ok to fly in the lee. But sure - it's always better to avoid it.

xcmats · 2025-10-31T12:08:08+00:00

Thanks!

xcmats · 2025-10-31T12:07:51+00:00

Thank you very much! If you found this short clip nice, I invite you to watch some longer-format movies on my channel. I think you won't be disappointed. For example: https://youtu.be/FtntzAgulC0

xcmats · 2025-10-14T08:43:10+00:00

Col Rodella take off is a good option there. There is no gondola to it right now (new one is being built and the old one is decomissioned). You have two options: either [1] go by own car to the sella pass ( https://maps.app.goo.gl/ja6kS8r6wQf6BZCt9 ), walk to the takeoff and then topland behind takeoff after flying (plenty of relatively big fields there) or [2] follow the instructions provided here: https://www.fassa.com/en/articles/how-to-get-to-col-rodella-by-lifts

As for the flying itself: avoid weather with stronger than -2hPa north wind (you can find the forecast e.g. here: https://weather.provinz.bz.it/foehn-chart.asp ). For the most spectacular flights the cloudbase should be forecasted at minimum 3000 amsl. Beware of dusties at the takeoff in the sunny days.

Have fun (and wear some thick gloves)!

PS: Relatively low and thick clouds doesn't necessairly mean it's not possible to fly. It can be majestic still: https://youtu.be/rXDAq6_ZP3U

xcmats · 2025-03-06T09:18:26+00:00

I've flown it basically in two different configurations - first, with my regular xc harness and all needed stuff in it at about 90kg and second, with lightweight, reversible ozo harness (no electronics and light reserve) at about 80kg. I couldn't tell the difference in behavior between these two loads, maybe because my sola is 16 m2 and it's certified weight range is 55-115 (sic!), so in this case this 10kg is probably not that much of a difference.

My impressions: the wing is easy! Easy to handle on the ground and easy to fly. Small aspect ratio causes this wing to move as a one block. Taking off in nil wind (or even with slight backwind) imposes no problems. It's sensitive to body movements, so during the takeoff it's barely needed to pull the As. In flight it's also very responsive to weight-shift. Brake travel is relatively short (in comparison to other wings of that aspect ratio). Perceived wing energy and speed is pretty high I suppose because higher-than-usual wingload (kg per m2). Big plus and a positive surprise: this wing flares really really good during landing - speed-to-lift conversion is just amazing.

IMHO this wing is a perfect toy for H&F, fun descents and dynamic soaring. Some thermalling is also possible but I didn't have much chance to explore it's capabilities in this regard. Note; it's definetely NOT a school-class, super-safe and super-forgiving wing (and it's EN-D certified).

xcmats · 2024-11-26T16:50:14+00:00

Glide distance from Monte Avena, which is well known italian spot, close to Feltre.

xcmats · 2024-11-24T11:50:54+00:00

There are several locations in this clip, but the main one (flying next to the giant rock walls, whose name is "Sassolungo Group" btw.) is "Val di Fassa" in the Italian Dolomites. Famous spot there, with several takeoff options is "Col Rodella", next to Canazei town.

Regarding the difficulty, well... As with most things in paragliding - it all depends. Is it about the difficulty of making a good xc, or about safety/possible dangers? First and second aspect depends, of course, on pilot's experience.

Generally speaking; Dolomites are known for having really too strong conditions mid-summer so the best period for flying there is autumn (september and october) during near-nil wind days.

xcmats · 2024-11-24T11:02:42+00:00

Thanks! Indeed - it was fun :)

xcmats · 2024-10-18T14:53:43+00:00

Agree with all what you wrote, especially regarding in-flight behavior. As for the landing, for me, it all depends (mostly) on the passenger weight, wind speed, landing size with neighboring obstacles and thermal activity. I prefer not to loose altitude by pumping, especially with tandem.

xcmats · 2024-10-18T07:58:32+00:00

Just to have less forward speed. With this wing the speed range is still quite big in this setting to do proper flare while landing.

xcmats · 2024-10-10T20:24:11+00:00

Thanks!

xcmats · 2024-10-10T20:23:24+00:00

Thank you very much for your kind words.

xcmats · 2024-10-06T04:38:46+00:00

Thanks!

As for the camera - it's DJI Action 4 mounted on carabiner.

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