Lightweight gliders have been around for years... They used to be produced by small, specialised companies, and sold to a small, extreme group of pilots with very specific needs.

In the mid 1990’s a couple of bigger manufacturers, notably Edel, released lightweight gliders (the 8000), that were still fairly specialised but had wider appeal and sold in greater numbers.

Then Gin Gliders released the Yeti and Yeti harness, which spurred, or coincided with, a growing interest in going light. The Yeti proved to be extremely popular and far outsold all projections. Now almost every manufacturer has at least one lightweight model and many manufacturers produce whole ranges of lightweight models for a diversifying range of applications.

Two new gliders, the Gin Zulu Explorer and the Airwave Alpine Extreme, are very good examples of just how wide the lightweight range has become… Very light, fast, agile, uncertified mountain wing… or comfortable, long-distance, certified cruiser.

The Airwave Alpine Extreme weighing only 2,7 kg is a high speed and fast handling glider – an ideal glider for pilots who want the lightest equipment combined with good penetration against the wind. With only 17,6 m2 (15,5 projected) it requires a more experienced pilot when flown in the higher weight range. This makes it one of the lightest mountain gliders on the market today.

More info here: here: www.airwave-gliders.com

The Gin Gliders Zulu Explorer at just over 5kg and 26m2 is a redesigned version of the Zulu, the “off-road” wing, with lightweight materials and more performance than the standard glider. The Zulu Explorer mixes the latest materials with clever design changes with one underlying objective: “Your glider is lighter and packs smaller, but has the performance to fly long distances easily”… So… It’s easy to use, durable, compact and lightweight.

More info here: www.gingliders.com