Join the Hydro Gav Newsletter If you want to keep up with upcoming reviews, industry trends, top tips, and what’s happening behind the scenes with the channel, join the free newsletter here: 👉 https://hydro-gav.subscribepage.io The PPC Orbit is a fully double-skinned parawing designed to combine high-performance speed, efficiency and upwind ability with the ease of use we have come to expect from the best modern single-skin parawings. That is a bold claim, because double-skinned parawings have traditionally come with some significant compromises. Poor low-end power, added complexity, difficult water recovery and a bulky packdown have previously made it hard for me to recommend one over a good single skin. For the Orbit, PPC have introduced the PAL—or Power Assist Line—system. Pulling the PAL lowers the rear of the profile to generate additional lift and low-speed power, helping the rider accelerate onto foil. Once flying, it can be released to clean up the profile and unlock the speed and efficiency of the double-skin design. In this independent PPC Orbit review, I test: • The PAL system and low-end power • Speed, efficiency and top-end control • Upwind angle and VMG • Tacking and gybing performance • Launching and general ease of use • Stashing and packdown size • Water recovery and canopy drainage • The asymmetric bar and short-line setup • The backpack-style storage bag • Harness-line compatibility • The compromises that remain with a double skin The Orbit’s bar is one of the best I have used, with an ergonomic hooked shape, a clearly identifiable asymmetric design and a line layout that keeps the PAL system surprisingly intuitive. PPC have also put considerable thought into the canopy. The lightweight material helps keep the packdown competitive, the coordinated centre and tip colours make stowing easier, and the large trailing-edge openings allow trapped water to drain quickly. Small internal drying hooks also make it much easier to properly dry the double-skinned canopy after a session. On the water, the Orbit delivers an impressive combination of speed, stability and control. The PAL provides the additional low-end power that previous double skins have lacked, while the clean profile gives it excellent top-end performance and upwind efficiency once you are moving. It is also remarkably easy through manoeuvres. The canopy remains composed through tacks and gybes, presents itself predictably on the new side and avoids the collapsing or surging that can make performance-focused parawings difficult to use. There are still a few areas that could be refined. I would like the backpack to offer slightly more compression, the extremely thin A-lines can feel harsh on the hands when drawing the wing down under load, and the harness line could be easier to hook into from either side. However, these are relatively minor criticisms. The Orbit delivers the combination of performance and usability that I have been looking for since the beginning of parawinging. Despite not quite making my crickets list, it is my favourite parawing I have tested so far. The standard of parawings is becoming incredibly high, but with the Orbit, PPC have raised it again. This is not simply the best double-skinned parawing I have used—it sets a new benchmark for the entire category. Find out more about the PPC Orbit here: 👉 https://ppcfoiling.com/products/ppc-orbit-parawing As always, this is a fully independent review based on my own experience using the product. PPC had no input into my opinions, conclusions or the final edit. Let me know in the comments: do you think double-skinned parawings are the future, or would you still choose the simplicity of a single skin? #PPCOrbit #PPCFoiling #Parawing #ParawingFoiling #Hydrofoil #Foiling #DownwindFoiling #WingFoiling #DoubleSkinParawing #HydroGav
