Wind season is finally kicking in , sold my Quest prior going to Hood River expecting to come home with latest and greatest but came home confused and empty handed. About to recommence my Para efforts. Still in kook phase at 9 or 10 sessions in but can start ok and gybe just. Ultimate goal is to ocean DW with upwind ability. First up looking at the 4.3 Ozone Pocket Rocket V2 or the 4.5 F-0ne frigate V2 . Start with a single wing and go from there. Appreciate your thoughts , open to any brand.

Hi Rob, I learned on the BRM Maliko’s, still a lot in use up here in Brissy, way ahead of their time, their only downside is their lack of upper range.
I’ve got the PR V2’s now, even when over powered they remain controllable, unlike the Maliko’s. The downside is their lpack away, heavier cloth than the Maliko’s means you need to be more precise to get a small package.Only noticeable in the 4.3 and above, but I’m getting better at the pack so less of an issue. A little training edge flutter at the top of their range.
Even when really overpowered you can always make it back to the beach, very stable. Nice thick lines on the front that won’t cut you when collapsing. And you can collapse them when powered, no need to head straight down wind to dump the power.
Powerful for their size, and point nice and high, almost as good as a twin skin para. And great resale.

I'm in a similar boat to you - just starting my parawing journey. I went with a Naish Hatchv2 in 4.3m for the following reasons:

- All the reviews and design comments were about how it was a great all rounder.
- There appears to have been a focus on longevity of the wing. The Nitonol battens are basicly indestructible and the fabric, while light isn't the gossamer thin stuff found on some other wings. Interviews with the designer also called this out as a deliberate design choice to make the wing last.
- By all accounts it is forgiving enough to learn on, while being performant enough to progress and stay interesting.
- The price was reasonable.
- The wind range and gust handling appears to be on par with the best of the current single skin crop.

I don't really have enough experience to have an informed opinion yet - this is the only parawing I've flown on the water so far - but I have been having a blast with it, and every time I've taken it out Ive managed to get up on foil.

Pretty hard to go wrong with most of them these days providing you pick the right size and design for your desired style of riding.

Frigate 2, PR2, Hatch V2 all great all rounders and heck I'm still using my Quests as they still do a good enough job for what I'm after.

If you're still at the early stages I'd still be somewhat inclined to stick with single skins and I do find the dual bridle system of the Quest/F2 does keep tangles to a minimum.

I disagree that the Frigate V2's are not suitable for beginners. I recently started my parawinging journey on a 4.5 Frigate v2. I found it to be really intuitive to fly from the get go. Within 3 sessions I was gybing and tacking. Of course I had to deal with several 'swim in' newbie tangles but I think that would happen regardless of which parawing you chose. I think anyone who is already a reasonably competent wing foiler would have zero issues starting on a Frigate.

Quest, Hatch V2 or Frigate V2, in that order.

yep that’s a good choice.

Why not start on a discounted last year wing like a 4m flysurfer pow and not worry about the long lines and the stow ability and just learn to ride and gybe and foot switch . The 4m has a lot of power .

maxpwr said..
It came down to the PRv2, hatch v2 and the quest.. From talking to a few people, it seems the hatch needs to be sized up a half size from the PR, and the quest needs another half size over the hatch.

I'm not sure I can fully agree with the double size up for the Quest.

Whilst the low end isn't it's strength, I really don't find it bad at all. I'm parawinging with mates who are on Hatch V2's and PR2's etc and I'm on a similar size if not smaller.

Yesterday had a great parawing in the surf and my winging mates were on 4m wings while I was on my 3m Quest.

If I was buying now though I think I'd find it hard to go past the frigate 2 (the hatch v2's also look nice but I'm yet to have a proper session on one)

Piros said..

flowstate said..
For your skills and Goldy wind I’d go 5.1 Hatch v2 mate.
Five metre grunt to get out thru the beachies - that sweep really sucks power out of the wang - on downwinders, not too big for packdown.
Has decent top end for blasting around onshore at the Bin, broadwater etc
Tough build for going thru the spin cycle at the Neck or Dbah.
and cheaper than the big names.

Yeah FX doesn't sell Naish but it does look good , it has solid reviews.

Yeh reviews …. don’t trust them as far as I can throw them after the PR debarcle. Also I agree above the quest size per size goes just as early as any para I’ve tried. Also this narrative that the V2 frigate needs to be sized up is absolute rubbish. Lot of kooks with all the gear and no idea plus vested interest. Last 4 weeks has been a real eye opener for me - reality on the water versus the so called reviews.

Piros, it’s Frigate V2 for sure. I just sold my whole quiver of Hatch v2s because of the violence when flapping at full depower. I was seriously concerned this would scare my wife and make her not want to join me in the switch to all parawing, all the time.

Yesterday she got to her feet for the first time on a parawing and it was the 4m Frigate V2 n 14 knots. 3 pumps and she was gone. On foil riding like a pro on day one! She even jibed it. Training with the Hatch V2s previously, she had only learned to tangle lines, get to her knees, and fall backwards.

She is hooked for life at age 71 on parawing. Winging is dead to her.

Honestly, the Frigate V2 delivers power as smooth as a hand wing. Insane. The low end missing claims are total user error. In fact, it has low end to match a 4m D/Lab for my wife. Put back hand on back of bar when pumping and it’s so natural and wing like.

She is 56kg and used 900 F4 Orca on a 6’2 x 21 x 70 liter