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Sheps
Sheps

WA

137 posts

8 Jan 2026 9:47pm
Recently I've been enjoying this running vest. Great for carrying a phone, electronic car key, sunglasses and an extra parawing (even a Paia) in the back. Rather than put the parawing directly into the back I use a compression bag with a screw valve to push out water and air before putting in the back. This vest is so light and secure and a cinch to take off and put on in the water. It's super small and no problem using with even the very large Manera waist harness. Avaliable at Anaconda and Rebel Sport. It's caller.. Salmon Active Skin 4






Reply in Topic: Brm Paia
Sheps
Sheps

WA

137 posts

8 Jan 2026 7:17am
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MidAtlanticFoil said..

Jve said..
From extensive experience with foil kites I'm quite sceptical about a double skin as an option for high gusty wind. They might have good depower, but are often sensitive to gusty wind. I'm much more optimistic about the hybrid models that are coming out, as they eat gusts like nothing else. I'm often out foiling with hybrid foil kites in 30-40 knots and have an amazing time, while my friends complain it was terrible because of the gusts, which I haven't even noticed. There will be a hybrid parawing soon from 777 that should come in 3.2m and 2.5m sizes.



Paia is great in gusts at the upper end. You can see the gusts coming and you get a marginal increase in pull, without any fuss from the flight, just rock solid.


Apart from going upwind at such incredible angle I'd say handling gusts is the most positive attribute of the double skin. Only, if the wind drops suddenly or changes direction significantly and fast due to wind obstruction or the like, the Paia can do some erratic stuff and due to its slow moving characteristics hard if not impossible to recover from in my experience so far. Making me a better sailor for sure though and overall I'm hooked.
Reply in Topic: F4 orcas
Sheps
Sheps

WA

137 posts

7 Jan 2026 9:39pm
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eppo said..
how are people finding the 11mm skinny mast - and heavier guys been on it ?


I've ridden both on multiple dw runs in various conditions over the last six weeks and for me at 67kgs I prefer the skinny but all the heavier riders that have demoed the gear have opted to buy the 13mm mast because it's crazy stiff and still considered relatively thin. I can feel the flex in the 11mm on the 800 Orca but the frictionless and loose feel is so addictive. Being such a light rider I feel I gain a lot with reduced friction and I'm bending the mast a lot less than heavier guys. I'm back on the 13mm mast from today for a while and I'm interested to see how I feel on it now. I think overall heavier guys and anyone riding bigger than the 800 and wanting to crank turns they will most likely go the 13mm.
Reply in Topic: Brm Paia
Sheps
Sheps

WA

137 posts

5 Jan 2026 10:48am
I've only got the 4.5m Paia so I can't offer anything for the really strong stuff but I can say the top end is pretty amazing. No problem holding down 28 knots or so. Gusts are so comfortable but I have to say at the low end especially, variations in wind direction are tricky as the wing tips are very prone to folding in. Until you have some apparent wind I find it best not to lower one wing tip too much or with any slight change in wind direction you might get a fold. From
my time riding, it excels so much in solid wind. Due to their size making them tricky to pack away i
tending to think these suit super windy days and the 3.1 sounds like so much fun. Looking forward to hearing from you BWalnut.
Sheps
Sheps

WA

137 posts

3 Jan 2026 6:47am
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sir ROWDY said..
My 2cents -

1 - Jam Vest just looks ugly, I also don't think it really solves any issues once you figure out a good technique to stow, in my eyes it maybe even makes things harder as pushing a wing down and in is easier while pumping than pushing sideways. (stroke your stomach pat your head type scenario).

2 - For the same reason as above I'm not a huge fan of the side entry on the Manera belt, I don't think it's better and I think it makes stowing bigger wings much more difficult. I think the only advantage in my eyes is that it collects less water when nothing is inside it if that's a big issue you face. I also don't like it kinda forces you to use the bar holster.

3 - Bar holsters are pointless. I've had one the whole time and I find not only is it a pointless intermediate step for most people but it also tends to tangle far more if left in the holster than simply wedged on top of the wing in a top load bag.

4 - I think the Ozone bag most people have is the right idea but uses the wrong materials. This is why people complain about using it whilst pumping. I have a similar bag but the majority of it is made from stiffer 2mm neoprene with some other stretchier parts and drainage areas and I never have the issue people have with the Ozone.

5 - I really think the simplest and most obvious design (like the Ozone) is all that's needed. The only things that need to be improved in my opinion is a bit more support for using it more as a harness (maybe a positive of the Manera for now).


Good run down and I totally agree that the side entry is harder, but I have to say that the Manera can fit large parawings and using the holster makes this possible. I can't fit my 4.5m Paia into my Ozone easily at all and when I do it is so unsecured I can't foil properly with it moving around. When wet forget it. With the Manera, you can feed it in slowly and it fits rather easily and it's so small and secure once done. No comparison. The bar holster method unfortunately has to be used or it simply won't fit. None of this matters once it's away when you are finally able to enjoy a long dw run, not noticing you are carrying anything.
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